International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2012, 34, 29–35
Development of a semi-permanent mascara technology
J. H. Dempsey*, A. M. Fabula*, T. E. Rabe*, J. M. Lubbers  and M. Ye 
*Hunt Valley Innovation Center, The Procter & Gamble Company, 11050 York Road, Hunt Valley, MD 21030 and  Sharon Woods Innovation
Center, Procter & Gamble Company, 11511 Reed Hartman Highway, Cincinnati, OH 45241, U.S.A.
Received 14 December 2010, Accepted 17 June 2011
Keywords: eyelash, long wear, mascara, multi-day wear, semi-permanent
Synopsis
Many women would like their mascara beauty benefits to be
available all day, every day. One way to address this desire is
through a semi-permanent mascara technology that provides full
mascara benefits of long, dark beautiful lashes for multiple days.
To date, products promising multi-day benefits have acted more
as either ‘lash dyes’, providing a lash darkening benefit but failing
to provide fullness and length, or waterproof mascaras that do
not maintain the initial beauty look over multiple days. Here, a
formulation approach is described for a mascara product that is
designed to be abrasion resistant, flexible and insoluble in soap
and water so that the initial beauty look is maintained for multi-
ple days. The new semi-permanent formula technology uses rosi-
nate polymers that have a superior combination of flexibility,
abrasion resistance and water and surfactant resistance. Based on
principles used by the paint industry for creating durable films,
the levels of the polymers and other non-volatile ingredients are
balanced such that the product forms a continuous polymer film
on the eyelash. Cryo-SEM is used to demonstrate that the new
semi-permanent formula technology forms a film different from
those formed by current mascara products. A stretch test and rub
test are used to demonstrate that the new semi-permanent for-
mula technology has superior flexibility and abrasion resistance to
current mascara products. Finally, a multi-day consumer study
with daily imaging of the eyes is used to demonstrate the superior
wear performance of the new semi-permanent formula technology
in actual usage.
Résumé
Beaucoup de femmes souhaiteraient que les avantages de leur mas-
cara soient disponibles toute la journée, chaque jour. Une possibi-
lité d’accéder à ce désir est la technologie du mascara semi
permanent qui offre tous les avantages d’un mascara avec de
beaux cils longs, sombres pendant plusieurs jours. A ce jour, les
produits promettant un effet pendant plusieurs jours, agissent plus
comme des teintures de cils fournissant un avantage en noircissant
le cil mais en négligeant l’ampleur et la longueur des cils, ou agis-
sent comme des mascaras waterproof qui ne maintiennent pas la
beauté initial du regard plusieurs jours. L’approche de formulation
exposée ici permet l’obtention d’un mascara résistant vis à vis de
l’abrasion, flexible et insoluble dans l’eau et le savon permettant de
Correspondence: James Dempsey, Berkshire Corporate Park, 14 Research
Drive, Bethel, CT 06801-1040, U.S.A. Tel.: +1 203 791 3346; fax:
+1 513 277 7854; e-mail: dempsey.jh@pg.com
ª 2011 The Authors
ICS ª 2011 Society of Cosmetic Scientists and the Société Française de Cosmétologie
doi: 10.1111/j.1468-2494.2011.00677.
maintenir le regard plusieurs jours. La nouvelle technologie de for-
mulations semi permanente utilise des polymères de rosinate qui
offrent une meilleure association en terme de flexibilité, résistance à
l’abrasion, et vis à vis de l’eau et des tensioactifs. Issus de la tech-
nologie de peintures filmogènes résistantes, les taux de polymères
et d’ingrédients non volatiles sont équilibrés afin que le produit
forme un film de polymère continu sur les cils. La cryo microscopie
électronique a permis de démontrer que le film ainsi obtenu est dif-
férent de celui des mascaras actuels. Un test d’étirement et un test
de frottement ont permis de mettre en évidence la supériorité de
cette technologie face aux formulations actuelles. Enfin, un test
consommateur avec une prise d’image quotidienne des yeux a été
utilisé pour montrer la performance de maintien de ces formules
semi permanentes en utilisation réelle.
Introduction
Enhancing the beauty of one’s eyes is of significant importance to
consumers and has led to the development of very large product
categories in both cosmetics and skin care. In particular, enhanc-
ing the visibility of eyelashes has become a billion plus dollar
industry, globally, and continues to grow [1, 2]. Mascara is used to
enhance the beauty of a person’s eyes by coating the lashes to
thicken, lengthen and darken the eyelashes [3]. As a result, con-
sumers tend to be very passionate about their mascara, often stat-
ing that it is the one cosmetic product that provides the biggest
impact on overall appearance. In fact, many women feel self-con-
