FACE POWDERS AN OVERVIEW

Definition:

It is defined as a cosmetic preparation meant for improvement of overall attractiveness of the face, It is applied on to the face by means of a powder puff.

Cosmetic definition: It is defined as a any article intended to be rubbed, poured, sprinkled or sprayed on, or introduced into, or otherwise applied to the human body or any part thereof for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness, of altering the appearance and includes any article intended for use as a component of cosmetic.

Earlier, soap was excluded from this definition by adding words "but does not include soap" to the definition. But, in 1982, these words were omitted and since then, toilet soaps have been covered under the definition of cosmetic.

Purpose:

1. It mask minor visible imperfections
2. It impart smooth finest to the skin
3. It masking of shine due to moisture (or) grease
   

Qualities:

It should be very fine & not have any gritty particles

It should be non-toxic

It should be non-irritant to the skin

It should be look natural

It should be not remove from the skin immediately after its applicatio

It should be stable both physically &chemically

It should be good absorbing property

It should be remove shine from the face

It should stick to the face and should not dust off in a few minutes.

Covering power:

Is the ability to mask minor visible facial skin blemishes and imperfections this is achieved by using materials such as:                           

1. Zinc oxide
2. Light kaolin
3. Titanium dioxide.

• Harry’s cosmetology states that TiO₂ has about 1.6 times the covering power of zinc oxide in air.
• Zinc oxide is often preferred to Titanium dioxide in powder where less covering power is required. Zinc oxide has tendency to form balled particles. These can prevent by sieve the zinc oxide before mixing with any other ingredients.
• Zinc oxide has certain therapeutic properties (clear up minor skin disorders)
• Excessive use of this material may result in drying effect.
• Titanium dioxide: it is a suitable proportion being used in preference to the higher proportion of zinc oxide and kaolin which required to obtained the same effect.

Adhesion:

• Is the ability of the face powder to cling to the skin and prolong contact with the skin
• Is obtain by inclusion of Talc and some water insoluble soaps of stearic acid

Examples:  

Zn and Mg stearate (3to10%)

Cetyl or stearyl alcohol

• Zinc stearate is the most commonly used. It is essential that highest quality be used to avoid rancid disagreeable odours.
• In addition to increasing the water repellency and render the ultimate product soft and fluffy.
• The usage range 3-10% excessive usage may create a smeared blotchy effect on the skin
• The other materials can be incorporated to improve the adhesion of powders to the skin. Eg: emollients such as cetyl or stearyl alcohol, glyceryl monostearate.

Other materials such as

Mg myristate

Petroleum jelly

Mineral oil 　

Absorbency:

Is the ability to prevent shiny skin by absorbing perspiration and sebaceous secretion. Materials should have a high absorptive capacity but at the same time should not change the appearance of the powder on the skin such as

Materials such as:

1.       Kaolin

2.       Chalk

3.       Starch

4.       Ca and Mg carbonate  

5.       Zinc oxide

6.       Titanium oxide

7.       Walnut flour (natural)

Kaolin: a naturally occurring compound is a hydrated aluminum silicate.

Owing to its hygroscopic nature excessive use (more then 25%) will tend to streak in damp weather.In addition to its high moisture absorption properties.

1.      Good covering powder

2.      Excellent grease resisting properties.

3.      Imports some degree of skin adhesion to the finished product.

Calcium carbonate: mildly alkaline, white, odourless microcrystalline powder.

It has good absorption characteristics.

It may also be used to remove some of the inherent shine of talc

Excessive (more then 15%) of is not recommended because of its dry feel

Magnesium carbonate: It is a highly absorbent material.

It is correspondingly greater tendency to dry the skin

Other beneficial properties:

It confers to powder is fluffiness.

Prevention of balling

It is a good medium for perfume distribution.

Starches: It is particular rice starch.

It is exclusive base of face powder formulations and it is replaced by talc.

It has excellent absorptive properties and it has good covering power and it also impart smoothness to the skin.

Disadvantage: Starch is a ideal nutrient for bacteria. Cake formation occurs in high humidity. 

