Lip care – ingredient lists and INCI analysis

Lip products are applied to a small area but are partly ingested over the course of a day, which is one reason their compositions draw attention. The group includes two categories: lip balms, focused on care, and lipsticks and lip glosses, which combine colour with a waxy or glossy base.

Most lip formulas are anhydrous, meaning they contain no water. Their structure comes from waxes such as CERA ALBA, COPERNICIA CERIFERA CERA or EUPHORBIA CERIFERA CERA, combined with oils like RICINUS COMMUNIS SEED OIL, butters and esters. Lipsticks and glosses add pigments listed by CI number, for example CI 77491 or CI 15850, and glosses often use POLYBUTENE for shine.

Flavour is listed as AROMA rather than PARFUM in many lip products. Because anhydrous products leave little room for microbial growth, some contain no classic preservatives, relying instead on antioxidants such as TOCOPHEROL. In shade ranges, colourants may be listed after a ‘may contain’ or +/- mark. This lets one ingredient list cover a whole range.