scious being seen without their mascara.
Historically, there are generally two types of mascara: water
resistant and waterproof. Water-resistant mascara can be removed
with warm water and soap, whereas waterproof mascara is typi-
cally removed with a make-up remover product [4]. Both types are
typically applied and removed during the same day. This leaves
many time points in a consumer’s life when she is not able to
enjoy the beauty benefits of mascara. Although many consumers
wish they could have the lash beauty that mascara provides all the
time, current options are ‘long-wear’ mascaras or semi-permanent
lash stain products. But ‘long’ is a relative term, and existing long-
wear mascaras are designed to eliminate reapplication during the
day, but also to be easily removable by the user using soap and
water or a make-up remover product. The current technologies do
not last through showering and sleeping and are therefore not suit-
able for wear beyond one day. Semi-permanent lash stain products
provide colour but not the thickening benefits that consumers want
from mascara products. Furthermore, the beauty look of current
semi-permanent lash stain products tends to degrade rapidly after
the first day of wear.
29
Development of a semi-permanent mascara technology
A new category of mascara is required to meet this need: semi-
permanent mascara. Semi-permanent make-up is being increas-
ingly sought out by consumers who want to look more beautiful
at all times – whether it is when they are working around the
house, when they are working out at the gym or even when
swimming in the pool. It provides added confidence in their
appearance, giving them a sense that they are always ready for
what life brings them.
Therefore, truly semi-permanent mascara must be capable of
withstanding more severe environmental insults than those faced
by typical daily use mascara. First, the product needs to be able to
withstand exposure to water and soap during showering and facial
cleansing. This requires that the product has a high degree of resis-
tance to warm water and surfactants. Second, the product must be
able to withstand abrasion from clothing removal, eye rubbing and
contact with pillows during sleep. This requires that the product
has a high degree of abrasion resistance. Finally, the product must
be able to withstand stretching experienced from the bending and
swelling of the lash. Hair will readily absorb water and swell.
When exposed to water, hair can swell by 15% in diameter [5].
This swelling places a large amount of stress on a film surrounding
the lash. The film is also stretched as the eyelashes are bent by
rubbing and by contact with clothing during dressing and with
pillows during sleep. This requires that the product has a high
degree of film flexibility.
To address the strong consumer need of semi-permanent mas-
cara, a new semi-permanent formula technology has been devel-
oped, which is able to withstand life’s insults for multiple days. The
new formula technology was specifically designed to be abrasion
resistant, flexible and insoluble in soap and water so that the initial
beauty look is maintained for multiple days.
Materials and methods
Materials
The new semi-permanent formula technology is an anhydrous dis-
persion. Isododecane is used as a volatile solvent. A combination of
rosinate polymers is used as film formers. The system is stabilized
using a clay network and is coloured using iron oxides. The proto-
type formula evaluated in this study is detailed in Table I.
To demonstrate the superior performance of the new semi-per-
manent formula technology, it was compared to several bench-
marks selected from currently marketed mascara products.
Benchmark products were selected for water-resistant, waterproof,
long-wear and semi-permanent stain product types. The compara-
tive products are listed in Table II.
Table I Mascara formulation
Mascara formulation % W/W
Pentaerythrityl hydrogenated rosinate 7–15
Tall oil glycerides 7–15
Black iron oxide 8–12
Disteardimonium hectorite 10–15
Propylene carbonate *
1,2 hexanediol and caprylyl glycol 1.0
Isododecane QS
*
1/3 the % Wt of the disteardimonium hectorite.
ICS ª 2011 Society of Cosmetic Scientists and the Société Française de Cosmétologie
30
J. H. Dempsey et al.
Table II Comparative mascara products
Manufacturer Mascara name Mascara type
Cover girl Lash exact waterproof Waterproof
Cover girl Lash exact Water resistant
Maybelline Define-A-lash waterproof Waterproof
Maybelline Define-A-lash Water resistant
Maybelline XXL Pro 24HR bold Water resistant/waterproof
Tarte 4 day stay lash stain Semi-permanent lash stain
The Cover Girl Lash Exact (Procter & Gamble, Hunt Valley,
MD, U.S.A), Cover Girl Lash Exact Waterproof (Procter & Gamble),
Maybelline Define-A-Lash and Maybelline Define-A-Lash Water-
