How Is Lipstick Produced?

The finished product.

Lipstick has a long history, going back to many ancient civilizations. Egyptians and other societies in Mesopotamia used pigment to color their lips and faces, taking the dye from natural sources such as red mercuric sulfide. Nowadays, lipstick is produced in factories, in a largely automated three-part process.

Ingredients

The ingredients for lipstick differ from company to company; however, they always consist of wax, alcohol, pigment and oil. A lipstick could potentially be made of beeswax, cetyl alcohol (this is to prevent it from melting from body heat), a specific color pigment and vegetable oil. These ingredients can differ in content or in ratio, depending on each company's formula.

Melting

Lipstick is made of three separate mixtures: solvents, oils and fats/waxes. The ingredients for these mixtures are melted in separate containers. The solvents and oils are mixed together, then stirred for a long time, after which the fats are added. Pigment is introduced last. The lipstick is created in large batches for efficiency.

Pouring

Once the lipstick is combined, it is poured into tubes. This is done through a mechanized process where a set amount of the mixture is poured into each tube. It is then cooled so it will form a solid.

Finishing Up

The last step in the process is packaging the lipstick and adding the labels. This is usually done through an automated factory process, but in smaller operations, can still be done by hand.

References

• ENotes.com: How Products Are Made--Lipstick
• Clearly Explained: Lipstick