Mascara serum: everything you need to know about its composition.

Eyelash serum-mascara is a cosmetic product for eyelashes that bridges the gap between care and makeup. Like the mascara traditional mascara, this hybrid treatment creates a continuous wax film on the lash surface while adding color, length, and volume to enhance the eyes. However, it is distinguished by its action on hair follicles, stimulating lash regrowth and producing natural, long-lasting results.

The mascara serum consists of a tube housing a tinted emulsion and a curved applicator brush—designed for volume, length, combing, with bristles, in hourglass or even conical shapes—imbued with a pigmented formula to coat every lash from base to tip. Primarily available in black, it also comes in various shades: brown, blue, green, plum...

A mascara serum is formulated on the same principle as an oil-in-water emulsion:

• Solvents: They provide a medium in which the various ingredients blend. The primary solvent used is demineralized water (INCI: Aqua (Water));

• Hydrophobic film-forming agents: They allow the product to develop a film-forming texture and provide adhesion to the eyelashes, resulting in long-lasting curl retention, extended wear, and resistance to running or flaking by coating the lashes with a film. These may include carnauba wax (INCI: Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax), hydroxyethylcellulose, polyurethane-99, etc...

• Thickening polymers: These components give the formula thickness and viscosity and contribute to its stability. They may include Senegal acacia gum/arabic gum (INCI: Acacia Senegal Gum), xanthan gum (INCI: Xanthan Gum), etc.

• Active ingredients: These actives lend additional properties to the lash serum (lengthening, fortifying, regenerating, etc.). Some nourish the hair follicles, while others strengthen the lashes to reduce breakage or encourage growth. These may include castor oil, ginseng extract, provitamin B5, pea peptides or even argan oil.

• Emulsifiers: Surfactants act to ensure a homogeneous blend of the aqueous phase with the oil phase. They function by dispersing oil droplets into the water phase to achieve a stable emulsion. Examples include cetearyl olivate (INCI: Cetearyl Olivate), of theolivate of sorbitan (INCI: Sorbitan Olivate), of glyceryl stearate (Glyceryl Stearate), etc...

• Pigments: Mascara serums have the unique ability to nourish eyelashes while tinting them. In this case, plant- or mineral-derived pigments are added to the formulation to provide color. These may include iron oxide (INCI: CI 77499), carmine (INCI: CI 75470), titanium dioxide (INCI: CI 77891), etc...

• Antimicrobial protection agents: They are essential to preserve the product. These compounds inhibit bacterial growth and protect the properties of each active ingredient. They may include sodium benzoate (INCI: Sodium Benzoate), tocopherol, which also functions as an antioxidant to prevent oxidation of vegetable oils, potassium sorbate (INCI: Potassium Sorbate), etc...