Is there really such thing as a cosmetic?
According to the FDA statute first written in 1938, cosmetics are products used for beautification and enhancement of the appearance of skin or hair. By…
Thickening Agents for Cosmetic Formulations
One of the requirements of most cosmetic products is that they have an appealing rheology. This means that you as a cosmetic formulator you are…
5 Reasons There are not Better Cosmetic Raw Materials
It seems every year one of the big cosmetic raw material companies introduce a new ingredient that will “revolutionize” the cosmetic industry. But in the…
How can a cosmetic chemist remain a scientist?
The other day I stumbled on this story about a group of scientists questioning the need for people to take Vitamin D supplements. These independent…
Essential Cosmetic Lab Equipment
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…
MAY – The Sun be with you or against you?
As the month of May is officially known as Skin Cancer Awareness month, I thought it fitting to share some interesting facts about Skin Cancer,…
Cosmetic Chemists Guide to Working with Vendors
As a cosmetic chemist you are going to have to deal with suppliers and vendors to get anything done. Here is an explanation of the…
How to Determine Cost of a Formulation
This video shows you how to figure out the cost per pound (or kg) of a formula using ingredient costs & percentages. A free downloadable spreadsheet …
Formulating Chemist Job - Big Company or Small?
Getting a degree in chemistry will teach you a lot about science but not much about having a chemist job. We’ve previously talked about what…
A Cosmetic Chemists Guide to Ingredient Lists
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…
What is a Cosmetic Product?
Innovation from the cosmetic raw material companies always makes me smile. I remember when one particularly “innovative” company would come in for a visit and…
How Cosmetic Claims Can be Used to Make You a Better Cosmetic Chemist
As a cosmetic chemist, you should always keep an eye on products and try to figure out what other people in the industry are doing.…
Learn All You Need to Know About Business for Free
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…
Can a Carcinogen Free Cosmetics be real?
I saw this article in the NYT about a cosmetic brand who is advertising themselves as “carcinogen free”. According to the founder of Bio-Spectra, their…
How to read a cosmetic patent
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,…
3 Tips for Finding a Cosmetic Science Lab Job
The other day someone asked me for some tips on how to find a cosmetic science job in the cosmetic industry with personal care companies…
How to Label Cosmetic Products
My first experience with cosmetic labeling came in college when I turned over the bottle of a shampoo and looked at the ingredient list. It…
Career Advice to Impress Your Boss
Working in corporate America you will quickly learn that your success is not completely based on your scientific abilities. In fact, if you really want…
A great online community where you can engage consumers
I’m sure Perry has already told you this but as a cosmetic scientist it’s important for you to know your consumer. One way to understand…
75 Things a Formulation Scientist Does
“What does a formulation scientist do every day?” This was a question I received in an email from someone who was doing some research about…