Raw materials used in lip cosmetics include colorants, fillers, waxes, esters, natural oils, hydrocarbons, and active ingredients.

Colorants
A consumer's first instinct when choosing a lipstick is its shade; therefore, colorants are the most critical component of a lipstick's formulation. With the exception of carmine, most colorants used in lipsticks are synthetic. They are generally categorized into three types: organic colorants, mineral pigments, and pearlescent pigments.
Organic colorants: Typically aluminum, calcium, or barium lakes. Due to varying cosmetic regulations worldwide, the colorants permitted for use in lip cosmetics differ by region.
Mineral colorants: These constitute the largest share of colorants used in lipsticks, accounting for approximately 70% of the total colorant content. Common types include titanium dioxide, synthetic iron oxides, and kaolin.
Pearlescent pigments: Primarily titanium dioxide/mica, mica/titanium dioxide/iron oxide, and bismuth oxychloride.
Bromo-acid dyes: A collective term for brominated fluorescein dyes, including dibromofluorescein, tetrabromofluorescein, and tetrabromo-tetrachlorofluorescein.

Oily raw materials
Oily raw materials used in lip cosmetics include solid waxes, liquid hydrocarbons, natural oils, synthetic oils and esters, and polydimethylsiloxane (and its derivatives).
Waxes: Including candelilla wax, carnauba wax, ozokerite, microcrystalline wax, paraffin wax, beeswax, Japan wax, and polyethylene.
Liquid oils and esters: Castor oil, lanolin and its derivatives, branched-chain esters, fatty acid esters, etc.
Polydimethylsiloxanes: Including cyclotetrasiloxane, cyclopentasiloxane, polydimethylsiloxane (dimethicone), and dimethicone copolyol.

Polymers
Increase the solids content of the formulation without causing whitening-an issue often seen in older, typical formulations rich in talc, titanium dioxide, and/or kaolin. They enhance durability, reduce powdering or migration, and improve the stability of high-solids lipsticks. They offer benefits such as improved surface finish, reduced oil absorption, and the ability to act as an encapsulating carrier for other ingredients.