Unity Cosmetics products contain no nanoparticles.
Nanoparticles — what exactly are they?
Nanoparticles are very small particles (the size of a billionth of a metre) that can't be seen with the naked eye. Nanoparticles occur widely in nature. Sea air, for instance, contains nano-sized salt particles, and burning (wood) also releases nanoparticles. In themselves, those natural nanoparticles are harmless.
Even so, much debate has arisen over the past 10 years about nanoparticles in products and the effect those nanoparticles have. That debate isn't about natural nanoparticles but about artificially manufactured (synthetic) nanoparticles that can be added to things like paints, hairsprays, metals and cosmetics. Consumers wonder what nanoparticles are and whether they're actually safe. And it's not at all surprising that these questions are being asked. Consumers are becoming more critical, today's society places great importance on health, and the words "nanoparticles" and "nanotechnology" do sound somewhat unfamiliar and futuristic. The fact that nanoparticles aren't visible to the naked eye also contributes to many consumers being somewhat suspicious whenever the word "nanoparticles" comes up.
Unity Cosmetics doesn't use nanotechnology and no nanoparticles are added to Unity Cosmetics products.
What are the advantages of nanoparticles?
There are definitely advantages to nanoparticles. They are very small particles that can boost the action of certain active ingredients and so add value. Almost all toothpastes, for instance, contain nanoparticles that help leave teeth extra clean without any actual abrasion, and in almost all aircraft synthetic nanoparticles are added to the metal to make it even stronger. In sunscreens, titanium dioxide has been added for decades (as a sun-protection factor, indicated by SPF), making use of synthetic nanoparticles. It boosts the UV-protective properties that titanium dioxide naturally has and ensures that the titanium dioxide is absorbed even faster and better by the cream and that the sunscreen filter works better. Titanium dioxide has been a very safe ingredient for decades and contributes to UV protection (helping to prevent skin cancer); the synthetic nanoparticles in UV-protective products are explicitly designated as safe by regulators.
It has been scientifically demonstrated that synthetic nanoparticles are not harmful in cosmetics, so they may be used freely in the cosmetics industry. In the cosmetics industry, nanoparticles are mainly added to products containing active ingredients (face creams, sunscreens with UV filters), because they can improve the action of those ingredients. In decorative cosmetics (make-up products that mainly need to provide colour), nanoparticles really serve no purpose, because decorative cosmetics generally aren't made for active ingredients. Make-up isn't about improving the skin but about decorating it. So there are hardly any manufacturers that add synthetic nanoparticles to make-up. Make-up contains few active ingredients, so boosting them by adding nanoparticles is very illogical.
Are there also disadvantages?
In themselves, no general disadvantages of nanoparticles are known. Just as with any other ingredient or product, the authorities have strict rules on their use. The effect of any ingredient — including nanoparticles — depends heavily on the size and quantity used, combined with the way the end product is applied. Inhaling ingredients, for example, can be dangerous, whereas applying the same ingredient to the skin is not. As for nanoparticles, the European authorities take the view that the use of synthetic nanoparticles must be explicitly mentioned on the product, because nanoparticles can sometimes behave differently from the "normal substance" (though not necessarily worse). Much more scientific research is still needed to fully understand nanoparticles. So if you see a product saying "contains nanoparticles", that's not a disqualifier or "bad" — it's purely meant as information for the consumer, allowing them to make a better-informed choice about whether to buy the product.
Are there nanoparticles in Unity Cosmetics products?
Since 2013 European manufacturers/brand owners have been required to explicitly state on a product when nanotechnology is used. Unity Cosmetics products are manufactured within the European Union, so this legislation also applies to all Unity Cosmetics products. So Unity Cosmetics doesn't use nanotechnology, and no nanoparticles are added to Unity Cosmetics products. The reason Unity Cosmetics doesn't use nanotechnology lies in the motto "better safe than sorry". As long as science is still actively researching the precise effect of an ingredient, we'd rather not use it in our products.