proof (Maybelline LLC, New York, NY, U.S.A.) were selected
because they have formulations that are typical of commercially
available water-resistant and waterproof mascara products. The
Maybelline XXL Pro 24HR Bold (Maybelline LLC) product was
selected because it has the longest wear duration claim among
commercially available long-wear mascara products. The Tarte 4
Day Stay Lash Stain (Tarte Cosmetics, New York, NY, U.S.A.)
product was selected because it has the longest wear duration
claim among commercially available semi-permanent lash stain
products.
Methods
The products were evaluated in four ways. First, scanning electron
microscopy was carried out to characterize the film morphology.
Technical tests were performed to evaluate film flexibility and abra-
sion resistance. Finally, a multi-day consumer usage test was car-
ried out to assess wear performance in actual usage. During the
development of the new semi-permanent formula technology, test-
ing was conducted to evaluate water and surfactant resistance.
This method was not used as part of this experiment, but a descrip-
tion of this method is included for completeness.
Scanning electron microscopy (SEM)
Scanning electron microscopy was used to compare the morpholog-
ies of mascara films applied to false lashes. A set of Ardell 109
False Eyelashes were trimmed to a length of 0.9524 cm and
affixed to a metal bar. Five strokes of mascara are applied to a false
eyelash sample using an Automated Mascara Applicator device.
The samples are allowed to dry completely. Individual lashes are
removed from the metal bar and adhered to an SEM sample stub
with carbon tape. The edges of the lashes are secured with silver
paint. Samples are frozen in liquid nitrogen and transferred to the
Alto 2500 sample chamber to defrost at )95C for 10 min. Sam-
ples are lightly coated with platinum before observation. Samples
are observed using a Hitachi S4700 field emission SEM equipped
with a Gatan Alto 2500 cryo-stage, and representative images
were collected at )105C in the cryo-SEM under the following con-
ditions: kV = 3 kV, Ie = 10 lA, Mode = ultra high resolution,
Detector = Mixed and Working Distance = 15 mm.
Stretch test method
Film flexibility was measured by a stretch test. This test evaluated
the ability of a product film to resist flaking and peeling when it is
ª 2011 The Authors
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 34, 29–35
Development of a semi-permanent mascara technology
stretched. Forty milligrams of the product was applied to a
2.54 · 2.54 cm square on a latex band. The film was then dried
completely in a 50C oven. An initial weight was taken using an
analytical balance. Then, the band was stretched to a distance of
27.94 cm five times. On the fifth stretch, the band was kept
stretched to 27.94 cm and was rubbed with five strokes of a GUM
toothbrush to remove loose product. Another weight was taken,
and the percentage of the film weight lost was calculated. The test
was performed three times for each product assessed, and the aver-
age per cent weight loss of the three tests was reported. A lower
average per cent weight loss means that less flaking and peeling
occurred, indicating greater flexibility.
Rub test method
Abrasion resistance was measured by a rub test. This test evaluates
the ability of a product film to resist smudging and transfer when
it is abraded. A film was prepared on a Leneta Form 2A Opacity
Chart using a 6 mil Drawdown Bar film applicator. The film was
then dried completely in a 50C oven. A paper disc was punched
out of a Kimberly-Clark WypAll L40 paper towel and adhered to
the bottom of a 2 kg weight using double-sided tape. The weight
with the paper disc was then placed on the film and rotated 720.
The weight was removed, and the disc was peeled off the weight. A
Datacolor Microflash was used to take colour measurements of
the paper discs under the following conditions: Illuminant D65/10,
Data CIE LCH. A colour reading was first taken of a clean, unused
paper disc and set as the standard. Then, a reading was taken of
the disc that had abraded the sample. The Delta L value between
the sample reading and the standard was recorded. Three readings
were taken for each sample, and the average Delta L of the three
readings was reported. A lower average Delta L value means that
less transfer and smudging occurred, indicating better abrasion
resistance.
Consumer test
Throughout the development process, key studies were conducted
with nearly 500 consumers to evaluate in-use consumer perfor-
mance. Many of these tests used in-market long-wear bench-
marks to understand the wear profile of the semi-permanent
mascara. In each test scenario, the semi-permanent mascara
demonstrated multi-day wear benefits. To further support the
consumer tests, a technical wear image panel was conducted to
