Abstract: Color cosmetics mainly rely on inorganic, organic pigments and powder fillers to achieve aesthetic functions such as coloring, decoration and brightening, covering mainstream categories such as foundation make-up, eye shadow, powder blusher, lipstick, concealer, air cushion pigments, etc. Makeup systems commonly exhibit the characteristic of solid oil water multiphase coexistence, with high surface energy and large polarity differences of pigment powders. In oil, moisturizing solvents, and emulsion systems, poor wetting, powder agglomeration, layering and sedimentation, uneven coloring, and mottled makeup are prone to occur, seriously affecting the storage stability, skin feel, and uniformity of makeup products. As a key functional additive in cosmetic formulations, surface active wetting agents can fundamentally solve the industry pain points of difficult wetting, easy flocculation, and poor suspension of cosmetic powders by reducing interfacial tension, improving powder wetting and spreading, optimizing pigment dispersion state, and regulating system rheological properties. This article provides a systematic review of the classification, molecular structure characteristics, and wetting mechanism of surface active wetting agents specifically designed for cosmetics. It focuses on the application rules of wetting agents in base makeup, eye makeup, lip makeup, and cream color systems. The article analyzes the effects of wetting agent types, addition amounts, and compatibility systems on the powder stability, application extensibility, coloring uniformity, skin feel, and safety of cosmetic products. The article summarizes the shortcomings of irritation, residue, and system compatibility of current cosmetic wetting agents, and combines them with the development trend of green daily chemical products to look forward to the development direction of low irritation, biocompatible, and multifunctional compound wetting agents in the high-end cosmetics field, providing theoretical basis and technical reference for the research and process optimization of high-performance cosmetic formulas.
1 Introduction
With the upgrading of beauty consumption and the iteration of daily chemical technology, cosmetics are gradually developing towards high color rendering, high compatibility, long-lasting makeup, lightweight and moisturizing, and low stimulation. The core functional components of cosmetic products mainly include inorganic powders such as titanium dioxide, iron oxide, and mica, as well as organic coloring pigments such as azo, quinacridone, and phthalocyanine. These powder materials have a large specific surface area, high surface activity, and significant hydrophobic and oleophobic properties, making it difficult to spontaneously wet and spread in diverse cosmetic matrices. During the preparation of cream, lotion, oil-based color paste and water-based color mixing system, the surface of dry pigment powder will absorb a large amount of air, and the matrix medium cannot rapidly penetrate the powder pores, resulting in serious agglomeration of powder, difficulty in grinding and refining, uneven dispersion of the system, and quality defects such as powder sedimentation, stratification, oil separation, color difference shift, etc. are prone to occur during the storage of finished products.
At the same time, cosmetics products ultimately act on delicate skin such as the human face, eyes, and lips, requiring much higher skin compatibility, low irritation, low residue, and biosafety requirements for formula additives than coatings, inks, and industrial pigment systems. Industrial grade wetting agents generally have problems such as high foam, high irritation, strong mobility, high residue, and APEO harmful components, which can not be directly used in cosmetics formulations. Therefore, specialized surface active wetting agents that are compliant with cosmetic regulations, mild and safe, and have excellent wetting efficiency have become the core key to the development of cosmetic formulas.
Cosmetics specific surface active wetting agents mainly consist of mild non-ionic, zwitterionic, and naturally modified surfactants, which possess low surface tension regulation ability, excellent powder wetting and depolymerization effect, and skin biocompatibility. They can simultaneously achieve multiple functions such as powder wetting and dispersion, system stability, skin texture optimization, and uniform coloring. At present, there are many studies on wetting agents for coatings and inks, but there is a relative lack of reviews on the wetting mechanism and application under the premise of safety and compliance in the multiphase complex system of cosmetics. Based on this, this article systematically sorts out the structural types, mechanisms of action, application scenarios, and existing technological bottlenecks of cosmetics specific wetting agents, summarizes their adaptation rules and optimization strategies in various cosmetics products, and looks forward to the development trend of green, mild, and multifunctional cosmetics wetting agents.
