Sun Chemical is using science and art to innovate synthetic color for cosmetics

By Deanna Utroske

- Last updated on GMT

Sun Chemical is using science and art to innovate synthetic color for cosmetics

Related tags Pigment

The performance pigment company launched SunShine Mystic Black at in-cosmetics global earlier this month in London. And to learn about the new pigment and the company’s other innovative dyes and colorants, Cosmetics Design met with Kelly Dobos, Sun Chemical’s technical manager for the America’s region, at the show.

SunShine Mystic Black is a new deep shimmering black pigment made with synthetic mica. This synthetic fluorphlogophite “provides a soft skin feel versus glass flakes and high color purity compared to natural mica,” ​according to the company’s marketing material for the new color.

“Natural mica is more impure, darker, and higher in heavy metals,” ​Kelly Dobos, technical manager for the America’s region at Sun Chemical, tells Cosmetics Design. The company’s alternative synthetic is “lower in metals and has better clarity,” ​she explains. With this synthetic as its substrate and black iron oxide as the particle coating, the new SunShine Mystic Black “has higher sparkle and jetness” ​than other black pigments, according to Dobos.

Notably, SunShine Mystic Black has no use restrictions, because the two composite pigments at the respective particle sizes have no use restrictions, as Dobos tells Cosmetics Design. Sun Chemicals expects SunShine Mystic Black to be used by manufactures in color cosmetics including lipstick, nail color, and eye makeup such as mascara, eyeliner, and eye shadow.

Color Travel

At the in-cosmetics global show in London, Sun Chemical was also showing the SunShine Color Travel Effects collection. In fact, the company’s prototype nail color formulations at the MakeUp Bar section of the show incorporated both SunShine Mystic Black and SunShine Color Travel Effects for a deep iridescent result.

Particle size distribution in the SunShine Color Travel Effects pigments is 6 – 45 microns. And, the collection comprises five colors: Golden Sunrise (which is essentially a yellow), Solar Explosion (orange), Violet Aurora (purple), Daybreak Blue, and Northern Lights (green).

Dyes and more

In August of 2015 Sun Chemical acquired Kingfisher Colours Limited, a UK-based company known for manufacturing cosmetic colors. At the time of deal, Myron Petruch, president of Sun Chemical Performance Pigments told the press that “the addition of Kingfisher’s diverse, high quality product lines and specialized tailor-made products will further expand Sun Chemical’s cosmetics and personal care product offerings globally.”

At in-cosmetics global Dobos explained how that acquisition has doubled the size of Sun Chemical’s dye portfolio, bringing oil-soluble dyes to the collection that can be used in specialized products like eye makeup removers.

The Kingfisher deal also “expanded Sun Chemical’s organic and inorganic pigmentofferings,” ​according to Dobos.

Customer demand

Dobos tells Cosmetics Design that with the rise of long-wear active and athleisure products, beauty makers are now more likely to ask for treated pigments.

Untreated hydrophilic pigments can cause formulations to conglomerate. While pigments the company treats with silicones and naturally derived amino acids help rather than hinder dispersion and can enhance skin adhesion and skin feel, according to Dobos.

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