Are you protecting hair from copper?
The truth about cosmetic science is that there is not much basic research going on. In fact, there are a number of questions that remain…
The Strength of the Halo Effect in Cosmetics
In your cosmetic formulating career don’t be surprised if something like the following happens. You spend months and months developing a new shampoo formulation. You…
Interesting facts about the human biology
The skin info at the beginning is fascinating. [youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mgp2d4a-uQ’]
Will the persecution of parabens ever end?
The most frequent type of formulation questions we get here on Chemists Corner are about preservatives. Specifically, people ask about alternatives to parabens. And while…
Happy 4th of July!
In the US, July 4th is a holiday and it’s tradition to shoot off fireworks. Ever wonder about the chemistry of these devices? Check out…
Weasel Words and the Cosmetic Industry
People often accuse the cosmetic industry of lying. This is rarely the case. And for large cosmetic companies, it is almost never the case, at…
Production Guidelines Every Cosmetic Formulator Should Follow
Many of you are formulators who have notions of starting your own cosmetic line. In fact, some of you may have even made formulations in…
How does hair grow?
This is a pretty good video showing how hair grows. It also explains how you can lose about 100 hairs a day. I’m not sure…
Be Careful When Making Competitive Cosmetic Claims
Advertising and selling in the cosmetic industry can be tricky. Even the big companies get it wrong sometimes. This report about Unilever’s recent body wash…
Cosmetic Chemical Fearmongering Reduces Credibility
We try to keep this website focused primarily on education. Specifically, educating cosmetic chemists, formulators, cosmetic marketers and anyone else interested in working in the…
Handling Viscosity in the Cosmetics Lab
By Bob Wilcox Fluid viscosity is a measure of resistance to deformation. Deformation can be initiated by actions such as stirring or mixing. When applied…
Does stress cause grey hair?
It is commonly thought that stress causes grey hair but the evidence has been mostly anecdotal. This is unsurprising as many “facts” in the world…
Have you ever seen the Kaye Effect?
If you work with surfactants and formulas like shampoos or body wash, you may have occasionally noticed when pouring it out the stream will unexpectedly…
Episode 31: Scott Taylor - Chemists Corner
Interview begins at 12:25 +B32 Scott Taylor is the President and Regulatory Affairs Consultant at The Regulatory Department, a one-stop international food, supplement, and cosmetic…
How to pick a cosmetic formulation benchmark
Whenever you start a new project it is a great idea that you find an existing formula that will serve as a benchmark for your…
SCC Midyear Symposium in St Louis Wrap-Up
Last week was the Mid-Year SCC Scientific Symposium held in St. Louis, Mo. It was an excellent event that featured two days of fascinating talks…
Here is a new cosmetic science program
I did a couple of guest lectures for this program. They are new but they are doing things the right way. [youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbMXj-94S1w’]
What can you eat or drink for better skin?
To tell you the truth, I’m skeptical there is much evidence at all that eating or drinking some specific thing is going to have a…
Beginning Cosmetic Chemistry in the Internet Age
For everyone in the New York area, I wanted to let you know that I will be giving a one-day course about cosmetic chemistry. It…
Top causes of skin allergies
Many people complain of being sensitive to chemicals or even having allergic reactions. So as a formulator you’ll want to avoid using ingredients that might…