Classification and structural characteristics of commonly used surface active wetting agents in makeup systems
According to the difference in ionic type, molecular structure and wetting mechanism, the current mainstream wetting additives for cosmetics can be divided into four categories: non-ionic surfactant wetting agent, zwitterionic wetting agent, natural biological based wetting agent and organosilicon modified wetting agent. There are significant differences in wetting efficiency, foam characteristics, skin feel performance, powder suitability and safety among various additives.
2.1 Non ionic surface active wetting agents
Non ionic wetting agents are the most widely used and adaptable wetting aids in the cosmetics industry, mainly including fatty alcohol polyoxyethylene ether, sorbitol ester, and cocoamide mild additives. This type of wetting agent can exist stably in both aqueous and oil phase systems, and is not affected by the pH and electrolyte of the system, with extremely strong compatibility. The hydrophilic lipophilic balance value of molecular structure is controllable, which can accurately match the wetting demand of oily powder, hydrophobic pigment, mica pearlescent powder, and has low foam, minimal irritation, and no skin sensitization risk. Compared with anionic wetting agents, the non-ionic system will not react with cationic moisturizing ingredients, active additives and preservatives in the cosmetics system in charge antagonism. The system has excellent stability and is widely used in high-end cosmetics systems such as foundation make-up, air cushion, eye shadow, powder blusher, etc.
2.2 Bipolar ion wetting agent
The amphoteric wetting agent has both anionic and cationic functional groups, a wide range of isoelectric points, mild interfacial activity, balanced wetting ability, and excellent skin compatibility. This type of auxiliary agent has a moderate wetting speed and can slowly and evenly coat ultrafine makeup powder, avoiding powder floating, oil leakage, and whitening defects caused by local over wetting. It is commonly used in sensitive areas such as lip makeup and eye makeup. At the same time, it can fine tune the viscosity of the system, improve the delicacy and extensibility of the paste, and enhance the adhesion of makeup.
2.3 Natural biobased wetting agents
With the popularization of green daily chemical concepts, bio based surface active wetting agents such as rhamnolipids, sophorolipids, and plant glycosides are gradually being applied to high-end cosmetics. This type of additive is derived from microbial fermentation or plant extraction, with a mild molecular structure, no irritation, excellent biodegradability, and multiple effects of wetting, dispersing, and soothing the skin. It can effectively reduce the probability of sensitization in cosmetic products and is suitable for sensitive skin makeup formulas. But its wetting efficiency is slightly lower than that of synthetic surfactants, and it is usually used in combination with non-ionic wetting agents to achieve a balance between safety and performance.
2.4 Organic silicon modified wetting agent
Polyether modified organosilicon wetting agent has a strong ability to reduce surface tension and achieve ultra-low interfacial tension wetting. It has excellent wetting and depolymerization effects on high specific surface area ultrafine cosmetic powders, nano titanium dioxide, and nano zinc oxide. At the same time, it can give the makeup cream a silky smooth texture, improve the smoothness of application, and enhance the translucent texture of the makeup. However, ordinary organic silicon wetting agents have strong migration properties, and excessive addition can easily cause system delamination, unsustainable coating, and subsequent makeup and mud rubbing. Therefore, the amount added in makeup formulas needs to be strictly controlled, and they are mostly used for high transparency and gloss base makeup and pearl makeup systems.
The core mechanism of surface active wetting agents in cosmetic systems
The wetting process of cosmetic pigments is similar to the wetting principle of industrial coatings and ink systems, but it focuses more on gentle wetting, uniform coating, long-lasting stability, and controllable skin feel. Wetting agents in cosmetic systems mainly achieve functional efficiency through four mechanisms: interface displacement, tension regulation, powder coating, and spatial stability.
