If you are reading this blog then you most likely found it by doing a Google search. There aren’t a lot of sites dedicated to cosmetic science so Chemists Corner comes up frequently.

Google is a great search engine but did you know that there are other ones that can give you better results for some specific types of questions?

Alternative search engines

Here is a list of some useful alternative search engines and how a cosmetic chemist might use them.

Factbites.com
If you are first starting to research a topic that you know little about, try Factbites instead of Google. Factbites distills results to factual information about a topic and cuts down on editorializing and other distracting info. For example, a search for nanoparticles leads you to a CDC article about the subject and a wikipedia link. The website also tells you how reliable the information might be by flagging potentially misleading sources.

Quintura.com
If you don’t know all the relevant information about a topic, Quintura can help you figure it out. You start with a simple search and it gives you a cloud of other options related to that search term. So, if you are looking for information about cosmetic emulsions, you’ll see related searches for cleansing emulsions, emulsion composition, and emulsion balancing.

Clusty.com
This is a great search engine that takes results and clusters them into related clouds. Have you ever done a search on Google and gotten lots of results you weren’t interested in? For example, if you search the term “Cosmetics” you’ll get information about cosmetics mixed in with information about cosmetic surgery. Clusty (also called Yippy) organizes the search results into handy clouds. It makes it much more useful than Google when you’re looking for information about a specific topic.

Dogpile.com
If you really want to be thorough when searching a topic, then Dogpile is the way to go. It is a search engine aggregator and will give you the results of searching multiple search engines at once. This is the closest thing to a universal search engine as there is. Dogpile is definitely worth using if you want to speed up your online searches.

ChaCha.com
If you’re looking for a quick answer to some trivia question, then you should start with ChaCha.com. Unlike Google that returns completely thorough results for all queries, ChaCha specializes in answering specific questions.

cooliris.com
As a cosmetic chemist, you’ll often need images to use for creating presentations. Google has an image search function, however Cooliris is just a much better choice. You have to try it out to understand.

Indeed.com
Are you looking for a cosmetic chemist job? Then do your search on Indeed.com. You can search jobs by title, company, or key word and even narrow results to location. It’s not a place to submit your resume but it lists actual jobs that are looking to be filled.

There are many more search engine alternatives to Google but these 7 should get you started. If you are curious about more, see this profile of 100 alternative search engines.

Do you have a favorite search engine not listed? Leave a comment below and tell us what it is and why you like it.

After months of planning, writing and recording, we’re
almost ready to begin our new online cosmetic science
training program.

We’re not quite ready to start, but space will be limited
so I wanted people who are most interested to get on the
list for early notification of the course’s launch date.

See this webpage, watch the video that explains the
new course, then put in your sign-in information.

The Complete Cosmetic Chemist

In the next week, we’ll send out some more information
explaining more details about the course and how it will work.

There is nothing else like this online course and it is designed
to fill a need that isn’t already covered by the SCC or
university programs.

I look forward to working with you.

Perry, 44

PS.  If you have any questions about the program, leave a comment below.

As a cosmetic chemist you won’t use the periodic table very often.  It just isn’t something you frequently need.  However, it is something that is unique to chemistry and if you’re like me, you still find it interesting and amusing.  There are lots of free ones on the web but here is one that is filled with great information.

As a cosmetic chemist, you’ll find patents to be an extremely useful source of information. In them you will find starting formulations, novel test methods, and even the historical development of cosmetic science. But reviewing them can be tedious so learning how to read them productively is important.

Where to find US Patents

While there are lots of places to find the full-text of patents online, the best place is the United States Patent and Trademark Office. This website contains a wealth of free information. The only other site worth considering is the Google Patents site. It has the same information as the USPTO site but has the added advantage of using the Google search engine. Sometimes this is more helpful.

Main sections of patents

On the front page of a patent, the most useful information includes

1. The patent number (top right corner)
2. The date of the patent (top right corner)
3. The inventors / assignee
4. The Title of the invention
5. The Abstract of the invention

Inside the patent, you’ll find the following key sections.

