Factors influencing the deposition of conditioning polymers
There was an interesting article in the November/December 2013 issue of the Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists. The research titled “Use of Statistical…
Category: Science
Stem Cells for the Cosmetic Chemist
I just read a story about a new skin care product that incorporates both plant and human “stem cells.” This type of marketing is a…
Why people age
Here’s a pretty good video demonstrating how and why aging is programmed right in your cells. I’m still trying to figure out this whole Hayflick…
Solubility – Basic Chemistry for the Cosmetic Formulator
Not everyone who formulates cosmetics received a degree in chemistry. In fact, most home formulators have very little chemistry training at all. While having a…
How to make a shampoo from scratch
I thought it would be interesting to deconstruct a shampoo formula. To do that, we need to begin with the formula. Here’s a nice, simple…
Beauty From Within Put to the Test
On my other blog The Beauty Brains we spend a lot of time answering questions about what beauty products work and which ones aren’t backed up…
How your sense of smell works
This is a pretty interesting bit of biology. It also explains why fragrance is such an important part of the cosmetic product experience.
3D printing for skin products
We are in the early phases of the development of 3D printing technology but I believe it has the potential to revolutionize the cosmetics industry.…
Skin biology - how it grows
This is a pretty good, short video explaining how skin grows and protects you from the environment (including cosmetic ingredients). Happy Halloween!
Why an oil phase heats faster than a water phase
I was sent an email asking me about what the best set-up was for heating batches. It seemed that this formulator was having a hard…
Cosmetic Preservation - Some Definitions
This is a post by Nitesh Rajput In my previous article I talked about natural cosmetic preservatives. To expand on that topic, here are some…
Forensic science and cosmetics
This story about University of Kent scientists who have discovered a way to identify the brand of lipstick at a crime scene reminded me of…
Good discussion of the science of soap
I’m a big fan of the website Reddit. But I just learned they have a section called “Ask a Scientist” where scientists in specific fields…
Natural Preservatives in Cosmetics - A Trend
This is a post by Nitesh Rajput Cosmetic products become easily contaminated by bacteria and fungi. Containing water, oils, peptides, and carbohydrates, cosmetics are a…
Surfactant Science - Traube’s Rule
While it doesn’t come up too often when creating cosmetic formulations, it is useful for cosmetic chemists to know the concept of Traube’s Rule. At…
Interesting facts about the human biology
The skin info at the beginning is fascinating. [youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mgp2d4a-uQ’]
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…
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…
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…