MAKING YOUR OWN LIP PRODUCTS
Lip Products basically consist of oils, waxes and pig- ments then add the color. The formulation contains around 50 percent organic hard waxes such as carnauba and 20 percent pigments including titanium and fillers such as seracite.
There are several types of lip products that are popular today.
- Cream Lipsticks: These are generally matte lipsticks that contain little or no pearl or gloss.
- Pearl Lipsticks: These are either matte pigments com- bined with micas or bismuth oxychloride that have a pearl effect in addition to the background color.
- Lip gloss: A more fluid style of lip color with a high gloss effect. Lip Products come in several types of packaging.
- Lipstick Tubes: This type of lipstick has to be per- fectly blended for consistency as they tend to break or melt too easily if the consistency is not right. They also pose other problems for the handcrafter as most of the tubes require that the lipstick is poured into a mold, chilled, released from the mold and then placed into the tube. This is an expensive and tricky process. For this reason we have found a tube where the lipstick can be poured directly into the tube and it has a slanted tip for easy application.
- Lip gloss Containers: These containers are similar to a mascara container with a sponge applicator. The lip product is fairly easy to put into the tube with a pipette when it is still warm.
- Dial Up Pens: These products are new to the market and can come with several different tip options. The two tip options that we supply are a lip brush or a multiholed sponge tip. You fill the pens up as you would a lip balm tube and when the product is cool push the tip onto the top. (it can be easily removed) To get the product into the tip you dial up the bottom of the pen. You can also dial the pen back down for refilling and put a new tip on if you are sure the pencil insides have not been contaminated.
- Click Pens: You basically use this the same way as the dial up pen, the difference being how you get the product out. The bottom has a clicker much like a ball point pen which pushed the product to the top.
- Lip Gloss Tubes: This is the standard clear lip gloss tubes that you traditionally see lip glosses packaged in. Since most people don’t have sealers we have bought a tube that has a applicator that comes off the top. Fill your tube and when the product has cooled put the tip on and cap.
- Jumbo Lip Pencils: These large pencils work much like a lipstick for application. The base is usually a bit firmer than a lipstick.
- Slim line Lip Pencils: Generally used to line the lips. The lip product is generally a bit firmer than a lipstick as you don’t want smearing around the edge of the lip. We suggest using our eyeliner base for these.
- PIGMENTS: As a general rule most of our pigments and micas are approved for use on the lips with the exception some of the blues and some of the greens. If they are not appropriate for lip use they will be la- belled as such.
- Matte Pigments: These include the Lake Pigments and the Oxides. They are strong colors and very little is needed to add color to a product. General usage rate is 5-10%.
- Micas: These are luminous and transparent. They are best for lip gloss products that are fairly transparent and will show up the effects of the micas in the pigment. You can add a bit of Titanium or Blender to them but the more opaque the final product the less effect you will get from the mica. General usage rate is 15- 20%.
- Blended Pigments: You can use Micas blended with the Matte Pigments to get stronger colors for your Mica Blends.
BLENDING YOUR PIGMENTS: Please read our article on blending foundations before blending your pig- ments for lip products. This will make what I am saying here much easier to follow.
When blending your pigments for lipsticks you basically reverse the process that we use for blending foun- dations. First you want to measure out your pigments and blend them. After they are thoroughly mixed you then start adding the blender base to lighten it to the shade that you desire . If you want to adjust the color as you go you can add small scoops of pigment at anytime to change the color.
I am supplying you with a few pictures and color formulas to get you started but the real fun comes with blending your own colors. I also sell easy bases that we know work with some of the finest ingredients that we can find. I know that handcrafters may prefer to make their own bases and may have many of the ingredients on hand. I will also supply a couple of formulas to get you going on making bases. These are guidelines only, perfecting them is up to you.
