A method of forensic identification of lipsticks: for future database

Lipstick residue and smears are the most often encountered cosmetic smears at crime scenes and therefore our research centers analysis the major constituents of lipstick. There is no existing national database through which lipstick can be compared and associated to one manufacturer. Therefore, it is necessary to seek similarities in composition and color between lipstick at a crime scene and lipstick found in the possession of a suspect.

The aim of study depends on the fact that various dyes and pigments should travel a particular distance on TLC plate, thus can identify by their unique RF value and elemental composition by EDXRF due to having different inorganic elements, to create a database.

Composed of three major components - castor oil, wax, and dyes - lipstick has been analyzed through a series of extractions. Through extractions, the major Components of many different lipsticks were drawn out for comparative purposes. As the lipstick contents varies from brand to brand, their preparation of dyes and pigments will also differ in qualitative & quantitative parameters. A lipstick is a mixture of fatty base materials typically composed of various oils, waxes, glycerol and Oleyl alcohol, dissolved colors, suspended pigments and perfumes. It also contains organic dyes namely eosine, erythrosine, cyanosine, rhodamine B, orange II, chromotrope FB and tartrazine & inorganic dyas like; oxides of Ca, Ti, Zn, SI etc. The main materials are including the oil, fat, powder and color agent. The oil and fat is the main item for the lipstick totaling around 90% or more. The auxiliary material included the anti oxidation agent, pearl powder, perfume, UV absorber, and moisturizing agent etc.