Bead mills disperse and grind the pigments and mineral powders in cosmetics and personal care products, such as titanium dioxide and zinc oxide in mineral sunscreens, pigments in color cosmetics and nail polish, and abrasives in toothpaste. The product needs a smooth feel, even color or transparency, stable dispersions and clean production. INFOR supplies disc, disc-pin and vertical bead mills, lab mills and homogenizers for this work.
What the process needs
| Requirement | Why it matters | How the bead mill meets it |
|---|---|---|
| Fine, even dispersion | Smooth skin feel, even color, transparency on skin | Small beads, circulation mode |
| Stable dispersion | No settling or color shift in storage | Narrow distribution, suitable dispersant |
| Clean production | Product hygiene | Easy-to-clean design, suitable contact materials |
| Temperature control | Oils, waxes and actives are heat-sensitive | Chamber cooling, disc-pin rotor |
| Many small batches | Many shades and formulas | Lab mills and quick changeovers |
Mineral sunscreens
Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide filters must be dispersed finely and evenly so they protect well and look transparent on the skin rather than white.
Color cosmetics and nail polish
Pigment dispersions for lipstick, foundation, eye shadow and nail polish need even color and a smooth finish, and nail polish adds solvent handling.
Emulsions
Creams and lotions are emulsions; high-pressure homogenizers such as INFOR's laboratory and industrial homogenizers suit droplet-size reduction better than a bead mill.
Recommended INFOR equipment
| Stage or need | INFOR equipment | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Formulation development | Experimental horizontal mill | Small batches, all-ceramic grinding zone |
| Pigment dispersions | Disc bead mill | Versatile; water, oil and solvent systems |
| Heat-sensitive bases | Disc-pin bead mill | Efficient grinding at low temperature |
| Fine mineral dispersions | LPM vertical bead mill | Micro-beads, screen-free separation |
| Emulsions | Industrial high-pressure homogenizer | Droplet-size reduction |
Related: bead mills for pigments and color paste and how to choose grinding media. INFOR runs free material tests at its Dongguan and Hubei test bases; send your material, target fineness and output through the contact page.