3.1 Wetting mechanism of air displacement at powder interface
Long term storage of makeup powder can easily adsorb air and trace amounts of water vapor. There are numerous microporous air films inside the powder aggregates, making it difficult for oil and water-based substrates to infiltrate and permeate, resulting in powder floating, difficult dispersion, and low grinding efficiency. Surface active wetting agents can quickly adsorb at the solid-liquid interface, significantly reducing the interfacial tension between solid and liquid. They quickly penetrate into the micropores of the powder, replacing the air wrapped around the particle surface, and achieving the transformation of the powder from hydrophobic to hydrophilic. This completely solves the problems of powder floating, agglomeration, and difficulty in refinement.
3.2 Mechanism of surface tension regulation in the system
The interface of the multiphase makeup system is complex, and the high interfacial tension between oil and water can easily lead to uneven powder spreading, rough paste, and stuck powder during application. Wetting agents can effectively reduce the static and dynamic surface tension of the system, keeping pigment powders uniformly dispersed throughout the entire process of stirring, grinding, filling, and application, improving the fineness and homogeneity of the paste, and ensuring the stability of cosmetic product batches.
3.3 Powder coating and anti agglomeration stability mechanism
High quality makeup wetting agents can evenly coat the surface of inorganic and organic pigments, forming a thin and dense solvation protective layer. Through the steric hindrance effect, they suppress the collision, aggregation, and sedimentation of powder particles, greatly improving the storage stability of the makeup system and avoiding defects such as bottom powder accumulation, upper layer oil separation, color fading, and color shift in the finished product after long-term storage.
3.4 Skin Texture and Makeup Optimization Mechanism
Different from industrial wetting agents, makeup specific wetting agents can optimize the rheological properties of the paste, reduce application friction, and improve the smoothness of makeup application; At the same time, it can improve the texture of the powder, reduce floating, sticking, and mottled phenomena, enhance the uniformity, transparency, and duration of makeup, and achieve the integration of functionality and beauty effects.
The application rules of four wetting agents in different cosmetics categories
There are significant differences in the matrix system, pigment type, powder content, and usage scenarios of different cosmetic products. The selection and addition range of wetting agents have strict adaptability and need to be accurately matched according to the water oil system, powder polarity, and product skin feel requirements.
4.1 Base makeup (foundation make-up, air cushion, concealer)
The base makeup products have a high powder content, mainly consisting of titanium dioxide, iron oxide, talc powder, and mica powder. The system is a water oil composite emulsion system, which requires extremely high requirements for powder dispersion uniformity, suspension stability, and skin feel when applied. This system gives priority to the use of * * low foam non-ionic wetting agent * *, which can efficiently wet high-density inorganic powder, prevent the powder from settling and agglomerating, improve the delicate and moist texture of foundation make-up, and avoid makeup powder and thick false face. Appropriate wetting agent can optimize the rheological property of lotion, improve the fluidity and extensibility of the product, and achieve light and thin makeup effect; However, excessive wetting agents can cause the base makeup to be too moisturizing, peel off, and have reduced durability. Insufficient addition can easily result in uneven powder dispersion and mottled skin tone.
4.2 Eye makeup (eye shadow, eyeliner cream)
The skin around the eyes is delicate and sensitive, and the product requires extremely low irritation, no sensitization, and even color development of the powder. The eye shadow system is mostly oily paste or dry powder wetting system, which contains organic color pigments and pearlescent mica powder. The polarity of pigments varies greatly, and it is easy to lose color by phase separation. The amphoteric mild wetting agent has the best adaptability, which can evenly wet the mixed pigments of high and low polarity, improve the gloss and color saturation of pearlescent powder, avoid uneven coloring, flying powder and depigmentation of eye shadow, and ensure safe use of eyes without tingling and irritation.
4.3 Lip makeup (lipstick, lip clay, lip gloss)
Lip makeup is mainly based on oily substrates, and the coloring pigments are mostly high concentration organic pigments. The powder is prone to agglomeration and clumping, resulting in poor mouth redness, uneven coloring, and rough paste particles. Cosmetic grade non-ionic wetting agents can effectively improve the wettability of organic pigments in oil systems, refine pigment particles, enhance paste fineness, color uniformity, and lip spreading, reduce lip dryness, wrinkles, and mottled problems, while ensuring the safety and non irritation of lip mucosa.
