While applicators for applying liquid lipstick, gloss, eyeliner, eyeshadows and concealer may be very small in size, they represent complex products and material combinations, combining plastic carriers with flock adhesives and fine flock fibres. These flock fibres are oriented by way of an electrostatic process and embedded in the flock adhesive in large numbers. Ultimately, this velvety surface finish turns plastic blanks into technical cosmetic brushes. The flocking acts not only as a storage function for cosmetic masses but also as a soft and velvety contact surface in sensitive facial areas such as the eyes and lips.
ERZI-Flock recognised the trend towards increased health awareness years ago and began testing cosmetic applicators for their suitability in contact with food. The simple approval of the plastics for food contact alone did not appear satisfactory. That is why the company kept submitting further specifications for testing in order to achieve approval of the entire cosmetic applicator. Today, ERZI-Flock offers its customers 16 different combinations of plastic, flock adhesive and flock fibres. All of them are certified by the Eurofins Institute in Hamburg as an overall product for food contact according to EC1935/2004, EC2023/2006 and EC10/2011. In addition, all internal processes and tests at ERZI-Flock have been aligned with these approvals.
Triggered by the pandemic and its hygiene requirements, demand arose for an applicator with antimicrobial properties. ERZI-Flock was in a position to meet this demand and, in a further development step, offer plastics with the desired properties i.e. TPU and TPE plastics tested according to ISO 22196. These plastics may also be supplemented with bacteriostatic flock fibres tested according to ISO 20743.
Due to increasing demand, both ERZI-Flock management and their Regulatory Affairs team see themselves affirmed on their way to more sustainability and health protection. Andreas Zindel comments on current developments in the field of colour cosmetics & makeup, "We are very pleased when renowned customers make use of our contribution to optimising our products in order to achieve a meaningful, lasting and positive change in their own value chain.”