assess the visual wear advantages of the multi-day mascara pro-
totype described here vs. a subset of the comparative mascaras
listed in Table II: Tarte 4 day Stay Lash Stain, Maybelline XXL
Pro 24HR Bold, Maybelline Define-A-Lash Waterproof and
Cover Girl Lash Exact Waterproof. This study was a multi-prod-
uct test with images taken at baseline (bare lashes), immediately
after application, 8 h (end of day 1), 24 h (beginning of day 2),
32 h (end of day 2), 48 h (beginning of day 3) and 56 h (end of
day 3). If the product continued to wear beyond day 3, addi-
tional images were taken at extended time points until the prod-
uct was judged to no longer provide the desirable appearance
benefits (as determined by the test moderator). Prior to the end
of day 3, if product is no longer observed, no additional images
were taken. Each panellist rotated through the five test products
randomly. Panellists were instructed to apply the product until
they got to their desired end look. Images were captured on a
Fujifilm FinePixS1Pro Camera using an external flash with a
focal length of 105 mm.
ª 2011 The Authors
ICS ª 2011 Society of Cosmetic Scientists and the Société Française de Cosmétologie
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 34, 29–35
J. H. Dempsey et al.
Prior to the application of each test product, lashes were treated
the evening before with COVERGIRL Clean Eyes and Lips Make-Up
Remover and rinsed with water to ensure that lashes were mas-
cara residue free at time of test product application the following
morning. Further, panellists were given specific facial cleanser and
facial moisturizer products to use daily to ensure consistent skin
treatment and consistent cleansing and skin care exposure between
panellists and test products.
Water and surfactant resistance test method
Water and surfactant resistance was measured by a blot test. This
test evaluates the ability of a product film to resist being removed
during exposure to water and surfactant during washing of the
facial area. A film was prepared on a Leneta Form 2A Opacity
Chart using a 6 mil Drawdown Bar film applicator. The film was
then dried completely in a 50C oven; 30 mL of tap water was
heated to 30C, and then 2 mL of Dawn dishwashing detergent
was added to the water and incorporated using a stir bar. A pipette
is then used to drip the water/surfactant mix onto the film to cre-
ate a circular pool of water 3 cm in diameter. A Kimberly-Clark
WypAll L40 paper towel is placed over the wetted film, and a
2 kg weight is placed over the WypAll. The WypAll and weight are
left on the wetted film for 5 min and then carefully removed. The
WypAll was then allowed to dry for 24 h. A Datacolor Microflash
was then used to take colour measurements of the WypAll under
the following conditions: Illuminant D65/10 and Data CIE LCH. A
colour reading was first taken of a clean, unused WypAll and set
as the standard. Then, a reading was taken of the section of the
WypAll that was in contact with the wetted film. The Delta L value
between the sample reading and the standard was recorded. Three
readings were taken for each sample, and the average Delta L of
the three readings was reported. A lower average Delta L value
means that less transfer occurred, indicating better water and sur-
factant resistance.
Results and discussion
Formula technical model
The new semi-permanent formula technology achieves a multiple
day wear benefit through two formula design elements. The first
element is the choice of polymers. A broad range of polymers were
screened for film flexibility, abrasion resistance and water and sur-
factant resistance. All of the polymer classes screened were hydro-
phobic in nature because of the need to resist solubilizing in water,
tears, perspiration and water/surfactant mixtures. Although it is
impossible to screen all hydrophobic polymers commercially avail-
able, a manageable yet broad group of polymers was chosen based
on their potential to perform well in all areas of adhesion, flexibility
and water/surfactant resistance. Most polymers were evaluated by
solubilizing them in a volatile hydrocarbon or silicone fluid and
then casting into neat films. Some polymers were dispersed as an
emulsion or latex in an aqueous medium, which coalesced into a
continuous polymer film after the evaporation of the water phase
[6–8]. The polymer material classes that were considered and
screened are listed in Table III. All polymers were solubilized in sol-
vent unless otherwise noted.
The rosinate polymers used in the formula were found to have
the best combination of film flexibility, abrasion resistance and
water and surfactant resistance. The rosinate polymers are derived
from rosin. Rosin is the non-volatile residue, primarily consisting of
31
Development of a semi-permanent mascara technology J. H. Dempsey et al.

