Under the matte veil: the secrets of powder

Author: Ksenia Petsitis – engineer for the production technology of cosmetics and detergents, developer of decorative cosmetics for various international brands (Germany).

Powder is an important and indispensable component of high-quality makeup. It makes facial features more graceful, gives the skin a velvety shine, absorbs excess fat, mattifies the skin, fixes makeup and hides wrinkles. In addition, the powder is intended not only to correct complexion and skin unevenness - it protects it from the negative influence of aggressive environmental components: dust, smog, ultraviolet radiation, frost, strong wind, temperature fluctuations, and prevents the skin from absorbing its own secretions.

From time immemorial

The history of powder goes back several thousand years. The word “powder” is of French origin, but it came into Russian from the Germans. According to historians, the first powder appeared in Egypt under Queen Cleopatra. In those distant times, flour, clay or alabaster were used as this indispensable cosmetic product. First, plant-based powder appeared, which was prepared from flour, usually rice or wheat. Such powder, mixed with sweat, constantly irritated the skin. The Sumerians and ancient Egyptians used yellow and red ocher as powder. Fashionistas of Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece used mineral-based powder - lead white or white clay. Around the 17th century, powder ceased to be a luxury item - almost all segments of the population began to use it. The powder was applied to the skin according to the principle “the more, the better.” Interesting fact: first, Queen Elizabeth I of England, and after her all the ladies of the court, painted thin blood vessels on top of a thick layer of powder to appear more sophisticated. It was customary not to remove such “makeup” for several days. And each maid of honor had her own book, the pages of which were covered with a special white and pink composition. The torn page, or “Spanish paper” as it was called, was to be rubbed on the cheeks.

In Russia, powder gained its recognition in the era of Catherine II. Russian ladies powdered themselves with wheat and rice powder, which was customarily ennobled in every possible way: tinted, flavored. The powder gained its greatest popularity in the 18th century in Prussia. Here they used it literally in kilograms, covering both the face and wigs with it. In addition, with the help of powder it was possible to hide traces of smallpox and venereal diseases, so widespread in that era.

Today, powder is present in every woman’s arsenal. And in our age of high technology, it performs the same functions as it did thousands of years ago - it gives the skin a beautiful, fresh and radiant look. The trends and rhythm of modern life have made it different, more convenient to use. Today, powder is most often used in pressed form. Cosmetic companies offer powder, compact, liquid powder, cream powder, and powder in leaves. In addition, modern manufacturers have replaced rice flour in the powder with talc, since flour had a negative effect on the skin, clogging the pores of the skin. However, let’s take a closer look at the composition of the powder, which can tell the consumer a lot.

The Perfect Blend

The powder base consists of a combination of whitish components similar to flour - the so-called fillers. The main raw material is primarily talc, to a lesser extent kaolin and partly starch. By the way, starch and lanolin are most often used in the production of powder using old technologies. The good quality of the powder is evidenced by the presence of talc and colloidal kaolin in its composition - they are very soft and apply well to the skin. Calcium carbonate and magnesia have the same properties, and magnesia also covers the skin well, smoothes the texture and makes the powder lighter and more crumbly. Other mineral components, such as mica or its variety, sericite, are used to reduce particle size, since the properties of flake mica help soften a fairly hard base. They are important components of any powder compound and determine such basic properties as covering power, softness, cohesion, as well as hygroscopicity and oil absorption. Fillers that improve the texture of the powder include polyamide, boron nitride, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), lauroyl lysine, as well as silica and bismuth oxychloride.

The hygroscopicity and oil absorption of the powder are regulated by the appropriate dosage of the individual components. It is important that the powder does not dry out the skin too much. The properties of the components used and their concentration determine the optical and matting effect of the final product.

To color the powder flesh-colored, about 3–6% of coloring pigments are added. The white pigment is usually titanium dioxide, as well as a mixture of yellow, red and black iron oxide. And the masking effect of powder depends on whether these pigments have light and color correcting properties. For example, if the powder contains micatitan in combination with nylon microparticles, it really improves skin texture. By reflecting white, such pigments soften the effects of too bright light on the skin. Therefore, pores and small irregularities become invisible, and the skin appears smooth, soft and velvety. The advantage of color-correcting pigments is that they compensate for the lack of red, yellow or brown tones, evening out skin color.

In addition, the powder contains small amounts of auxiliary substances such as preservatives or fragrances, as well as binders, which ensure stability after the pressing process and prevent excessive dusting. Binders mostly consist of a mixture of oils with high oxidation resistance. Their share in powder is most often 3–5%. In pressed powder, the content of these substances is, as a rule, slightly higher than in loose powder. For better cohesion, zinc stearate or magnesium stearate is used in the pressed powder. By the way, in other respects, pressed powder is no longer different from loose powder.