Images - If it is a device of design patent, illustrations of the invention will be included before the text. For cosmetic formula patents, these are not usually included.

Field of Invention - This section is usually just a rewording of the abstract.

Background of Invention - Provides a history of the development of the technology and sets up the problems that the patent is trying to solve. It will site other patents which helped inspire the invention.

This is an excellent source for learning about the historical development of these kinds of formulas and for finding other relevant patents.

Summary of Invention - Here you’ll find the basic idea behind the patent. After reading this section, you should have a good idea about what are the key elements that make the patent unique. It will also help set up the next section.

Detailed Description - This is the most tedious part of the patent because it includes as much information as the lawyers can pack into it. It’s written in a way that is easy to get lost. Superfluous details are included just to ensure that the company covers as many possible angles as they can. You’ll find ranges of weight percentages both preferred and “most preferred”. But you’ll also find details that may be useful in later development.

This is the longest section of most patents but you can skim most of it upon your initial read through

Formula Examples - At the end of the description section, you’ll find formula examples which will include a range of compositions & weight percents. Right after this section, you’ll also find a ‘Method of Preparation’ which tells you generally how to put the formula together.

Here is where you find your starting formulas

Test methods – In some patents, you’ll find test procedures that the inventor followed to prove that the invention is novel. This isn’t in all patents but keep an eye out for them. It gives you an idea of how you might test your formulas and also helps indicate how useful the patent actually is.

We claim: – This is the last section of the patent and can be the most useful. It summarizes all the information that comes before in specific, single sentence lines.

Reading a patent for general understanding

Now that you know the construction of a patent, it’s time to learn how to read them.

If you already know the basics of the subject and just want to understand what an inventor did, follow this procedure for reading the patent.

Step 1 - Read through the title and the abstract to

determine if you want to know more.

Step 2 - Skip to the end and read the ‘We claim’ section to get a sense of exactly what the invention is about. The first few claims are usually the most relevant.

Step 3 – Next, go back and read the ‘Summary of Invention’ to fill in some of the details.

Step 4 – Finally, go through the Invention Details section to get the complete picture.

Getting starting formula ideas

If you just want to get a good sense of how to copy a competitor’s formula (or just how to make it), skip to the back pages and find the Example Formulas. Use these suggested formulas to create your own versions. Note, the formulas listed in patents are often different than the ones that are actually sold on the market. These example formulas should be used as a rough starting guide. You should also eventually modify them if you ever want to market your own version of the formula.

Getting test methods

Sometimes after the example formulas you’ll find a section that explains how the formulas were tested to prove their claims. Read through this section and see if you can copy the tests that they did. Often, this will not require any special equipment.

Learning cosmetic science

If you are new to the industry or are attempting to formulate in an unfamiliar area, then be sure and read the Background Section. This will give much of the necessary cosmetic science to help you understand these types of formulations. You will also find references to older patents. If you still need more understanding, look up these old patents and review the background section in them. After reviewing a few relevant patents, you should have an excellent understanding of the basics of the field.

Are there tricks you use to get a better understanding of patents that weren’t included here? Leave a comment below and let us know.

While we know you adore Chemists Corner and use it for all your cosmetic science needs, the truth is we can’t cover every topic. To get even more cosmetic chemistry information, take a look at some of these other websites created and written by cosmetic chemists.

Cosmetic Chemist Blogs

1. Colin’s Beauty Pages – Written by a UK-based cosmetic scientist. Colin reviews products, beauty advice, and the science behind beauty and attraction. He’s currently writing a book on the science of beauty and you can see some excerpts on the blog.

2. The b-spot – Nikita is a cosmetic chemist who works as a consultant to the industry. She also has a regular column in the prestigious Cosmetics & Toiletries magazine, one of the top publications for cosmetic science professionals. She gives an insider’s view of the cosmetic industry.

3. Science of beauty – Here’s a site that discusses the science behind beauty products from the perspective of a university professor. Joanne doesn’t work in the beauty industry but she loves beauty products & knows a thing or two about chemistry. Be sure to see her video experiments.