Table III Developmental screening of polymer classes The second design element was balancing the ratio of polymer
to other non-volatiles in the formula such that there is sufficient
Polymer class (neat or blend) wt : wt
polymer to form a continuous phase. The paint industry has recog-
nized that the properties of a film are directly related to the volume
concentration of solids it contains since the introduction of the con-
Silicone crosspolymers na cept of critical pigment volume concentration (CPVC) in 1949 by
Acrylates copolymers (solubilized) na
Asbeck and Van Loo. The CPVC is the point at which there is just
Acrylates copolymers (aqueous emulsion) na
Acrylates/dimethicone copolymers na
sufficient polymer matrix to wet and fill the voids between individ-
Polysiloxanes, di-Me,hydroxy-terminated na ual particles. At volume concentrations above the CPVC, the poly-
Silicone resins (MQ, DT, MT) na mer matrix is no longer a continuous phase. Decreasing the
Silicone resin (MQ)/polydimethylsiloxane gum (>100 000cSt) 1 : 10–10 : 1 particle size of the solids increases the CPVC for a given system
Silicone resin (MQ)/ polysiloxanes, di-Me,hydroxy-terminated 1 : 10 – 10 : 1 [11]. Studies have shown that the pigment volume concentration
Polyesters (water dispersed, high MW, amorphous) na
impacts many film properties, including gloss, film flexibility and
Polyurethanes (water dispersed, high MW, amorphous) na
Hydrogenated polycyclopentadiene na abrasion resistance. As the pigment volume concentration
Tall oil glycerides na increases, film flexibility decreases and abrasion resistance remains
Hydrogenated rosin esters na the same or improves. When the CPVC is exceeded, the film will
Hydrogenated rosin esters/tall oil glycerides 1 : 10–10 : 1 become brittle and abrasion resistance will decrease rapidly. Gloss
also decreases as the pigment volume concentration increases and
remains low when the CPVC is exceeded [12].
resin acids, obtained from the distillation of the resin of conifer Current mascara formulations use large amounts of waxes (5–
trees. The most common source of rosin is pine trees. Rosin and its 15%) and iron oxides (6–12%) while using relatively small
derivatives have a wide range of uses, including sizing of paper, amounts of film-forming polymers (4–8%). The films that they form
emulsifying of latex polymers, tackifiers in adhesives, film formers are dominated by the waxes that can have crystal sizes in excess of
in inks and encapsulation for delivery of drugs [9]. Rosin can be 20 microns and are jagged and rough in appearance. The pigments
obtained from wounds in living pine trees or as a by-product of the used are also relatively large and have a wide distribution of parti-
wood pulping process [10]. Rosins can be esterified to increase cle sizes, usually in the 2–5 micron range. Because they use large
their hydrophobicity, cohesiveness and softening point. The adhe- particulates and a relatively low amount of polymer, current mas-
sive and cohesive properties and the softening point of rosin esters caras have a solid volume concentration in excess of the CPVC. As
are driven by the choice of alcohol used for the esterification. Ros- a result, current mascara films exhibit poor abrasion resistance and
ins can also be hydrogenated to improve thermal stability. The often are very brittle films that flake very easily.
rosinate polymers used in the new formula technology are esteri- The new semi-permanent formula technology was designed so
fied. A blend of different rosinate esters was used to achieve optimal that the volume concentration of solids is below the CPVC. This
balance of adhesiveness and cohesiveness. was achieved in two ways. First, only small-particle-size solids
were used for both the pigments and thickeners. The new formula
technology is thickened using only disteardimonium hectorite clay
particles (D90 < 10 microns) at 10–15% and coloured with jet-
Pigment Bentone clay Polymer film milled iron oxides (D90 < 1 micron) at 7–10%. Minimizing the
size of all particulates in the system increased the CPVC for the
new mascara technology well above that of conventional mas-
caras. Second, a much greater level of film-forming polymers was
used (17–30%), which ensured that the new mascara is well
below the CPVC. The new semi-permanent formula technology
forms a continuous polymer film with a smooth surface. Because
its solid volume concentration is below the CPVC, it has much
greater resistance to flaking and transfer caused by stretching and
Figure 1 Hypothesized film structure of new semi-permanent formula tech- abrading than any current mascara technology. An additional
nology. benefit of the continuous film structure of the new mascara for-

