Eckart, which produces effect pigments, powders, pastes and dispersions,exhibited its three latest product lines for personal care applications at the recent cosmetics industry exhibition in Milan.
Their Visionaire line for cosmetics is a range of metallic pigments, Prestige is a range of pearlescent pigments, while a range of ultra-brilliant aluminium dispersions for nail polish are offered under the name Metalure.
The Visionaire metallic effect pigments are: "exclusive metallic effect pigments ranging from elegant silver to majestic gold and copper shades." The metallic flakes are opaque, so they provide excellent coverage. Eckart said they are based on: "an innovative micro-encapsulation technology that offers unique metallic lustre combined with superior performance.
The products based on aluminium, copper and bronze powders are available in a variety of colours and particle sizes to suit different applications. In response to the continuing popularity of earth tones Eckart has introduced four new shades: Olive Gold, Maize Gold, Amber and Lava as well as producing five existing colours in a new smaller particle size.
The company's expanded range of Prestige products, which now comes in 38 colours, has been developed with three themes in mind. The company said the coloured pigments they refer to as 'jewels': "owe their striking fashionable effects to a combination of pearlescent and colour effects by use of different colourants. Their 'Northern Lights' range are reminiscent of the natural phenomenon with their sparkling, transparent and saturated colours, while their unique gold combination pigments are launched within the 'Fire' scheme. A three-dimensional transparent lustre and eye-catching colours can be developed based on the sandwich structure of titanium dioxide and iron oxide coated mica, they explained.
Applications for the Prestige pigments include cosmetics such as lipsticks, eye-shadows, compact powders, blushers, eyeliners, mascaras, nail polishes; personal care products including creams and lotions, body washes, oral care products, shampoos, hair gels and mousses; and special effect items such as theatrical and costume make-up and temporary hair colour sprays.
The Metalure products are specially formulated for nail enamels and deliver striking mirror-like finishes offered in a polychromatic palette of metallic colours. They represent the highest level in brilliance and hiding power, and cannot be duplicated by other metallic pigments, Eckart claims.
When mixed with other colourants such as organics and/or pearlescents, polychromatic effects can be achieved. The beauty with their metallics range, the company insists, comes from a unique sheen where the metallic colour plays with light.