Tinted serum is gaining popularity in the world of skincare and beauty. This hybrid product allows for the concealment of minor skin imperfections while providing various benefits to the skin, depending on the active ingredients it contains. This article will discuss the typical ingredients found in a tinted serum.
What is a tinted serum composed of?
Summary
Published on February 22, 2024, by Maylis, Chemical Engineer — 3 min of reading
Themes:
The tinted serum: a direct emulsion that contains pigments.
The tinted serum is typically a direct emulsion, meaning it is composed of a minority oil phase and a majority aqueous phase. The aqueous phase primarily consists of water, hence the term "AQUA" often appears first on the I.N.C.I. list of a tinted serum. The oil phase may contain vegetable and/or mineral oils derived from petrochemicals (absent from our products as they are on our blacklist).
The blending of these two immiscible phases is made possible by the presence ofemulsifying agents or surfactants, which disperse oil droplets in the aqueous solution to form a stable emulsion. For instance, in the Typology tinted serum, the surfactants used are the Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate and the Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate.
A third phase contains the pigments that give the formula its tinted appearance. These can be either hydrophilic or lipophilic depending on their coating, and can be integrated either into the aqueous phase or the oily phase.
Note : Tinted serums are lighter than foundations, the latter often being indirect emulsions (the oily phase is predominant compared to the aqueous phase).
The tinted serum: a formula rich in active ingredients.
The tinted serum conceals minor skin irregularities and provides benefits to the skin depending on the active ingredients it contains. Some are thus enriched with moisturising actives such as thehyaluronic acid, while others contain firming actives like retinol. There are also antioxidant molecules like vitamin C or nourishing actives like squalane.
The tinted serum from Typology evens out the complexion while providing hydration and nourishment to the skin. Its silicone-free formula does not clog pores, thus preventing the formation of blemishes. It contains three main active ingredients:
The Vitamin C, an antioxidant molecule known for brightening the complexion, reducing pigmentation spots, and slowing down the photo-ageing of the skin;
The olive squalane, a lipophilic compound derived from olives, closely resembles sebum in structure and has a re-lipidising and nourishing activity;
Thealoe vera, a gel abundant in minerals, vitamins and amino acids, is known for its moisturising and soothing properties.
