How to make makeup is a skill you can learn without a degree in cosmetic chemistry or an expensive laboratory, allowing you to enter an industry with unparalleled prestige and profits.

Nothing beats being able to say: “I have my own makeup manufacturing company!”. And, of course, you can manufacture a myriad of products including:

• Mineral formula makeup. It’s one of the most popular cosmetic products on the market today, retailing for high prices, yet extremely easy and inexpensive to make. You can make powder, cream and liquid foundations with a mineral base, as well as eyeshadows, blush and bronzing powders.
• Eye makeup, including eyeshadow, mascara and eyeliner
• Lip gloss and lipstick
• Skin care products including cleansers, toners and moisturizers

So, how to make makeup and get started making color cosmetics? First, you’ll need a basic understanding of cosmetic ingredients and how color is created in makeup.

The main coloring agents used when formulating makeup are pigments. Pigments and dyes are not the same thing. Dyes are soluble, meaning they will dissolve into whatever medium they are mixed (usually water). Pigments are generally not as soluble, and are divided into two categories – inorganic and organic. They have different properties and can create different effects for the purpose of learning how to make makeup.

1. Inorganic Makeup Pigments.

Generally speaking, inorganic pigments are less bright in color than organic pigments. However, they are far more stable to light and heat. The most common inorganic colorants used to make makeup include:

• Iron oxides. These are found in virtually all types of cosmetics. By blending the basic shades of black, brown, red and yellow, an almost unlimited number range of natural and tan shades can be produced for foundations, concealers, face powders, blushers and bronzers.
• Chromium Dioxide. Found in most color cosmetics – but not permitted for use in lip products. Green in color – from drab olive green, bright green and blue green.
• Ultramarines. Again, not permitted for use in lip products. Colors range from bright blue to violet, oink and even green. Care should be taken, as there can be a reaction in extremely acidic conditions, whereby ultramarines will produce hydrogen sulphide as a by-product.
• Manganese Violet. As the name suggests, this is a vivid purple makeup pigment.
• Iron Blue. An intense dark blue pigment found in many cosmetics – except lip products.
• Titanium Dioxide/ Zinc Oxide. These white pigments provide some UV protection, are stable to heat and light and provide excellent coverage on the skin.

2. Organic Makeup Pigments

These makeup colorants offer more solubility than inorganic pigments. The most widely used organic coloring agents include:

• Xanthense. This stain produces red or orange colors.
• AZO. Produces red and yellow coloring in makeup.
• Triarylmethane. Provides blue and green colorings.
• Natural Coloring Agents. These can include vegetable colorants, caramel, cochineal (derived from beetles), among others. These colors require careful experimentation and testing as they can be unstable to heat light and pH, as well as exhibiting unpleasant odors.

So, the question is: How to make makeup using these pigments to provide the color?

You need a filler – a base to extend and bind the color pigments to produce a makeup with even coverage on the skin. The most widely used fillers are:

• Mica. Chemically known as potassium aluminum silicate dihdrate, this is refined and ground to a fine powder of 150 microns or less. When used at levels of 40% or more to make makeup, face powders and blushers, it imparts a natural translucence. Sericite is a form of mica which has slightly different properties, somewhat similar to talc.
• Talc. Derived from magnesium silicate, talc has an undeserved reputation as a carcinogen. To date, there has been no evidence to support this claim and talc is approved by the FDA for use in making makeup.

What next when learning how to make makeup? Depending on the product you are making, you may consider the addition of fragrance, preservatives and emulsifying agents. With some makeup formulas, the addition of suitable preservatives will be imperative for safety.

With a little experimentation, you will be able to create an endless array of colors – from natural tones for foundations to bright shades for eyeshadows and lipsticks – just like the big name cosmetic labels.

To learn how to make makeup, you require only simple equipment – glass and plastic mixing bowls, mixing spoons and spatulas, mortar and pestle for pulverizing pigments and minerals, pH paper for testing the acid/alkaline balance, and scales for weighing your ingredients.

However, it is imperative if you want to learn how to make makeup in order to start a profitable cosmetics business, that you acquire professional formulas. Homemade formulas are unsuitable for retail sale because the cosmetic ingredients they contain do not sufficiently inhibit the growth of bacteria. These makeup and cosmetics formulas require refrigeration and will usually not last beyond two or three weeks.

In addition, if you want to know how to make makeup for a cosmetics business, professional formulas comply with FDA regulations, meaning they use only safe ingredients which have been tested and shown to be non-toxic for skin.

You don’t need to be cosmetic chemist to learn how to make makeup if you are using professionally formulated recipes and manufacturing procedures. If you can follow simple instructions, it won’t be long before you can make makeup like a pro and begin experimenting with different color pigments to create your own unique range.

And it won’t be long before you are on your way to a high profit business. When you have learned how to make makeup, you will quickly discover for yourself that what costs more than $50 in a department store can be made for as little as 50 cents.

If you are looking for a fun, creative, prestigious and profitable business, there’s nothing better than learning how to make makeup.