Wax Pigment
Polymer Bentone clay

Figure 2 Hypothesized film structure of current mascara formula technology.

ª 2011 The Authors

ICS ª 2011 Society of Cosmetic Scientists and the Société Française de Cosmétologie
32 International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 34, 29–35
Development of a semi-permanent mascara technology J. H. Dempsey et al.

Figure 3 200· SEM image of new semi-permanent mascara technology film Figure 6 200· SEM image of Cover Girl Lash Exact film on a false eyelash
on a false eyelash showing continuous film with smooth surface; inset showing discontinuous film with rough surface; inset 5000· SEM.
5000· SEM.

hypothesized film structure of the current mascara formula tech-

nology is shown in Fig. 2.

SEM findings
Cryo-SEM was performed on films of the new semi-permanent for-
mula technology, Cover Girl Lash Exact Waterproof Very Black,
Cover Girl Lash Exact Very Black, Maybelline XXL Pro 24HR Bold
Mascara Very Black and Tarte 4 day Stay Lash Stain. The SEM
shows that the hypothesized film structure is correct. The SEM
clearly shows that the new semi-permanent formula technology
produces a continuous film that smoothly coats the lash surface.
Even at increased magnification (5000·), the surface is smooth
with bits of pigment (appearing as white dots) showing through.
The films produced by the Cover Girl Lash Exact Waterproof Very
Black, Cover Girl Lash Exact Very Black, Maybelline XXL Pro
Figure 4 200· SEM image of Tarte 4 Day Stay Lash Stain film on a false
eyelash showing discontinuous film with rough surface; inset 5000· SEM.

Stretch test results

100.000%

90.000%

80.000%

70.000%
AVG % Wt. lost

60.000%

50.000%

40.000%

30.000%

20.000%

10.000%

0.000%

Figure 5 200· SEM image of Maybelline XXL Pro 24HR Bold film on a Cover girl lash exact Maybelline XXL Pro 24HR bold
false eyelash showing discontinuous film with rough surface; inset 5000· Cover girl lash exact waterproof Semi-permanent mascara prototype
SEM. Maybelline define-A-lash Tarte 4 day stay lash stain
Maybelline define-A-lash waterproof

mula technology is that the film surface is smooth, resulting in a Figure 7 Stretch test results showing the new semi-permanent formula
very glossy, very dark film appearance. The hypothesized film technology has parity or better stretch resistance than current mascara tech-
structure of the new formula technology is shown in Fig. 1. The nologies.

ª 2011 The Authors

ICS ª 2011 Society of Cosmetic Scientists and the Société Française de Cosmétologie
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 34, 29–35 33
Development of a semi-permanent mascara technology J. H. Dempsey et al.

Rub test results 24HR Bold Mascara Very Black and Tarte 4 day Stay Lash Stain
0.00 do not have this smooth, continuous morphology. The SEM images
are shown in Figs 3–6.
–2.00
Water and surfactant resistance
–4.00
During the development of the new semi-permanent formula tech-
nology, testing was conducted to evaluate water and surfactant
–6.00
Delat L

