The senses of a cosmetic chemist
We’ve previously talked about the importance of trying all of the products you are working on. But this article about the ability for people to…
Category: Formulating
Weekend science shopping
I’m not really much of a shopper but after this morning’s round of golf, my father in law and I went to American Science and…
Thanksgiving Ingredients in your Cosmetics
As a cosmetic formulator, you can find some fun stuff by looking through the INCI dictionary. In honor of the US Thanksgiving holiday, today we’re…
What makes a good cosmetic ingredient study?
On the cosmetic science forum, user PMA asked an excellent question about the effectiveness of Hyaluronic Acid in skin care products. Specifically, the question was,…
Will this viscosity device replace Brookfield viscometers?
According to this story, researchers have developed a new viscometer that can take viscosity measurements by simply flowing liquid through it. They say that it…
The most useful smart phone apps for cosmetic chemists
If you have a mobile smart phone (an iPhone for example) there are a number of apps that a cosmetic chemist will find useful. Here…
Parabens declared safe for use by EU
In case you were curious, the EU is in the process of updating its regulations regarding the use of parabens in cosmetics. According to the…
Cosmetic formula testing - Triangle Test
As a cosmetic chemist, one of the most basic things you need to be able to do is to evaluate formulas and new raw materials.…
Why more cosmetic chemists aren’t doing research?
On another post about wrinkle treatment breakthrus, Louise asked this excellent question which I thought would make a good post because people just starting out…
Optimizing cosmetic raw material levels
As a cosmetic chemist, you will frequently be called on to evaluate a new raw material or to optimize its level. But unless you’ve done…
7 reasons to do a stability test on a cosmetic
One of the primary tests that you will run on your cosmetic formulations is a stability test. You can read this other post for a…
On Formulating a Greener Shampoo
Next week I’m giving a talk on cosmetic sustainability at the Southwest SCC monthly meeting. It should be fun. This is a hot topic in…
The Pressures Against Innovative Cosmetics and how to overcome them
As a cosmetic formulator, you have a tough task. You have to make great new formulas that consumers love, your marketing department loves and they…
SCC Technical Symposium
Today, I am giving a talk about how cosmetic chemists can use the Internet to become better cosmetic chemists. It should be a fun talk…
What color will your cosmetic products be in 2012?
This article is Happi reports that Pantone, the global authority on color, has released it’s predictions for the top 10 colors for women’s fashion in…
Electronic Devices in Dermatology
I saw this article about electronic devices being more important in cosmetic treatments. It seems that dermatologists are using these gadgets more frequently to deliver…
Why does salt thicken shampoos?
When I first got into the cosmetic industry I worked on hair care products, specifically, shampoos. One of the things that I found fascinating about…
Formulating Multifunctional Cosmetic Products
One of the biggest challenges a formulator faces is creating products that are different than their competitors. Unfortunately, most cosmetic chemists have to do this…
Conditioning Agents for Hair and Skin
Some years ago I co-edited a book about the different types of conditioning agents that are used by cosmetic chemists for hair and skin products.…
8 Types of Cosmetic Ingredients in Formulas
As a beginning cosmetic formulator you will most likely not be given the responsibility to create your own formula from scratch. More likely, you will…