Walnut flour: It is a naturally occurring. In combination with non-pearly Titanium coated mica is recommended as having food oil absorption characteristics.

Slip: The quality of easy application and spreading of facer powder to produce a smooth feeling and even finish on to the skin is known as slip.

Eg. Talc coupled with the metallic soaps, which is most widely used.

Grades of talc should be based on smoothness, fineness, gritty density; colour and odour. and cheek should be made of impurities such as carbonates water-soluble iron

Talc must be free from microbial contamination free from asbestos.

Peach-like finish:

Is also known as "Bloom"

The material that will impart this velvety, peach like finish are chalk, rice starch. Silk powder is pulverized fibroin crystallite material extracted from natural silk by degumming followed by partial hydrolysis. This process removes most of the sericin and other impurities.

Silk its chief constituents are many amino acid.

Silk has good absorption characteristics for both water and aromatic compounds.

Silica may also be used to prepared powders of light transparent types.

It is good adhesive

It increase the bulk since it is very finely divided and very fluffy

Colours:

To impart a colour effect according to the need; which includes the following

• Pigments
• Treated Pigments
• Pearle scent Pigments

Pigments: They are of two types:

1. Inorganic pigments
2. Organic pigments.

Inorganic pigments: they are natural and synthetic Iron oxides, which vary in colour form yellow, red and brown through black

Eg: Ultramarines - green and blue

Chrome hydrate and chrome oxide – green.

Naturally occurring pigments contain high levels of lead, arsenic

Synthetic pigment is known as cosmetic oxide prepared by using a wet oxidation method they have low level of impurity particle size and high colour strength

The colour effect when the powder is applied to the ski is dependent upon the

1. Opacity of white
2. Tinted pigments used
3. Their particle size
4. Degree of dispersion
5. Thickness of the applied film
6. Skin colour.

Treated pigments:

An advantage of these pigments is easier dispersion

Cosmetic of pigments coated with a verity of cosmetic materials such as

• Silicones
• Lecithin
• Silk fibroin
• Collagens
• Chistosan
• Perfluoro alkyl phosphate

Each coating impart its own characteristics and advantages such as

Water repellence

Improved pay-off

Improved feel

Texture

Skin adhesion.

Pearle scent Pigment:

It give a frosted or Pearle scent look.

• Absorption pigments
• Metallic pigments
• Interference pigments

Absorption pigments: It absorbs part of the incident light and reflects the remaining part of light.

Metallic pigments: It acts as mirrors reflecting the incident light in one direction.

Interference pigments: In this category filtering of the light occur part of the incident light is reflected while the remainder light passes through the pigment particles. The reflected and transmitted lights are of complementary colours.

Eg: red /green or yellow /blue.

Naturally occurring Pearle scent material Guanine

Limitation Inherent natural characteristic

Uncertain supply and cost

Synthetic ones Bismuth oxychloride,

Mica

Mica flask coated with Titanium dioxide.

Perfumes:

Is imparting a pleasant fragrance to finished product and to mask a noticeable unpleasant odour.

Properties:

• Long-term stability of odour
• Efficient manner of dispersion
• It will not undergo oxidation
• Compatible with all other base
• Stable in mildly alkaline condition.
• Volatilize too easily
• Non-irritant.
• In compatibility can result in Rancidity
• Discoloration
• Heterogeneity odour
• Selection depends on olfactory characteristics that are desired the normal range 0.2-1%
• High concentration can lead to Lumping
• Colour changes
• Possibility of skin irritation.

Face powders are classified in to three categories depending on the natural of the skin and correspondingly covering ability required from the products.

Light type

Medium type

Heavy type.

Light type: dry skin requires light powder, a powder have slight covering power as dry skin secretes virtually no oil and little moisture. They normally contain large quantity of talc.

Medium type: Medium powders, having comparatively higher covering power, are applied to normal or moderately oily skins, which are shinier due to skin secretion. They contain somewhat lesser talc and balanced by zinc oxide.

Heavy type: heavy powders have more covering power and are used for extremely oily skins, which have a great deal of shine.