If you want to be a cosmetic chemist and make cosmetic products, there is certain essential equipment that you’ll need to get.

Here is a list of the basic equipment for setting up a cosmetic lab.

Basic cosmetic Lab equipment

1. Weighing equipment. To make proper measurements of the raw materials, you’ll need a good balance. Be sure to get one that can measure up to at least 500g.

Other weighing equipment that helps includes disposable pipettes (for measuring liquids) and weigh boats (for measuring solids).

2. Containers. The most common container you’ll use to make a cosmetic formula is a beaker. You’ll need a variety of sizes because you’ll be making different sized batches. Be sure to have a number of 500mL, 800mL, 1000mL, 1500ml and 2000mL beakers. You really want 400g to be the minimum size batch you make.

3. Mixers. In college, you most frequently used a magnetic stirrer to mix your creations. These are rarely used in a cosmetic lab. For mixing, you’ll want an industrial type mixer, something like the Lightnin mixer. It is like a single blade hand mixer with a variable speed control. Quite handy.

4. Controlling Temperature. Most cosmetic formulas require heating and cooling so a good hot plate is a must.

Sometimes you can air cool batches but for things like emulsions, you’ll want to have a water bath for cooling it down quickly. This could simply be a tub you fill with cold water and ice.

5. Testing equipment. After you’ve finished a cosmetic formulation, you’ll need to test it to ensure that it meets specifications. For this, you’ll want to have a pH meter and a viscometer (for measuring rheology).

Of course no cosmetic lab would be complete without a good stock of cosmetic raw materials. Which of these you have will depend on the type of formulas you make. Everyone will want to have a supply of deionized water. Most will also want to have a stock of common preservatives, acids, bases, and dye solutions.

Fortunately, if you work for a company they’ll have this stuff for you. They’ll also have more specific equipment for the types of formulas you’ll mostly be working on. However, if you are setting up your own lab or helping your company get into the field of cosmetic science, be sure to stock your lab with the proper equipment.

What equipment do you use for cosmetic formulations? Leave your comment below.

In the United States (and most other places around the world), beauty product manufacturers are required to list the ingredients used to make their products in a specific way. The current guidelines can be found on the FDA website here – FDA Cosmetic Labeling.

Since it isn’t a terribly interesting read, we’ll try to summarize the key points here. We’ll also explain to you how ingredient listings can be useful to cosmetic formulators.

Cosmetic Ingredient names

We previously wrote about how cosmetic ingredients get their names so go read that for more details. Basically, the names come from the INCI Dictionary. These are the names that are supposed to be used by everyone although some manufacturers might take liberty with their labels and include inappropriate terms (e.g. ‘purified’ water)

Order of listing

In this post on how to label cosmetics, we gave an explanation of the rules in which ingredients are supposed to be listed. Essentially, things in concentration above 1% are supposed to be listed in order of concentration and things at 1% or lower can be listed in any order. Colors are supposed to be listed at the end.

Where to find cosmetic ingredient names

When you are working with a raw material, the supplier will have the INCI name listed in the specification sheet. Often, raw materials are made up of multiple compounds so there will be a listing of multiple INCI names. To create the correct ingredient list, you have to know the % of each compound in the raw material. This can get complicated and we’ll save the topic for another time.

Sometimes the INCI names are pending (if it’s a new material) but you should generally avoid working with raw materials that don’t already have an INCI designation.

If you are searching for a raw material, a nice, free way to find them is via the INCI directory. This excellent resource was created by Specialchem4cosmetics.com and is really helpful.

Where to find ingredient lists

Now that you know how to decipher raw material lists, you need to get some so you can start using them. Of course, an obvious place to get ingredient lists is to go to the store and get products. They should be listed there right on the back of any personal care and cosmetic product.

But going to the store can be inconvenient and you can often get ingredient lists just by searching the Internet. Two excellent sources of cosmetic ingredient lists is Drugstore.com and Ulta.com. The best thing about these sources is that they also include the cosmetic claims which can also be helpful.

How to use ingredient lists

Alright, now you have an ingredient list and understand what it means, you might be wondering, so what? Good question.

Here are a few things that I’ve used ingredient lists for as a cosmetic chemist.

1. For copying competitor’s formulas – Copying (or knocking off) a competitive formula is a great exercise for any new cosmetic chemist. It gives you a great sense of what the raw materials do, which ones are important, and how they affect different performance characteristics. There is no better teacher than going through the trial and error process of copying a formula from an ingredient list.