4. Natural Haven – Written by JC, a natural haired scientist based in UK who does not work for any cosmetic company, but is well-versed in the latest beauty research published in scientific journals like the Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists. Definitely worth checking out.

5. The Beauty Brains – A blog written by cosmetic chemists answering consumer questions about beauty products. They try to present cosmetic science in a manner that is appreciated by the non-scientific public.

6. Soapy Guy – Here’s a cosmetic scientist who surfs the web and links to stories that any cosmetic chemist will find interesting. He often provides his own commentary which helps give the stories real-world application. It’s a great read and one we wish was updated a little more frequently.

New Blogs with Potential

7. Dr. Dad’s Advise – Here’s a relatively new blog which is written by a cosmetic chemist who works in the Chicago area. He’s got a couple of useful articles on surfactants and emulsifiers. We’ll keep an eye on this one.

8. Rajat Narang’s blog – As often happens, someone is excited when they start their new blog and then fizzle out after a few entries. This one seems to have gone that way. However, the entries that Rajat did write are pretty good. If you’re looking for information about colorants, check out this site.

Useful Resources

Sense about Science – This isn’t necessarily about cosmetic science but it does give you some great information about science and how to think critically about claims you see in the news. It should be on every cosmetic chemist’s RSS feed.

Do you have some websites that we didn’t mention? Leave a comment with a link below.

Beginning Cosmetic Chemistry

Sure it might be a bit much to include my own book on a list like this, but it really is one of the best resources for introducing someone to the world of cosmetic science. The book is in its third edition and has been expanded to over 50 chapters. It covers everything from industry jargon, raw materials, formulating, and even testing. It also includes chapters written by other industry experts so it’s not just “my book”.

Chemistry and Manufacture of Cosmetics: Science 4th edition
This is one of the original, complete set of books about cosmetic science. It is packed full of technical information covering cosmetic science, formulating and cosmetic ingredients. Almost every industry expert has written a chapter for this 4 volume book series. If you have a question about cosmetic chemistry, no doubt this book will have the answer for you.

Harry’s Cosmeticology
The first edition of this classic book on cosmetic science was first published in 1940. It is now in its 8th edition and is one of the most comprehensive tomes on the subject. It covers all aspects of cosmetic science in 5 sections including the substrates (skin, hair, nails), formulation approaches, ingredients, specific formulations, and production. As a formulation chemist, you will find this single volume book an indispensable resource that you frequently reference.

Handbook of Cosmetic Science and Technology, Third Edition
Much like Harry’s, the Handbook of Cosmetic Science & Technology attempts to cover as many aspects of cosmetic science as it can in a single book. This 880+ page work covers everything from the biology of hair, skin and nails to cosmetic formula types, cosmetic ingredients and even cosmetic claims. Of all the books mentioned thus far, this one does the best job of covering cosmetic claims and testing. It’s definitely worth having on your bookshelf.

A Short Textbook of Cosmetology
I don’t know where I got this book but it is a nice, short volume that covers the basics of cosmetic science. It was written by an author from Switzerland so it has a more Euro-centric view of the cosmetic industry. Other books discussed many focus on the North American cosmetic industry. I particularly enjoyed the extensive historical section in this book. The book is significantly shorter than others weighing in at only 435 pages, but it packs a lot of information in those pages.

Surfactants in Personal Care Products and Decorative Cosmetics, Third Edition (Surfactant Science)
This book is a bit more technical about the science of surfactants than any others on the list. It has chapters written by a variety of cosmetic industry experts and is an excellent resource for the advanced cosmetic chemist. It is probably not one you want to start with but after a few years of formulating, you’ll definitely want to have it in your cosmetic science library.

Chemical and Physical Behavior of Human Hair
This is the most specific of all the books on this list and its inclusion is more reflective of the fact that I spent most of my time formulating products for hair. However, if there is anything you want to know about the science and biology of hair, you need go nowhere else but this book. It explains all aspects of human hair and is based on the latest research. In the hair care world, the book is so ubiquitous it is simply referred to as “Robbins”.

