Calamine powder

About calamine powder

Calamine powder is a pale pink mineral powder. It is a mix of zinc oxide with a small amount of iron oxide, which gives it the familiar pink color. It does not dissolve, but disperses in oils, emollients, silicones and emulsions. The supplier specification lists facial creams, masks and powders, body powders and bath products. The supplier CoA confirms the composition.

A familiar, comforting ingredient

Most people know calamine from the pink lotion in the family bathroom cabinet. That familiarity makes it a comforting, nostalgic ingredient for cosmetics. In masks and powders it gives a soothing, mattifying feel and a soft tint.

Product formats

Face masks

Clay masks with calamine give a cooling, mattifying finish and a pretty pink color.

Face powders

Setting powders with calamine add a soft tint and mattify oily areas.

Creams

Tinted creams and color-correcting creams can include calamine for a soft pink tone.

Body powders

Body powders with calamine and starch keep skin feeling dry and comfortable in warm weather.

Bath products

Bath powders and soaks can carry it for a soft color.

Processing

Disperse the powder in the oil phase or in an emulsion with good mixing. For powders, blend with other powders and sift. For masks, mix with clay and the liquids until smooth.

Partners

Kaolin, Calcium stearate and starch suit powders and masks. Boron Glow (Boron nitride) adds slip to face powders. Mineral and texture powders are grouped in the actives catalog.

Testing

Check color evenness, settling in liquids and stability. A panel can rate matte effect and comfort.

Claims

Use cosmetic wording: a matte, comfortable feel; a soft pink tint; skin that feels cool and refreshed.

Characteristics

Form: pink mineral powder. Composition: zinc oxide with a small amount of iron oxide. Solubility: disperses in oils, emollients, silicones and emulsions. Listed uses: creams, masks, face and body powders, bath products. Composition: supplier CoA.

Original recipe: pink calamine clay mask, 100 g

Distilled water 52.00 g, kaolin 25.00 g, calamine powder 8.00 g, glycerin 6.00 g, aloe barbadensis leaf juice 5.00 g, xanthan gum 0.50 g, panthenol 1.00 g, preservative 1.00 g, fragrance 0.50 g, sunflower seed oil 1.00 g. Disperse xanthan in glycerin, add water and aloe, then the powders, and mix until smooth.

Color matching

Calamine's pink tone can vary slightly between lots, since the share of iron oxide differs. Compare each new lot with a retained sample on a drawdown card, and adjust with small amounts of iron oxides if needed. In masks, small shade differences are rarely noticed, but in face powders and tinted creams they matter more. Keep color notes in the batch file.

Body powders

Body powders with calamine and corn or tapioca starch are a simple, nostalgic product. Add a light fragrance and package in a shaker. Advise shoppers to avoid inhaling the powder and to keep it away from small children's faces.

Masks for oily skin

Pink clay masks are popular on social media. Calamine with kaolin gives a mattifying finish that suits oily and combination skin.

Packaging

Shaker bottles suit body powders, while tubes or jars suit masks. Keep powder products sealed to avoid moisture pickup.

Lot records

Keep the CoA of each lot with the batch file and note any color adjustment made to the batch.

Record the lot number in your batch log so every production run can be traced back to its certificate of analysis. Retain a small sample of each lot for at least the shelf life of the finished product, since it makes later quality questions much easier to answer.

Storage

Store closed in a dry place. Close the container after use.