To obtain fine powder, micronized components are also used, thanks to which the finished powder becomes thinner and softer. The use of special powder components treated with substances such as myristyl lactate, stearic acid, silicone or amino acids allows a positive effect on the final texture, dusting and spreading ability of the powder. The more components used that give the powder softness, the more velvety and softer the finished product will be. In practice, the choice of raw material depends on the respective application and the specified cost limits. For example, compact powder can be soft and velvety, or vice versa – dry, crumbly and rough if very simple raw materials were used in its production.

Excipients (perfume oils, antioxidants, etc.), as a rule, do not affect the properties of the powder.

In the process of making powder, the raw materials are dried and crushed, a powder mixture is made in accordance with the recipe, and mixed. The resulting mixture is sifted through a special sieve and packaged or pressed into molds. Depending on the fineness of grinding, the quality of the fragrance and the nature of the packaging, loose and compact powders are produced in four groups: top quality, A, B, C. Top quality face powder is distinguished by the fact that it has a particularly fine grind, good covering power, gives the skin freshness and whiteness.

Latest Ingredients

Modern manufacturers do not skimp on new effects in their products and give them unusual properties. Today, powders contain quite unusual ingredients, and the powders themselves serve not only for makeup, but also for simultaneous skin care. The powder formula may include herbal ingredients obtained from environmentally friendly raw materials: maize extract, sunflower oil, olive oil, apricot kernel oil, grape seed oil, jojoba, marine silicon, mother of pearl, healing clay. The powder may also contain vitamins C and E, which protect the skin from harmful environmental influences and inhibit the aging process. In addition, the powder may have a formula that supports the natural pH balance of the skin, include sun filters or an exclusive complex that increases light scattering and gives the face brightness and radiance.

Varieties

Modern powders are distinguished by a wide range and multidirectional effects. In addition to the usual types of powder, which have already become classics, you can also find less common ones.

Loose (powder) powder gives a slight tint and a slight matting effect. It is ideal for finishing makeup, neutralizing shine and leaving the skin smooth and velvety. The main advantage of this powder is that it looks very natural on the skin due to the most even distribution of its smallest particles. Loose powder practically does not cause allergic reactions. Compact powder can be called the most popular product. Its advantages over crumbly ones are obvious: it’s convenient to carry in your purse and you can “touch up” your makeup in the meantime. Due to its high fat content, it is extremely beneficial for dry skin (the powder is pressed into a block together with binding elements consisting mainly of oils).
Powder in the form of multi-colored balls evens out the complexion, gives the skin freshness and a pleasant tint, creates a light mattifying effect and makes pores less noticeable. This powder reflects light, thus softening facial features. It should be applied using a thick brush: the particles of the balls, mixing on the brush, are ultimately applied to the skin of the face in a very thin and transparent layer.

Transparent powder helps remove oily skin. It suits any complexion. True, this powder practically does not hide minor imperfections and is only good for those who have almost flawless skin.

A special antiseptic powder is used for various skin inflammations, as it contains antibacterial and anti-inflammatory additives, such as sulfur, bisabolol and allantoin. It contains neither fat nor aromatic substances. Antiseptic powder is applied with a disposable cotton swab. This is hygienic, since used brushes or powder puffs can cause germs to multiply and then spread across the face. In addition, it absorbs excess fat well. Antiseptic powder is intended only for inflamed skin; it is contraindicated for normal or dry skin, as it will only cause harm to it.

Green concealer powder will help hide various color imperfections of the skin: visible blood vessels, age spots and inflamed areas. It is applied only to the areas that need to be camouflaged, since the visual green color neutralizes the red, and then covered with several layers of flesh-colored powder to completely hide the green tint. The powder can be powdered or compact powder.

Shimmering powder is only suitable for evening makeup. The “shimmering skin” effect is achieved thanks to the reflective particles contained in the powder. This powder can be powdered or compact.

Bronze, or terracotta, powder is a summer option for dark skin. It replaces foundation and blush, giving the face a special summer freshness. Good quality terracotta powder has healing mud added to it, which makes the brown shade more intense and natural. This powder emphasizes the contours of the face, but on pale, untanned skin, terracotta or bronze powder looks quite rough.

Thus, the decisive factor regarding the fineness, transparency and lightness of the powder is not only its apparent consistency, but also its composition. You can easily check it by applying a little powder to the back of your hand. The quality of the product packaging should not be underestimated, since practical use and the ability to apply powder are closely related to it.

Source: KOSMETIK international journal, No. 4(38), 2009, pp. 106-109