Few things give us a lift at the start of spring like a bold splash of color. Generations of cosmetic users have used lip and cheek color to draw the eye and give focal power to one’s look. The secret to keeping the look bold and sharp is the formulation: the wax that gives your lip liner structure can also be an effective agent in making your lip liner definition sharper.

Getting a Line on Structure

When you need your cosmetics to stay put, you need a formula that creates a sound gel. Sunflower wax produces a uniform, strong matrix that can be used to create firm sticks—just the thing for generating the defined lines that are the reason to use lip liner. With its relatively high melting point, sunflower wax also gives firm stick formulations the ability to stay put.

Beauty In Natural and Sustainable Formulations

Cosmetic brands have shown their flexibility in producing on-trend products that utilize ingredients which the consumer market demands. The rising trend toward natural and sustainable ingredients has gained momentum and shows no sign of abating. Koster Keunen supports this commitment by supplying waxes, emulsifiers, and plasticizers that meet your needs, and by offering our assistance to create formulations that work in the lab, the factory, and in your customer’s hands.

We’re Are All One Hive

Using sustainable beeswax supports hundreds of thousands of people and keeps millions of bees healthy. Learn more below.

Spring Fresh Formulas for Lips and Cheeks

Now that bright lip color is back in full view, the right lip liner keeps your look sharp. When the colors are vivid, no one wants to risk losing the line. The 2023 Pantone color of the year is Viva Magenta, and we offer the following example formula: Outline & Define Lip Liner in this year’s featured color. Lip liner needs to go on smoothly and deliver long-wearing color.  Outline & Define Lip Liner brings these benefits with natural Sunflower Wax and the slip of Kester Wax K-24, that allows the liner to glide on without tugging or skipping.

Outline & Define Lip Liner in Viva Magenta

Formula: #1/23-258/358-4

Ingredient Trade Name INCI Name %
Phase A    
Sunflower Wax Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Wax 20.0
Kester Wax K-60P Polyhydroxystearic Acid 8.0
Kester Wax K-24 Lauryl Laurate 5.0
Vitamin E Acetate Tocopheryl Acetate 1.0
Phase B    
Mica Sericite BC 285 Mica 5.0
Unipure Blue LC-686 CI 77007 (and) Silica 5.0
Unipure Red LC-320 Carmine 20.0
Prestige Bright Fire Red Mica (and) Iron Oxide 0.25
Jeechem CTG Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride 20
Phase C    
Vegelight 1214LC Coconut Alkanes (and) Coco-Caprylate/Caprate 15.75

Bringing lush lip color together with a blusher that complements the shade really pulls a look together. Our Bright and Bashful Blush formula showcases the flexibility of clean and natural systems. This example formula puts the natural, plant-based Kester Wax K-24 and Kester Wax K60P with Sustainable Beeswax in a thoroughly on-trend blusher featuring sparkling color.

Bright & Bashful Blush

Formula: #1/23-6358/484-8

Ingredient Trade Name INCI Name %
Phase A
Sustainable Beeswax Beeswax 7.0
Kester Wax K-60P Polyhydroxystearic Acid 13.0
Kester Wax K-24 Lauryl Laurate 5.0
Jeechem CTG Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride 10.0
Castor Oil Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil 14.0
Jojoba Oil Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil 20.0
Vitamin E Acetate Tocopheryl Acetate 1.0
Prestige® Sparkling Coral Gold Mica (and) Titanium Dioxide (and) Iron Oxides (and) Carmine 13.0
Sumicos™ Iridescent Pink Mica (and) Titanium Dioxide 11.0
Prestige® Bright Fire Red Mica (and) Iron Oxides 1.0
Unipure Pink LC 589 CI 77007 3.0

It is easier than ever to keep your color cosmetics current while maintaining your commitment to natural and sustainable ingredients. The beauty of your brand can be part of building a better world. When you are formulating for your future and the planet’s too, Koster Keunen is ready and willing to help. Please contact us to start the conversation.

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About Koster Keunen

Koster Keunen has been working with wax since 1852 and has used our extensive experience and knowledge base to continuously develop new chemistries. Whether you are developing a new product, or need help with a reformulation or replacement, contact us to learn more about how we source, refine or develop waxes so you can create the perfect formula.