Remember to use the few clues that you have. For example, identify the probable 1% line, do a % solids test to figure out how much water is in the formula, and take pH and viscosity readings to figure out your targets. Then make some prototypes and see how close you can get.

2. For new product ideas – Marketers are always looking for new ingredients so whenever you come upon a novel ingredient, write it down, learn about it and pitch it at the next new product meeting if you wish.

3. To learn new ingredients – Whenever you see an ingredient you don’t know, take the time to look it up. Figure out why it might be in the formula. This way you can use ingredient lists as a way to help build your cosmetic science vocabulary. When you were learning to read they told you whenever you read a word you didn’t know the meaning of you should look it up in the dictionary. Well, whenever you see a raw material you don’t know, look it up in the INCI dictionary.

Have you found useful ways to use ingredient listings? Leave a comment below and let everyone know.

If you live anywhere near Chicago or can be around on March 31, 2010, you won’t want to miss the 2010 SCC Midwest Chapter TEAMWORKS trade show. This is always a great show and you can’t beat the price…FREE. The TEAMWORKS show features all the biggest & best raw material and ingredient suppliers in the cosmetic and personal care industry. It also features a half-day educational program. Every cosmetic chemist or interested science major should make it a point to attend.

Here are the details

SCC Midwest Chapter TEAMWORKS 2010

March 31, 2010 – 8:30 AM-6 PM
Donald E. Stephens Convention Center
5555 N. Des Plaines River Road
Rosemont, IL (Chicago)
Educational Program March 31 8:30 AM – noon

New colleagues are waiting, new concepts abound and innovations are within reach – discover
them in Chicago. The Midwest Chapter Society of Cosmetic Chemists (SCC) will host TEAMWORKS 2010, the premier exhibition for formulators among the specialty chemical allied trades, on March 31, 2010, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois-conveniently located near O’Hare International Airport.

Chemists, chemical buyers, engineers and technologists in the cosmetic, personal care, pharmaceutical and other allied industries will mingle among 130+ booths representing prime technology suppliers in the industry. TEAMWORKS 2010 is an opportunity to gather for an exciting learning experience, and to foster friendships in a bond of cooperation and success.

Education, innovation and networking are key focal points during this event. The half-day educational program will highlight the latest material launches to give formulations an added edge, and technology exchanges will occur throughout the exhibition. See below for more information.

Networking opportunities will also abound-grab a colleague during the buffet luncheon, sit down together and debate product development strategies; or arrive a day early to network during the Social Night with some of the great minds in the industry.

A buffet lunch, raffle prize drawings, BINGO card prizes, and a well-appointed networking area will be provided. Pre-registered attendees are also eligible for a raffle prize. (must register by March 16, 2010)

Attendance is FREE! Register online –
Educational Program: Formulating for Marketing Demands – 8:30 AM – noon
8:30-9:00 Continental Breakfast and Networking

8:50-8:55 Opening Remarks
Gene Frank, Raani Corp.

9:00-9:30 Keynote Presentation: A Corporate Strategy for Sustainability
Peggy Ward, Manager of Corporate Sustainability Programs, Kimberly-Clark

9:30-9:35 Q&A

9:40-10:00 Addressing the ‘Free-from’ Conundrum-paraben-free, sulfate-free, etc.
Tim Kapsner, Senior Research Scientist, Aveda Corp.

10:00-10:05 Q&A

10:05-10:20 Coffee Break

10:25-10:45 Formulating for Sensitive Skin
Russell Walters, PhD, Johnson & Johnson

10:45-10:50 Q&A

10:55-11:15 Formulating for Ethnic Care
Ali Syed, CEO, Avlon Industries

11:15-11:20 Q&A

11:25-11:45 Improving Sensory Benefits in Hair Care
Michael Wright, Senior Research Scientist, Nexxus Salon Hair Care/Alberto Culver Co.

11:45-11:50 Q&A

11:55 Closing Remarks

*The education session will open with a continental breakfast at 8:30 am, followed by opening remarks with the keynote presentation beginning at 9:00 am.

Online Exhibitor Guide!

Plan your visit ahead of time and check out the exhibitors today! All exhibitors are listed alphabetically on the online exhibitor guide. Contact exhibitors to set up appointments during the show!

Information is provided about the products and services they offer along with a link to each exhibitor’s website. Check it out anytime and plan your trip through the exhibitor hall.

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.