Cosmetics

Manufacturing mascara

Mascara makes eyelashes look longer. Modern products also provide more volume. At the end of manufacturing, the mass is extremely viscous and in some cases barely flowable. We design and supply homogenising mixers that reliably handle these conditions. More on this under Cosmetics.

Powerful scrapersRadial and vertical mixing at high viscosity.
High shearPigments do not need to be pre-ground.
Low-dust inductionIncorporate volatile powders cleanly.

What is mascara made of?

Mascara contains natural and inorganic pigments. Black and brown are the most common, with iron oxide providing the brown shades.

Pigments

Natural and inorganic colour pigments provide the colour.

Oils

Mineral oils, lanolin, linseed oil and castor oil care for the lashes.

Waxes and shine

Waxes serve as binders. Guanine provides the shine.

Requirements for the homogenising mixer

In addition to hygiene, the handling of very different viscosities is what matters. Numerous fittings for the homogeniser chamber, circulation line and lid ensure product quality.

  • Melting the fats and homogenising under heat in one step
  • Efficient circulation for ingredients of different viscosities
  • Very good radial and vertical mixing of the highly viscous mass
  • Convenient drawing-in and dispersing of powders and pigments
  • High shear rate, eliminating the need to pre-grind the pigments
  • Low-dust processing of volatile powders

Are you planning a plant for mascara or other highly viscous cosmetics? We will be happy to advise you, including on used homogenising mixers.

FAQ: Manufacturing mascara

What is mascara made of?

Pigments (mostly iron oxides, carbon black), waxes as binders, oils, emulsifiers, film-forming polymers and preservatives. Many mascaras are wax-in-water emulsions.

What makes mascara manufacturing difficult?

Towards the end of the process, the mass becomes extremely viscous and barely flowable. The plant must be able to reliably stir, homogenise and discharge at this viscosity.

How are pigments incorporated into mascara?

They are drawn in with little dust under vacuum and dispersed with high shear in the rotor-stator homogeniser. This often makes pre-grinding unnecessary.

Which machine is suitable?

Robust vacuum homogenising mixers with a powerful scraper agitator, heatable vessel and high-performance drive for highly viscous products.

Does SEEFRIED supply plants for mascara?

Yes, we design plants for decorative cosmetics and supply inspected used homogenising mixers.