How lipstick is made

Red lipstick was once colored with carmine, a dye crushed from cactus-feeding insects.

stations: 7
things upstream: 35
raw sources: 13
steps from the ground: 7

The short version

Lipstick is a blend of waxes, oils and pigment. Pigments are ground into oil until smooth, then mixed with melted waxes. The hot liquid is poured into a metal mold, chilled until it sets, popped out as a stick and flamed lightly on the surface for shine before it is placed in its case.

Grind pigment into oil

Pigments and mineral powders are rolled with castor oil or similar oil through steel rollers until no gritty specks remain. A smooth paste means an even color on the lips.

Goes in
Castor beans Titanium dioxide Iron ore Pigment
Melt the waxes

Beeswax, other waxes and lanolin are heated together in a kettle. They give the stick its firmness and set how it glides.

Goes in
Honeycomb Paraffin wax
Blend the batch

Pigment paste is stirred into the hot wax, along with flavor and a small amount of fragrance. Operators hold the mixture liquid and check it against a color standard.
Pour into molds

Hot liquid goes into a metal mold with many stick-shaped cavities.
Chill until firm

Loaded molds go into a cooler until the lipstick hardens enough to come out whole. Cold also gives the wax a fine grain.
Flame the surface

Each stick is released from the mold and passed briefly through a flame. A light melt glazes the surface to a glossy finish and hides small marks.
Seat it in the case

Sticks are pushed into twist-up metal or plastic cases, capped, inspected and labeled.

Goes in
Aluminum ABS plastic

End of the lineLipstick

Worth repeating

The first commercial lipstick appeared in Paris in 1884, wrapped in silk paper and made from deer tallow, castor oil and beeswax.
Carminic acid makes up 17% to 24% of the weight of the dried cochineal insects that supplied the red dye.