Ground mica adds color and shine to the eyeshadow.
While makeup formulations vary with different brands and products, the basic, foundational ingredients of eye shadows tend to be the same. Most of the shade is made up of a base filler, such as talcum powder or mica. Binders like zinc and magnesium are then added to help the eyeshadow adhere better to the skin. Mica pigments are incorporated and mixed until the desired look is achieved. Finally, a preservative such as glycol or tocopherol is added to help preserve the shade’s ingredients and prevent them from spoiling.
Pigments are added to eye shadow to give it different colors.
The first step in making a shadow is to create a base. Fillers are the main ingredients in most foundations, as they tend to add some volume to the formula and allow the other eyeshadow ingredients to blend well. Talc and cosmetic-grade mica are the most common choices, but kaolin clay is also used. For creamy bases, waxes and oils are often added to other fillers. Common cream base ingredients include beeswax, silicone, shea butter, castor oil, and jojoba oil.
Zinc and magnesium can be added to the eyeshadow to allow it to adhere to the eyelid.
After creating a base, binders are added. Binders are used to give eyeshadow ingredients a way to adhere to the skin and give the wearer long-lasting coverage. Zinc and magnesium derivatives are the most common choices for this task. For added staying power, it is recommended to use a creamy eyeshadow as waxes and oils help the eyeshadow adhere better to the skin.
Common base ingredients in some eyeshadows include beeswax or silicone.
To color the eye shadow, pigments are added. The most common way to incorporate color into cosmetics is to mix mica pigments into formulations. Mica pigments come in a wide variety of different shades and can be mixed together to create multi-faceted looks. For example, blue and green mica pigments can be mixed together to create a turquoise effect. In ancient times, crushed gemstones were often used to create dramatic palettes.
Eye shadow can help bring out the color of a person’s eyes.
Other ingredients, such as bismuth oxychloride, silica, boron nitride, and dimenticone, can be added to powder eyeshadows to help them glide better while being applied to the lid, but they are completely optional. Most formulas also contain glycol or tocopherol to help preserve the tone’s ingredients and prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. It should be noted that claims have been made indicating that certain common cosmetic ingredients may be harmful to the skin. Some of the ingredients in question include talc, bismuth oxychloride, and dimenticone.