Lipstick base is a substance that is used to make lipsticks, balms or lip glosses. Lipsticks are intended to impart attractive colours, enhance the appearance of lips and hide unattractive features, such as very thick or very narrow lips. A lipstick is a combination of lipstick base and pigments. The major components of a lipstick base are oils and waxes. The addition of pigments to a lipstick base offers a wide range of colours appealing to consumers. Currently, castor oil, jojoba oil, bees wax, candelilla wax, carnauba wax, lanolin and ozokerite are used predominantly in lipstick formulations. Oils contain fatty acids, for example, castor oil consists of ricinoleic, oleic, linoleic, linolenic, stearic, palmitic and dihydroxystearic. All fatty acids except ricinoleic can be replaced by palm oil and its derivatives such as middle chain tryglyceride, isopropyl myristate, octyldodecyl myristate and cetyl alcohol. To add functionality, palm-based vitamin E can be added to enhance its antioxidant properties. This technology on palm lipstick base uses 60% palm-based materials.

Main Research: Zafarizal Aldrin Azizul Hasan

Email: farizal@mpob.gov.my