Development and assessment of red sandalwood, cocoa powder, and beetroot pigmented lipsticks

Abstract

The present study explores the feasibility of replacing synthetic dyes in lipstick with plant-derived natural pigments, focusing on red sandalwood, cocoa powder, and beetroot as colour sources. Motivated by rising health and environmental concerns linked to conventional synthetic colorants (e.g., azo dyes, heavy metal contamination), this research formulates three herbal lipstick prototypes and evaluates their physicochemical, sensory, stability, and safety profiles. All formulations complied with Bureau of Indian Standards, encompassing assessments of appearance, colour, odour, texture, surface anomalies, softening/melting points, breaking load, thermal stability, peroxide value, pH, heavy metal content, microbial load, skin irritation, and colour stability. These results support the potential of lipstick formulations as safe, sustainable, and consumer-friendly alternatives to synthetic-dye-based products addressing the global shift toward clean beauty and regulatory compliance in cosmetic development.