Actually, it depends on the lipstick brand and the properties they want in it – but yes, there is fish scales in some lipstick. In most lipsticks, they have fairly standard ingredients. Basically lipstick is made out of oil/wax base with some additives such as fragrance, pigment, preservatives and antioxidants.
* The base (oil/wax) is such that you can spread the lipstick. Wax (think of a candle) by itself is too hard so the oil is there to soften it.
* Fragrance is so it smells good when you open it – it gives that uniqueness to it (they try to be different between brands of lipsticks).
* Pigments is the colour as well as anything else to give it sparkle or shine. This is where the fish scales come in. The silvery stuff that you can see in fish scales is what they call pearl essence. It is put into lipsticks to give that shimmery look. Not only that, it is put in other things such as nail polish. Ones without that shimmery look is less likely to have the fish scales.
* Preservatives and antioxidants are there to prevent the lipstick go off. Oils will naturally go rancid over time due to oxidation. Antioxidants will slow the oxidation process enough to give you time to finish using your lipstick. If you have an old lipstick that doesn’t have fragrance and stinks, then it is likely the antioxidant has been used up and the oil has gone rancid.
Actually, it depends on the lipstick brand and the properties they want in it – but yes, there is fish scales in some lipstick. In most lipsticks, they have fairly standard ingredients. Basically lipstick is made out of oil/wax base with some additives such as fragrance, pigment, preservatives and antioxidants.
* The base (oil/wax) is such that you can spread the lipstick. Wax (think of a candle) by itself is too hard so the oil is there to soften it.
* Fragrance is so it smells good when you open it – it gives that uniqueness to it (they try to be different between brands of lipsticks).
* Pigments is the colour as well as anything else to give it sparkle or shine. This is where the fish scales come in. The silvery stuff that you can see in fish scales is what they call pearl essence. It is put into lipsticks to give that shimmery look. Not only that, it is put in other things such as nail polish. Ones without that shimmery look is less likely to have the fish scales.
* Preservatives and antioxidants are there to prevent the lipstick go off. Oils will naturally go rancid over time due to oxidation. Antioxidants will slow the oxidation process enough to give you time to finish using your lipstick. If you have an old lipstick that doesn’t have fragrance and stinks, then it is likely the antioxidant has been used up and the oil has gone rancid.
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