The Cosmetics Pigment Manufacturing Industry: Where it’s Been and Where it’s Going

Over the years, the rise in the usage of cosmetics and personal care products has led to the growth of the color cosmetics pigments industry. The major challenges for pigment manufacturers in India came in the form of regulatory issues due to the stringent regulatory standards controlling the industry globally. The good news is, as per a research report by Markets and Markets, the cosmetics pigments market will reach up to US$ 790 Million by 2022.

Understanding Cosmetic Pigments

Cosmetic pigments are available in natural and synthetic forms. The cosmetics pigments segments can be classified in to organic colourants and inorganic cosmetic pigments. Lakes, True colours and Toners are part of the organic color cosmetics colourants. Inorganic cosmetic pigment colours consist of Chromium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide, Iron Oxides and Titanium Dioxide.

The global cosmetic pigments sector can be further classified on the basis of technology i.e. pigment dispersion and surface treatment.As per industry reports, inorganic cosmetic pigments are consumed more than organic cosmetic colours in the global pigments industry. Factors such as exposure to sunlight, contact with water etc. affect the properties of cosmetic products. With time, the products also tend to fade out.

Treatments are incorporated in the production pipeline to enhance the product properties and prolong the shelf life of the products. In today’s market, pigment colours are added in color cosmetics such as eye makeup, lip products, nail care products, hair products, facial makeup and so on. Again, the regulations become more stringent for use of cosmetic colours in pharma products for skin care solutions such as skin moisturisers, lip balms etc.

Growth DriversOf Cosmetic Pigments Industry

• Rising Income of people in emerging economies has led to the increase in consumption of color cosmetics products such as nail polishes, eyeliners, lipsticks, hair colours etc.
• Fashion trends keep changing across the world. With acceptance of global trends across geographies, more and more consumers these days spend on latest cosmetics.
• There is an increase in collaboration between product manufacturers. There are more agreements and joint ventures to introduce new innovative products to meet the rising demand.
• In recent times, the number of new product launches by various brands along with existing product line expansions have increased to give diversify product portfolios.

Future forecast for pigment colours

Today, Europe is the largest consumer of color cosmetic pigments. Facial make-up is the most sought-after cosmetic product by the huge customer base in Europe. This demand in the European continent will definitely propel the growth of the global cosmetics pigment market. Asia-Pacific markets are also growing. Technology upgrades and better R&D initiatives will strengthen the cosmetic pigment colours segment in the emerging nations.

As per the Markets and Markets research report, the global dyes and pigments market was worth 30.42 billion US dollars in 2016. This figure is expected to reach 42 billion US dollars by 2021. With innovative technologies and rising competition in the end product markets, pigment colours will witness remarkable developments.

It is quite evident that cosmetic pigments will play a key role in the growth of pigments. India is growing at a rapid pace with developments in every sector of the economy. With innovative techniques,technological advancements and expansion of production facilities, manufacturers will meet the demand in domestic and international markets.

From textiles and printing inks to cosmetics and personal care products, pigment manufacturers in India are geared up for adding vibrant colours with better functional properties to products in the future.

Difference between Organic Pigments and Inorganic Pigments

Colours play a significant role in our lives. Organic pigments and inorganic pigments are colorants extremely important for cosmetic manufacturers. India is a leading producer of pigment colours for cosmetics. These colours are supplied by pigment manufacturers in India to the domestic markets as well as imported to international markets.

Let’s take a look at the key differences between organic pigments and inorganic pigments.

Composition of pigments

Pigments colours can be used to give colour to other objects by coating them or blending them with the product ingredients. Organic and inorganic pigments are types of pigments based on their method of formulation. Organic pigments are generally derived from plants. Inorganic pigments use chemical formulations to get the desired product properties for various applications.

Compounds obtained from inorganic metallic compounds and salts such as chromates, metallic oxides, sulphates etc. are used in inorganic pigments. Organic pigments are made up of carbon rings and carbon chains. Chemical compounds can be used during colour production to stabilise the organic pigments. Inorganic compounds primarily use chemical compounds based on a specific chemical composition to create colours.

Based on the properties, the following characteristics make organic pigments different from inorganic pigments:

• Particle Size

Organic pigments have smaller particle size compared to inorganic pigment colours.

• Brightness

Organic pigments are brighter compared to inorganic pigments. But for long-lasting products, inorganic pigments are preferred because fading and exposure to sunlight or chemicals can take away the bright colour of organic pigments.

• Colours

The variety of colours available in inorganic pigments is greater than the variety available in organic pigment colours. Titanium dioxide; Iron oxide, etc. are examples of inorganic pigments. Lake colours are examples of organic pigments.

Ultramarine Blue, Iron Oxide Yellow, Chromium Oxide Green, Manganese Violet, Titanium Dioxide etc. are the colours available in inorganic pigments. India also exports the blended inorganic colourants such as Iron Oxide Burgundy, Iron Oxide Sienna, Iron Oxide Amber etc. Inorganic pigments also comes in Lo Micron Iron Oxide variants such as red, yellow and black.

Organic Pigment colours consist of lake colours such as Lake of Allura Red, Lake Patent Blue, Lake of Indigo Carmine etc. Since organic pigments are derived from minerals, the colours can also be classified on the basis of mineral lakes such as Aluminium (Al) Lakes, Calcium (Ca) Lakes, Barium (Ba) Lakes, and so on.

• Cost

Inorganic pigment colours are more economical and cost-effective than organic colorants.

• Dispersion

Compared to organic pigments, inorganic pigments are easier to disperse and therefore used for various applications. Particle size and surface chemistries of the compounds used for making pigments are different. Stabilization of the particles poses a challenge in the pigment dispersion process. Incorrect processes can lead to improper dispersion.

The dispersion process affects the economics and quality of the finished pigment colours. So, pigments needing minimum dispersion are frequently chosen to boost the output quantities in manufacturing units.

As per a recent market research report by Technavio, the inorganic pigments industry will progress at a CAGR of 4% by the year 2021. High stability of inorganic pigment colours and high particle dispersion makes it a popular choice for the manufacture of cosmetics and pharma products. Industry researchers feel that the dispersion benefits of the inorganic pigment will push the industry growth and development of the worldwide inorganic pigment market in the coming years.