Do you know of a cosmetic science book that helped you which wasn’t included on this list? Leave a comment below and let the cosmetic chemists of the world know about it.

One of our favorite cosmetic chemist resources, SpecialChem for Cosmetics, just got a whole lot better.

At this website, you can find all kinds of free information about the cosmetic industry like industry news, technology launches, and even some basic articles. This is good and all, but the INCI Directory that they just launched is really something special. In fact, in some ways it’s even BETTER than the online version of the actual INCI dictionary published by the PCPC.

And best of all…it’s FREE!

INCI Dictionary

The INCI Dictionary is the book which contains all the legal names for the ingredients used in cosmetics. See this previous post on naming cosmetic ingredients for more information. Unfortunately, to get access to the online version you have to be a paying member of the PCPC (not something most individuals can afford).

With the new INCI Directory from SpecialChem, all you need to do is be a registered member to get access. It’s great!

Why the INCI Directory is useful

As a new cosmetic chemist, you are going to run into names of chemicals you’ve never heard. There are literally thousands of compounds and new ones being launched all the time. You just can’t keep up.

If you want to know more about a chemical with an unfamiliar name you would have to go search for the supplier or visit the library (unless you had access to the INCI online dictionary). Now, you can use the INCI Directory instead.

INCI Directory Benefits

The best thing about the INCI Directory for a formulation chemist is the search function. You can look up chemicals by their CAS numbers and by partial matches of their name. One of the biggest complaints about the online INCI Dictionary is that their search function is terrible. You need exact matches instead of partial matches.

Another great feature is the extra information attached to each compound. You’ll find links to technical data sheets, suggested starting formulations, articles which discuss the ingredient, news mentions of the ingredient and even a list of finished products that use the ingredient. This is much more information than the INCI Dictionary gives.

INCI Directory Deficiencies

The primary problem with the free directory is that you have no guarantee that the information is up-to-date and accurate. The PCPC might change something about their listing which the directory might not update. But this is of minor concern when you are doing some basic background research on an ingredient.

The other problem is that you don’t get the chemical formula or molecular structure like you do with the standard INCI Dictionary. However, this information is easily obtained through the numerous technical data sheets that are attached to each entry.

INCI Directory

This is a great resource that every cosmetic chemist should be using on a regular basis. The free information should speed up your development time and introduce you to new cosmetic materials you might be interested in trying. It doesn’t replace the INCI Dictionary, but it certainly makes the information much more useful.

Excellent work SpecialChem!!

I just saw that the FDA (Food & Drug Administration) revamped their cosmetics information website. This is an excellent resource for anyone who wants to know what the US government has to say about cosmetics. Here are some of the highlights.

FDA Cosmetic Regulation

Many people erroneously claim that the cosmetic industry is not regulated, but in the United States this responsibility falls on the FDA. Their specific responsibilities are outlined on this page. Basically, the FDA takes a hands-off approach with the mandate that cosmetic manufacturers are responsible for substantiating the safety of their products. They don’t tell you specifically what testing proves safety so that’s where things get a little fuzzy.

FDA and cosmetic claims

There is a section outlining what the FDA considers appropriate cosmetic labeling and claims. The requirements are not too stringent but they do say things like you can’t put false or misleading information on the label. Required information on the label includes the following

1. Identity statement
2. Accurate quantity
3. Name & place of business
4. Directions for use
5. Appropriate warning statements
6. Ingredient list

Definition of Cosmetic

If you ever wonder what makes something a cosmetic or not, just check out this page on the new FDA cosmetic website. It comes right out of the FD&C Act sec. 201(i). This definition covers pretty much any kind of personal care product you can imagine (except soap). Other products that are not technically cosmetics are products classified as OTC drugs. This would be things like dandruff shampoos & sunscreens.

More FDA Cosmetic Information

The FDA has published about some specific cosmetic topics which they presumably were asked to do. This includes subjects like Mad Cow Disease, 1,4-dioxane and other potential cosmetic contaminants. They also have written about villified compounds such as parabens, phthalates, and color additives. Finally, there is some specific product information regarding hair color, makeup, etc.

