Does eating sugar cause wrinkles?
As an information hungry scientist and cosmetic science blogger, I see lots of stories about health and beauty. There is a lot of nonsense out…
Category: Science
Cosmetic Science Forum Roundup
There are some pretty good discussions going on at the Cosmetic Science forum. If you haven’t been participating, you should really take a look. Here…
Bacteria May Produce an Allergy Free Sunscreen
One of the problems facing sunscreen formulators is that many of the chemical UV filters can cause contact allergies in a large group of consumers.…
Can you really make an internal cosmetic?
There is this trend in the cosmetic industry called “beauty-within”. (There’s even a conference about it.)The idea is that people can consume some product and…
Is it Cosmetic Science or Cosmetic Non-Science?
The Journal of Cosmetic Science published by the Society of Cosmetic Chemists is the premiere scientific journal and a great resource for finding out the…
Do hair strenghtening products really make hair stronger?
Looks like my old company has gotten themselves in a little trouble with a recent ad about their Tresemme Naturals product line. I fondly remember…
Hair Product Testing for Small Cosmetic Companies
I saw this interesting approach to hair testing that TRI (Textile Research Institute) is doing this June 2011. They are offering the opportunity for any…
Future of Cosmetic Formulation
I was recently asked by one of the students in the cosmetic science training program about the future of cosmetic formulating. She said… Are we…
The “Science” of Cosmetic Product Testing
There was an interesting article about ‘clinical testing’ of cosmetic products. Essentially, the authors suggest that the science used to support the claims made by…
Cosmetic Ingredient Nomenclature - An Introduction
I put together this video about cosmetic ingredient nomenclature that you might enjoy. It’s about 15 minutes long and gives you a basic introduction to…
4th International Applied Hair Science Conference Announced
If you are a cosmetic chemist who works on hair care products, this conference would be a good one to attend. TRI Princeton is doing…
How Cosmetic Chemists Can Help Forensic Science
Last fall I did a talk for the Joint Forensic Association meeting in Orlando. It was a lot of fun talking to forensic scientists about…
Who Knows the Most Important Causes of Aging Skin?
One of my favorite parts of the C&T website is their “Biology Research” section. Here you’ll find science based articles that illuminate the latest understandings…
Top Cosmetic Science Stories of the Decade
This article on Gizmodo about the 10 Science stories that changed our decade made me think about the advances in cosmetic science that have changed…
Emulsions Made By Bouncing Oil and Water Droplets
Here’s an interesting bit of research that might change the way cosmetic chemists make cosmetics and personal care products in the future. We know that…
Cosmetic Surfactants - An Introduction for Cosmetic Chemists
I remember learning about surfactants in first year college chemistry. It covered one page of Zumdahl Chemistry, and we spent exactly 5 minutes covering it.…
What Kinds of Surfactants Are Used in Cosmetics?
If you haven’t done so yet, you might want to review part 1 of this surfactant series to learn what surfactants are and when you…
Skepticism and the Cosmetic Industry
Hey all, just a quick note to tell you I’m working on a talk about the cosmetic industry and skepticism. I’ll be giving it tonight…
Weirdest Ingredients Used By Cosmetic Chemists
Just some fun for this sunny Wednesday. In your career as a cosmetic chemist, you just might get the opportunity to work with some of…
How To Stability Test a Cosmetic Formula
Here’s the biggest difference between what you experienced in your college organic chemistry lab versus a cosmetic formulation lab. In an organic lab, you mix…