4.4 powder blusher, cosmetic and brightening cosmetics
Powder blusher and cosmetic products have high requirements for color uniformity and transition softness. A slight agglomeration of powder can lead to mottled and uneven color patches. Wetting agents can assist in the uniform dispersion of ultrafine powders, weaken powder agglomeration and color difference, ensure natural transparency and gradual softness of the makeup, and improve the adhesion between the powder and the skin, reducing powder peeling and makeup removal problems.
5 Common Problems and Safety Constraints in Formula Application
5.1 Makeup effect defects caused by imbalanced wetting agent dosage
When the wetting agent is not added enough, the pigment powder is not thoroughly wetted, does not agglomerate and depolymerize, the system particles are rough, the color is dull, and the storage is prone to layering and settling; When excessive amount is added, the interfacial tension of the system is too low, the paste becomes too moist, and the adhesion decreases, resulting in severe peeling, oil floating, and sticky skin feeling. At the same time, excessive surfactants can enhance skin permeability and increase potential irritation risks. The optimal range for the addition of wetting agents in makeup systems is generally controlled between 0.1% and 0.5%, which is much lower than that of industrial coating and ink systems, and requires higher formula accuracy.
5.2 Conflicts in the compatibility of additives
The makeup system contains moisturizers, oils, emulsifiers, thickeners, preservatives, active skincare ingredients, and complex auxiliary systems. Anionic wetting agents are prone to charge neutralization and coagulation with cationic skincare active ingredients and preservatives, which can disrupt system stability; Highly active organic silicon wetting agents are prone to incompatibility with oily substrates, leading to oil leakage, delamination, and abnormal gloss of the paste, seriously affecting the appearance and user experience of the product.
5.3 Restrictions on Cosmetics Safety Regulations
Makeup wetting agents are strictly controlled by daily chemical regulations, APEO、 High residual fluorine based surfactants and strong irritant anionic additives are strictly prohibited from being used in cosmetic formulations. Industrial grade high wetting efficiency additives generally have problems such as strong residue, high allergenicity, and poor biodegradability, which cannot replace mild wetting agents used in daily chemical products. This leads to high costs and limited product categories for high-end cosmetic wetting additives, which restricts the further upgrading of cosmetic performance.
5.4 Contradiction between Long lasting Makeup and Moisturizing Balance
Wetting agents are essentially hydrophilic surface active substances, and excessive residue can enhance the hydrophilicity of the makeup system, leading to water peeling, sweat induced color fading, and shortened makeup holding time. How to reduce the migration of wetting agents and hydrophilic residues while ensuring sufficient wetting of the powder and system stability, and balance wetting stability and long-lasting makeup retention, is the core difficulty in the current research and development of cosmetic formulas.
6 Development Trends and Prospects
Combining the requirements of green daily chemical policies with the demand for high-end cosmetics consumption, there will be four major development trends for surface active wetting agents specifically designed for cosmetics in the future. Firstly, extreme mild greenization, vigorously developing plant-based and microbial fermented biobased wetting agents, completely replacing residual and low-risk synthetic additives, achieving low irritation, high safety, and biodegradability in cosmetics. Secondly, multifunctional integrated modification is needed to develop composite wetting agents that combine wetting, dispersing, emulsifying, soothing, and antioxidant functions, simplify the formula system, and enhance the overall performance of cosmetics. Thirdly, low migration controllable wetting technology enhances the adsorption firmness of wetting agents on pigment surfaces through molecular structure modification, reduces residual free migration, and balances the wetting effect of powders with long-term makeup holding performance. Fourth, precise adaptation and customization, developing specialized wetting systems for inorganic powders, organic pigments, and pearl powders to achieve precise formula matching for different makeup categories, greatly improving the delicacy, color rendering, and stability of makeup effects.
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Post time: Sep-15-2026