Harnessing Beet Root Pigments as Natural Colorant for a Glossy Herbal Lipstick: Formulation and Evaluation

Background: Lipstick is a solid cosmetic designed to impart vibrant colour, hydration, and textural enhancement to the lips. With a growing consumer shift toward natural products. Interest in plant-based colorants and natural emulsifiers has surged. Herbal lipsticks offer enhanced biocompatibility, reduced dermal irritancy. It is available in finishes such as matte, glossy, satin, and metallic, glossy but has unique formulation challenges due to water incorporation. This study aimed to develop and evaluate herbal lipsticks using Beta vulgaris extract as a natural chromophore and diverse natural emulsifiers. Materials and Methods: Four Formulations (F1-F4) were crafted using beeswax, castor oil, coconut oil, beetroot extract, and natural emulsifiers such as beeswax (E1), lecithin (E2), lanolin (E3), and candelilla wax (E4). The process included solvent-extraction, emulsification, wax melting, molding, and surface flaming. Each formulation was rigorously evaluated for solubility, melting point, pH, colour intensity, mechanical strength, surface anomalies, fragrance retention, water resistance, thixotropy, aging stability, antimicrobial activity, skin compatibility, phytochemical composition, and DSC. Results: All four herbal lipstick Formulations (F1-F4) showed good solubility in organic solvents and maintained a pH range 5.5 to 6.8. F2 had the highest colour intensity and best spreadability, while F1 showed superior mechanical strength and thermal stability. All formulations were microbiologically safe, stable, and exhibited favorable thixotropic behavior. Phytochemical screening confirmed the presence of flavonoids and phenols. Conclusion: F2 emerged as the most effective, attributed to lecithin’s emulsification efficiency, offering a promising, elegant natural alternative to conventional lipsticks.