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When left unused, make-up has a tendency to dry out because any water or other volatile substances it contains evaporate. Now cosmetics manufacturer Avon of New York has come up with a substance that feels like a gel, but cannot dry out because it has no volatile content (WO 03/051115).

The gelling agent is fine-grained silica powder, which can absorb its own weight in a hydrocarbon oil called squalane that does not evaporate. When the silica and squalane are mixed and heated the gel becomes colourless. A colouring can then be added. The result is a potion which is…

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