What ingredients make cosmetics waterproof, what to look for when buying it, and where mercury comes from in some of its brands, Indicator. Ru figured out.
“With the new waterproof mascara, I’m not afraid of rain or heat,” says the happy girl from another commercial. What are waterproof lipsticks, foundations and mascaras made of? Let's figure it out.
A bit of history
The beginning of the 20th century was marked by the rapid development of cinematography. Every year, dozens of films were shot, the actors worked on the set all day long. The former theatrical make-up could not hold out on the faces of the actors for a whole shooting day, but they had to be removed both in the heat and in the cold. Therefore, in 1926, the "father of modern cosmetics" Max Factor was commissioned to develop waterproof cosmetics for the start of the filming of the film "Mare Nostrum", part of which took place at sea.
The new composition, to which the master added gutta-percha, a natural resin extracted from the milky juice of gutta-percha plants, was so successful that the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences soon awarded Max Factor an Oscar for his contribution to the development of cinema.
Waterproof cosmetics began filling store shelves in the early 1940s. In 1939, the famous businessman Helena Rubinstein released her waterproof mascara, which was used by the dancers of the water ballet - a theatrical performance with sports and dance elements on the water.
The fact is that the novelty appeared almost simultaneously with this very performance, which took place at the International Exhibition in New York. After the performances of the artists, the demand for mascara among American women began to grow.
Composition of waterproof cosmetics
1. Silicones
One of the main ingredients in waterproof cosmetics is silicone polymers. They are most commonly found in foundation, mascara and lipstick formulations and can be easily recognized by the "-cone" ending.
The most common is Dimethicone copolyol - one of the types of silicone oils, liquid organosilicon polymers. Since silicone oils are based on fats, water cannot mix with them, making silicone oils an ideal ingredient for waterproof cosmetics.
Another silicone is phenyl trimethicone. Like dimethicone, phenyltrimethicone spreads easily over the skin, forming a non-greasy, thin film. Such a film is impervious to water, but easily permeates oxygen and does not interfere with the epidermis in any way, so the skin under the film “breathes”.
2. Waxes
The waterproof mascara contains water-insoluble waxes. Beeswax and carnauba waxes are especially popular. The last ingredient is obtained from the leaves of the Copernicia cerifera palm tree, which grows in the northeastern Brazilian state of Piauí. Manufacturers refer to this Brazilian wax on the packaging by the name of the palm tree.
Natural plant-based candelilla wax is a vegan alternative to beeswax. It is obtained from the leaves of the candelilla shrub (Euphorbia cerifera), which grows in northern Mexico. Wax helps the plant retain moisture in arid desert. By the way, candelilla wax is an excellent alternative to beeswax for people suffering from allergies to bee products.
The next on the list is ozokerite or mountain wax - a natural hydrocarbon, similar in composition to oil. It is a mixture of high molecular weight solid saturated hydrocarbons, has the smell of kerosene, and its consistency resembles beeswax. Ozokerite mixes well with natural oils and fats, it is often used in decorative cosmetics and protective creams.
Probably one of the most harmless ingredients in waterproof cosmetics is lanolin, or wool wax. This is an animal wax that is obtained from the digestion of sheep's wool.
Another wax is microcrystalline. To obtain it, it is necessary to degrease petrolatum (a mixture of paraffin, ceresin and oil). Unlike the crystals of the more famous paraffin wax, the crystals of such wax are small and thin. Microcrystalline wax is generally darker, viscous, thicker, sticky and elastic than paraffin wax, which is why it is used in the production of cosmetics.
Also, in the composition of waterproof mascara, you can often find organosilicon resins - high molecular weight substances formed as a result of chemical transformations of various monomeric silicon compounds. Silicon in them is bound to organic carbon directly or through oxygen. Organosilicon resins are not only waterproof, but also withstand temperatures up to + 400 ° C. They are absolutely harmless to humans and are even used in cooking as part of jams and jams to prevent foaming.
Another component of waterproof mascara is stearic acid (octadecanoic acid). It is a saturated fatty acid that is commonly found in nature. It is part of most animal fats and, to a lesser extent, various vegetable oils. Stearic acid is also found in human subcutaneous fat. White crystals of acid, insoluble in water. In the composition, manufacturers often refer to stearic acid as Emersol 132.
3. "Bad" and "good" alcohols
Waterproof foundations may contain cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. Labels are referred to as cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. They are classified as fatty alcohols, a type of lipid. Such alcohols are obtained from vegetable raw materials, for example from coconut oil, and stearyl alcohol is obtained from the already mentioned stearic acid.
Fatty alcohols take on a solid, waxy form at room temperature. To formulate a cosmetic formula, such alcohols are melted. "Wax" alcohols are suitable even for the most sensitive skin, so they can often be found in cosmetics.
However, do not forget about harmful alcohols. If the composition of the waterproof foundation contains ethyl alcohol or just alcohol (ethyl alcohol), then you should not use such cosmetics. Ethyl alcohol dries out the skin, and regular use of cosmetics containing ethanol makes the skin flake off. By the way, ethanol is found in many lotions and tonics for oily skin, as well as in inexpensive perfumes.
The only difference between cosmetic ethyl alcohol and ethyl alcohol in alcoholic beverages is that in cosmetics it is most often denatured, that is, manufacturers make it unfit for drinking by adding substances that are unpleasant in taste. Basically, ethanol is denatured in order to give it a bitter taste, and people, especially children, could not drink a cosmetic product with alcohol. In the formulations, denatured alcohol is referred to as SD alcohol or alcohol denat.
Speaking of "harmful" ingredients, it is worth noting that some manufacturers may add mercury compounds to waterproof mascara. By the way, UN representatives during the conference on the Minamata Convention on Mercury decided not to prohibit the use of mercury in the production of cosmetics. The scientists explained their decision by the fact that such cosmetics contain only micro-admixtures of a toxic substance that are not dangerous for life.
In addition, mercury kills bacteria and is a good preservative, thanks to which cosmetics can be stored for several years. So far, scientists have not conducted a single study, the results of which would prove the harm from using mascara with a low concentration of mercury compounds.
Mercury compounds are labeled as thiomersal or thimerazole. It should be noted that more often mercury can be found in cheap brands of cosmetics, since mercury insoluble in water is not as expensive as waxes and silicones.
How to remove waterproof makeup
Oils, which are part of special two-phase liquids, can remove waterproof cosmetics. Inside the bottle, the liquids are "separate": the lotion is at the bottom, and the oil is at the top. When shaken, the layers "join", the oil dissolves the cosmetics, and the water removes the remaining fat.
Often, liquid paraffin acts as an ingredient located on top of the water - a mixture of mineral oil and solid paraffinic hydrocarbons, in which there are no organic substances and their compounds harmful to humans. You can also wash off waterproof makeup without using special products, but simply apply a greasy cream on your face, and then remove it with a cotton pad.
So, it was not possible to find any dangerous ingredients in the composition of waterproof cosmetics. Neither silicones nor waxes that are part of waterproof mascara, lipstick and foundation will harm eyelashes or skin. As in the case with any cosmetics, the buyer should trust the already familiar and proven brands, be wary of the content of ethyl alcohol and mercury compounds.
However, it is worth remembering that waterproof cosmetics do not contain oils due to which the skin becomes hydrated. Therefore, those who often use such cosmetics need to stock up on moisturizers. But fat cream, as we have already found out, is prohibited.