The FDA takes a lot of heat from consumer protection groups but they do try and provide the public important information about cosmetics. As a cosmetic scientist, you should be familiar with all of the information on their new website. It will make you a better formulator if you do.

Have any questions about cosmetic formulas?  Leave a question in the comments section below.

Congratulations!!

You spent your days in college making it through some of the toughest courses the place had to offer like Physical Chemistry, Advanced Inorganic Chemistry, and even Advanced Calculus.  And you passed them all!

Clearly, you were one of the brightest students in the university.  Do you think the business world will reward you accordingly?

Sadly, it doesn’t exactly work that way at least in the cosmetic industry.  In fact, while cosmetic chemists make a relatively good salary, the big money in this industry is given to people with business degrees working in Marketing, Sales, and Market Research.  If you are like most science majors who know very little about these topics, you’ll be at a significant disadvantage.

Free Online Business Courses

But fret not!  You don’t need to take out thousands of dollars in student loans & spend the next 4 years taking evening classes.  Thanks to some generous, forward-thinking universities, you can learn all you need to know for FREE.

Here is an article that lists 12 Universities offering Free Online Business Courses.

And these are not sketchy, unknown, fly-by-night colleges.  These are top notch universities like MIT, University of California, University of Notre Dame, Carnegie Mellon University, etc.  You can get many of the same courses that students paying huge dollars are getting.  You just need some self-motivation.

So, if you want to get a leg up on your cosmetic chemistry career, send yourself through some of these business courses for free.  It may make you smarter but will definitely help you communicate with the Marketing people that are most likely running your cosmetic company.

Who knows?  It might give you just the kick you need to start your own cosmetic company.  If you’re bright enough to make it through college and earn a science degree, you’re smart enough to create & run your own successful business.

The world needs more scientist entrepreneurs.

Since cosmetics are chemicals that get applied to people’s bodies, governments from around the world strive to ensure they are safe. It’s a laudable goal, but a challenging one to implement since there is no universal standard for what is “safe”.

The most difficult thing about cosmetic regulations for cosmetic scientists is that few people know definitive answers about the rules. They are almost always open to interpretation so your actions will depend more on what your company regulatory expert thinks than on what the regulating agency thinks. Unfortunately, most regulatory departments are set up to tell you what you can’t do, rather than help you figure out what you can do.

The best way to combat this regulatory obstacle is to find the answers yourself. To that end, here are 5 key websites that will help you find regulatory information about cosmetics.

Cosmetic Regulation Websites

1. FDA Cosmetic Info – Everything you need to know about the rules governing the sale of cosmetics in the United States is here. Some say the cosmetic industry in the US is not regulated but it is, by the FDA. You can find information useful to both the consumer and cosmetic business owner.

2. European Commission – In the EU, cosmetics are regulated by a document called the Cosmetics Directive 76/768/EEC. At this website you can find the full-text version and also some important commentary on the implications of the rules. An excellent website for all things EU regulatory.

3. Health Canada – While it’s not as big a market as the US or EU, Canada is still a significant player in the cosmetic industry and their government wants to have their say. At this website you can find all the rules (current and proposed) that will govern how you can sell your products in Canada.

4. Ministry of Health (Japan) – While all governments have access to the same science, they don’t always come to the same conclusions about what is safe. At this site you’ll find out what compounds are restricted in cosmetics sold in Japan.

5. Cosmetic Ingredient Review Board – This one isn’t a governmental agency but an industry agency that reviews safety data about cosmetic ingredients. They report to the FDA and provide an excellent guide as to what ingredients you can and can not use when formulating cosmetics.

There you have it. If you have any regulatory questions about the cosmetic industry you can probably find the answers on one of these pages. Of course, if you’re still left with questions, no doubt one of the fine industry consultants can help you out for the right price.

Do you have a regulatory question about cosmetics? Leave a comment and we will try to answer if we can.