How to Use Obang Black in Your Formulations
Understanding Obang Black
Think of Obang Black as a performance-enhancing ingredient that works behind the scenes to make your product feel incredible. It’s a multi-functional powder that offers both sensory improvement and skin benefits. Its primary job is to improve the texture and feel of your formula, transforming it from basic to luxurious.
At its core, Obang Black is a finely milled powder made from Green Tea Leaves and Iron Hydroxide (INCI: Camellia Sinensis Leaf / Iron Hydroxide Powder). The extremely small particle size (1–30 μm) is the secret to its beautiful performance; it allows the powder to disperse evenly and feel virtually weightless on the skin. It glides on, creating a silky, smooth finish that helps reduce stickiness in lotions or greasiness in balms. For the more technical formulator, this ingredient acts as a superior sensory modifier and aesthetic enhancer, leveraging natural components to achieve a high-end skinfeel comparable to synthetic powders.
Formulation Tips
Recommended Usage Rate: 1–15%. Use at the lower end (1–5%) in creams and lotions to improve skin feel and reduce tackiness. Use at the higher end (5–15%) in powder-based products like finishing powders, dry shampoos, or foundations.
How to Incorporate: For liquid formulas like lotions or serums, create a slurry first. Pre-disperse Obang Black in a small portion of your formula’s oil or glycerin until a smooth paste is formed, then add this paste to your main batch with good mixing. For anhydrous (oil-only) products, simply mix it into the oil phase. In dry powder formulations, add it directly with your other powders and sift together to ensure uniform distribution.
Color & Appearance: This ingredient will impart a soft, grey-to-black hue to your product. The intensity of the color depends on the usage rate. This makes it ideal for products where this color is desired, such as charcoal-themed masks or cosmetics for darker tones.
Key Performance Benefits
- Luxurious Sensory Feel: Ultra-fine particles provide remarkable slip and smoothness, creating a silky, non-greasy finish that feels elegant and high-end.
- Antioxidant Boost from Green Tea: Delivers the well-known antioxidant properties of Camellia sinensis, helping to protect the skin from environmental stressors.
- Natural Mattifying & Shine Control: Helps absorb excess sebum for a soft-focus, matte look—perfect for primers and oil-control lotions.
- Improves Formulation Texture: Reduces heavy, greasy, or sticky after-feel in creams, lotions, and balms for a more pleasant user experience.
- Versatile Natural Colorant: Provides a stable, soft black/grey tone—an excellent alternative to synthetic dyes in a wide range of cosmetic products.