Dispelling false info in Indie Cosmetics

First I want to say that I am not calling anyone out, pointing fingers or placing blame on anyone!

This post is to correct some misinformation that has been put out by some bloggers/vloggers that I honestly believe had good intentions. Just remember good intentions should be followed by research, facts and solid information from a solid source. Bloggers/Vloggers have a responsibility to be thorough and factual when posting anything, especially something that could cause damage to another! That is my opinion.

P.S. The company that this "drama" started over....I am not defending as in my opinion they have shown themselves to be lacking in any character, morality or decency!

I have thought a lot about this post and there is a lot of information so I will try not to ramble....but no promises!

Let's start with the false information that got me going and then I will give the true factual information.

1- It was stated that it is not legal to use more than 50% colorant in cosmetics and that the average is 70% base (fillers) to 30% colorant (mica etc.)

2- It was stated that Polyester 3 is not cosmetic safe.

3- A "test" was shown that was supposedly showing that a certain companies eyeshadow was not safe. This "test" is a water test and was showing how a major box brands eyeshadow reacted in water and then how this "bad" companies eyeshadows reacted. The basis for this comparison "test" is that mica floats and will not sink or dissolve in water.

The facts/truth

(If you have any questions or help finding any information please email me)

1- There is no law or rule stating the amount of colorant to filler by percentage or otherwise.

Cosmetic mica as a colorant can be used directly on the skin and is completely safe. (unless you have a sensitivity to mica) the only cosmetic restriction on mica is injectable (tattoos).  link to the FDA rule on Mica click here (Good manufacturing guides for cosmetics are also on the site and do not involve the amounts of mica to filler/base  here is a link to those click) Now some colorants do have a limitation on the amount used in specific products or if they are approved for certain cosmetic uses but those are ultramarines and lake (D&C) dyes. You can look up individual colorants in the FDA colorant table, remember to look under cosmetics, if there is a limit on the amount of that colorant it will say NTE followed by the percent allowable and the application. Here is the FDA color additive table for reference here

As someone in the industry I can tell you from personal experience that if eyeshadows were 70% filler/base to 30% colorant we would all be walking around with very pasty, lightly colored lids. Fillers/base and mostly all white powders and each filler/base ingredient added to an eyeshadow lessens the intensity of the color. So take 7 grams of base and add 3 grams of any black cosmetic colorant...basic elementary art tells you that you will no longer have black but gray. So if this were true there could be no black eyeshadow.

Click to enlarge (Note that there is no NTE, not to exceed, next to mica)

2- Polyester 3 is approved by the FDA for general cosmetic use including eyes and lips

Click screenshot to enlarge

Polyester 3 is a film former and is used in cosmetics in the form of a film coating on a colorant to deepen, darken or alter the natural appearance of the colorant.

Above is an example of this use and further info on it's use in this particular colorant here

3- This water test is not accurate and only in part true and with only the information offered by these bloggers/vloggers could seriously damage the reputations of any cosmetic company, Indie, Big box brand or Drugstore. That concerns me and I will explain what is wrong with this so called test and offer proof to back it up. The first issue with this test being used by comparing 2 different companies eyeshadows is that in order for it to even be a true test you would need to use like products. A fair test cannot be between a matte brown and a shimmer lavender. Any controlled test would use two products with the same ingredients anything less is not a fair comparison. Secondly to state only that mica floats or does not dissolve in water is partial information and can easily lead to a false result.

Fact- Mica does not dissolve in water. However it can disburse in water which looks to the naked eye like it has dissolved. It can color the water which again will to the naked eye appear to be "dissolving".

- Here is a link to a discussion by 2 professionals in the mainstream industry in formulations that explains how mica CAN appear to dissolve. click here and another to the TKB post that again states the same click here

Due to the different color additives used to create the color and the different particle sizes of different mica's, pigments, color additive each will react and appear differently in this so called water test. Carmine is a cosmetic approved color additive including around the eye and if you wet your finger and rub carmine on the wet finger it will stain your skin, which is why it was and is used as a dye. Lake blue no 1 is a dye and approved for cosmetic use around the eye and will dissolve in water and create this "paint-like" appearance that many people are without proof or fact accusing of being powdered tempra paint or soap dye.

So in the end, even though the particular company that these well meaning people are accusing is a company that in other proven ways has shown it's self to be dishonest and not a company I would ever trust, these tests are inaccurate at best and do not prove anything.

The information thrown out into the world is not only false but could very easily cause any cosmetic company to be falsely accused of using unsafe products. Dumping a bit of eyeshadow into water does not prove whether or not it is safe nor what the ingredients are it only shows if it is buoyant enough to float and that only means the particle size of the main ingredient(s) are large and if they appear to dissolve they are smaller or contain a non mica color additive.

Here is an example:

(Click to enlarge)

Bare essentials High shine eyeshadow, many contain carmine which will stain skin and appear to dissolve in water.

Above is Illamasqua eyeshadow in Angst which contains carmine, ultramarines and lakes all of which will either appear to dissolve or will dissolve in water.

 All of the information I have shown is readily available online, I just happen to be more aware of where and how to find it due to my business. Bloggers/Vloggers have a responsibility to do their own independent research prior to reporting or re-reporting any information that could cause harm, danger, damage or injury to another in any manner! People trust us and if we don't check our facts before posting these things we can create a chain reaction of false information. As a blogger I would be devastated if I had not bothered to truly investigate and research and just posted false information that then steamrolled an honest, safe and good small business. That is someones livelihood and so much more. So please, please ask questions, do research, fact check, double check and be sure before you post!

I am happy to answer any questions or direct you to good resources for you to find answers yourself.