Lead in Lipstick - Are Cosmetic Chemists Trying to Kill Consumers?
Recently, lead in lipstick has been in the news. The FDA came out with a report in which they reviewed 400 samples of lipstick and…
Cosmetic Chemistry Basic Science Background - pH
Some of the followers of this website do not have degrees in chemistry. In truth, you don’t have to know chemistry to formulate products. However,…
Cosmetic Innovation 08 - Mind Mapping
One of the key techniques that has helped me immensely in my career as a cosmetic chemist is the Mind Map. I have previously mentioned…
Why are there preservatives in cosmetics
With all the fear mongering that goes on about cosmetic preservatives, it is no wonder consumers and some cosmetic manufacturers wonder why they can’t make…
Hey Skin Care Formulators - Here is your competition
Articles about anti-aging treatments always catch my eye because let’s face it, that is one of the main functions of cosmetics. This article about new…
Cosmetic Label Dissecting - Burts Bees Baby Shampoo
Here’s another in our continuing series on dissecting the cosmetic label. By reviewing these labels it is our hope that you will develop the skills…
College courses for cosmetic chemists
If you are a science student in college or even in high school and you have an interest in pursuing a career in cosmetic science,…
Natural Cosmetic Ingredients - Honey
On a previous post about the Natural cosmetics market, someone left a comment that suggested I was anti-natural. This is not true, although I can…
How a micelle is formed
One of the fundamental principles of cosmetics and personal care products is the action of surfactants in a solution. Here is a video that demonstrates…
Cosmetic Science Forum - Hot topics
There is a lot more activity going on in the cosmetic science forum and we are delighted! The questions have been excellent and the responses…
Cosmetic formulation basics - Foundation
Click here for a complete list of the Cosmetic Formulation basics series. Foundation Foundation or skin colorants are designed to enhance the color and appearance…
Monthly goal update - January
At the start of every year I put together a goal list which articulates all I want to accomplish for the year. I’ve been doing…
How big is the Natural Cosmetic Market?
We recently worked with Allured to launch a Natural Cosmetic Formulating course. If you haven’t signed up to receive the free report on the subject…
Can small cosmetic companies be successful?
This question was raised on the cosmetic science forum and I thought it was so good that it warranted a full treatment here on the…
Is snail slime in your skin care products
There was a bit on Penn & Tellers show Bullsh*t where they convinced people to let snails climb all over their face. It was supposed…
Useful websites for cosmetic chemists
Here is an article about 100 incredibly useful and interesting websites. I’ve pared down the list to point out the ones that would be useful…
Cosmetic Science Consultant Questions
A little while back we received the following questions about being a cosmetic chemist consultant. Since there are a number of you who may end…
Episode 26: Matt Zoeller - Cosmetic Science
Interview begins at 13:30 Interview - Matt Zoeller Matt Zoeller holds a B.S. in Chemistry from Roosevelt University and is a 30-year veteran of the…
Pantene Pro-V Brunette Expressions Daily Color Enhancing Shampoo - Dissecting the label
Another in our continuing series that endeavors to teach cosmetic chemists how to look at a product label and see what they can determine about…
Resource for learning Chemistry
I was searching through some of my old bookmarks and was reminded of this website called the Martindale Center. The amount of information that they…