resistance of the new formula technology as well as of water-resis-

tant and waterproof mascara products. The testing found little if
–8.00 any differences in water and surfactant resistance between the new
formula technology, anhydrous waterproof mascaras, long-wear
–10.00 and semi-permanent products. All of these products exhibited a
very high level of resistance to water and surfactant. These prod-
–12.00 ucts could be differentiated from water-resistant mascaras in their
water and surfactant resistance, but not from each other. For this
–14.00
reason, water and surfactant resistance testing was not performed
as part of these experiments.
Cover girl lash exact Maybelline XXL Pro 24HR bold
Cover girl lash exact waterproof Semi-permanent mascara prototype
Maybelline define-A-lash Tarte 4 day stay lash stain Stretch test results vs. benchmarks
Maybelline define-A-lash waterproof
The stretch test demonstrated that the new semi-permanent for-
mula technology had greater flexibility than both the water-resis-
Figure 8 Rub test results showing the new semi-permanent formula tech-
nology has superior abrasion resistance to current mascara technologies. tant mascara benchmarks and the long-wear and semi-permanent
products. The new semi-permanent formula technology had parity

Semi-permanent Tarte 4 day stay Cover girl lash Maybelline define-A- Maybelline XXL Pro
mascara prototype lash stain ® exact waterproof ® lash waterproof ® 24HR bold ®

Bare

Initial
application

Start of
day 2

Start of
day 3

Start of
day 4

Start of
day 5

Figure 9 Consumer images showing the new semi-permanent formula technology has superior wear and longevity of mascara beauty benefits over multiple
days vs. comparative benchmarks.

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ICS ª 2011 Society of Cosmetic Scientists and the Société Française de Cosmétologie
34 International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 34, 29–35
Development of a semi-permanent mascara technology J. H. Dempsey et al.

or better flexibility than the films of waterproof mascara bench-
marks. The data are included in Fig. 7.
Rub test results vs. benchmarks
The abrasion test demonstrated that the new semi-permanent for-
mula technology has greater abrasion resistance than any of the
water-resistant, waterproof, long-wear and semi-permanent bench-
marks. The data are shown in Fig. 8.
Consumer test results
The consumer test demonstrated that the new semi-permanent
formula technology provides true mascara beauty benefits over
multiple days better than the comparative benchmarks. Figure 9
demonstrates the difference in longevity of overall wear and mas-
cara beauty benefits vs. the comparative mascara set. The model
chosen for the figure has very fair bare eyelashes, providing an
excellent basis for product comparison. Although the lash stain
product provided some darkness for multiple days, neither the
lash length nor volume conferred by the product nor the longev-
ity of product wear was at the level of the new semi-permanent
formula technology. All of the waterproof formulas tested pro-
vided an initial beauty benefit of long, dark, full lashes vs. the
bare lash image, but the comparative waterproof mascaras do not
provide an acceptable beauty look at the start of day 2 after nor-
mal wear, washing and sleeping. Further, none of these products
lasted beyond day 2.
Conclusions
Consumer demand for semi-permanent mascara is growing. Cur-
rent long-wear mascara products do not provide multi-day beauty.
It has been found that by using rosinate polymers, which have a
superior combination of stretch resistance, abrasion resistance and
water and surfactant resistance, and by balancing the levels of the
polymers and other non-volatile ingredients such that the product
forms a continuous polymer film, a mascara formula can provide a
multi-day beauty benefit. Cryo-SEM of the mascara film on false
lashes shows that the new semi-permanent formula technology
produces a continuous film with a smooth surface. This film mor-
phology is different than that of other current mascara technolo-
gies, which have films that are broken up by pigments, wax
crystals and other thickening agents. The technical testing demon-
strated that the new semi-permanent formula technology has good
film flexibility and water and surfactant resistance. However, cur-
rent semi-permanent technologies and waterproof mascaras also
have good water and surfactant resistance, and current waterproof
mascaras have good film flexibility. The new semi-permanent for-
mula technology’s abrasion resistance is what differentiates it from
current mascara products. The rub test indicates that it had supe-
rior performance to current water-resistant, waterproof, long-wear
and semi-permanent products. The multi-day consumer usage
study demonstrated that only the new semi-permanent formula
technology provided a multi-day beauty benefit.
Acknowledgements
Funding provided by Procter & Gamble Beauty. Thanks to our
products research and analytical partners for help in generating
the data included in this publication – Gregg Debrosse, Harrison
Musyimi and Judson Haynes – and to Sarah Vickery for editing
and leading manuscript creation.

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ICS ª 2011 Society of Cosmetic Scientists and the Société Française de Cosmétologie
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 34, 29–35 35