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Welcome to the forum
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Perry:
I’ll add my thanks for starting and maintaining this forum. My name is Ken. I describe myself as a chemist by training, a salesman by necessity, and a consultant by opportunity. I have been involved with industrial minerals and their applications for 25 years. Most of what I develop applications for and sell involves hollow glass microspheres made from a particular volcanic glass, perlite. (For those who don’t know from gardening experience, perlite is chemically similar to pumice, except that the chemically bound water in perlite results in particles popping like popcorn when heated suddenly)
In recent years, I have heard about more and more products formulated with some grade of expanded perlite, probably a finely ground material, and mainly available outside the United States. A few weeks ago, I read about the use of polyethylene microbeads as a exfoliant in skin care applications. These particles are contaminating watersheds and waterways. Various large users have pledged to replace those microbeads. Since my products are spherical, they should provide at least the same initial feel as the plastic, and would appreciate any feedback on the applicability of the microspheres.
Thank you for your help.
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That sounds like a great idea @KenWiener! Welcome to the forum.
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I agree with Perry, @KenWiener.
Could you please start a new discussion with more information on your perlite microspheres and contact information for you and/or your company?Microspheres made from glass, silica and various plastics have been used in the cosmetic industry for the past 10-20 years. I look forward to seeing what you have to offer.Bob Zonis -
Hello, I’m Mayur from NJ and am an importer of unusual natural ingredients from different parts of the world.
I would like to learn more about formulating as I would like to take Western formulations and mix them with these unusual natural ingredients along with some Ayurveda formulas. The goad would be to create products that can have a functional use from different angles.This is a terrific forum and am glad to have found it.Perry, I cannot believe that you manage so many diverse areas in the beauty industry - great job! I would love to know your organizational methods.Mayur -
Mayur,
Do you sell ingredients? -
Hello,
I am Loretta. I am in the United States. I have my PhD degree in pharmacology with a concentration in neuroscience…I’m definitely more of a biologist than a chemist! I work with graduate students (pre-med) that volunteer by bringing science lessons to a local middle school to encourage learning and to inspire a path toward science careers. I am always looking for inexpensive, FUN, SAFE, ideas and activities for these young scientists. I would like to learn more about non toxic formulas for creating nail polish/paint…so that both boys and girls will enjoy the lab…but also the best way to engage them about the “real” chemistry so that their curiosisty builds! Thanks for any assistance you may be able to offer.
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Hello Bob,
I do sell ingredients but usually natural ingredients and have a direct relationship with a mine for MICA from Spain - thanks.Mayur -
Hello,
I am Rachel and I currently live in Georgia. I recently graduated from Valdosta State University with a Bachelors in Chemistry. I aspire to be a cosmetic chemist and have been actively job searching since I graduated. I love that I found this website, I have learned so much about the cosmetic industry already. I hope that this site can be an additional aid in helping me land a job in this industry.Rachel -
Rachel,
Where in Georgia do you live, and are you open to relocating? There may be job openings that we can connect you with. -
@bobzchemist I live in Grantville, a very small town near Metro Atlanta. I am very open to relocating within Georgia as well as out of state I have no preference in location.
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If you ever make your way up to Kennesaw, I’d be happy to sit and talk with you about possible job hunt strategies.
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Hi. I’m Merryl & have an interest in cosmetic formulating for DIY cosmetics. I am also researching in the hopes of starting an online business along those lines. I’m very glad I found this website & all of your knowledge Perry (& others) is very much appreciated.
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Hi all-
I’m Leslie, and my background is in the Liberal Arts (Classics) with a 25-year career in fundraising for museums and other nonprofits. This is a fantastic forum-thanks for dedicating yourself to this, Perry, et. al. You are true Crowd-Sourcers!An intrepid DIY enthusiast (woodworking, remodeling), I started to indulge my lifelong curiosity in cp soap making about three years ago (hated it). For the last two years, I have been messing with lotion formulas for my own use, and I am absolutely obsessed with making my own skin care products!
Another hobby I have is riding my motorcycle, especially on long summer trips. And with this in mind, I am working to develop a single, tenacious product that I can use on both hands and face to 1) reduce TEWL 2) draw and hold moisture 3) reduce the effect of other “aging” contributors-i.e. UV damage. All this in a formula that won’t rot, separate, or make me break out—and I have found a formula that I really like, and have been using for several months now (even though the riding season is still months away).
Now I can’t stop thinking…..what if I explore this little niche market of women bikers? I have several questions about my emulsion choice/stability, ph, “to SPF or not”, etc. I gotta run right now, so just wanted to introduce myself and say hello. I’m looking forward to participating in this forum (although I fear the benefit-exchange may be one-sided!
Until later,
Leslie -
Leslie,
I can’t speak for anyone else, however, I suspect my motives are fairly common here.I started my cosmetic career at Estee Lauder, which had a fairly large R&D department and our own cafeteria. You’d think we would have wanted to get away from talking about work during lunch, but we actually spent about 90% of our lunch time talking about cosmetic formulations and trying to solve each others formulation problems. (OK, and also picking apart other companies products, and laughing at raw material suppliers exaggerated claims, but still…)I miss that. A lot.I’ve never worked anywhere else since that had that same sort of open, free and easy exchange of ideas between chemists. and I really think that atmosphere had a lot to do with how successful Lauder was at launching new products then.Participating in this forum is the closest thing I can come to having that sense of camaraderie again, particularly since I’m the only cosmetic chemist working at Beaumont Products - the other chemists here just don’t have an appreciation for my kind of chemistry.So, this is my long-winded way of saying welcome to the forum, and that we don’t mind at all if most of the benefit/knowledge exchange is one-sided for a while - we like talking about this stuff.Bob -
Thank you for the warm welcome, Bob. I know what you mean about workplace comaraderie-I have been doing contract work for the last couple of years and have needed to take additional measures to stay connected to members in my field of work.
This forum seems to provide a helpful, positive environment for all of you. (I don’t have much to gauge it by, however-this is my first-ever online forum! Eeek. Hope I don’t violate the etiquette. Please let me know if I overstep any boundaries-I’m about to post my first question…
Leslie -
Hello everyone!
Im Nicole. Im a professional wedding and portrait photographer and have been in the photography business since 2008. Before digital I loved film photography especially the darkroom days… Besides photography I am a pretty creative individual and love creating things. Ive always had a love of science and art.What has brought me on this journey to cosmetics is allergies. I am really sensitive to a lot of things (its hereditary) and this has led me on a journey to want to make my own products that are without certain chemicals that my(and family) skin reacts negatively to. In the process, I have fallen in love with the creative aspect of making my own products. Family and friends also love them.. but I have a deeper love of the science behind making cosmetics and am on a quest to learn as much as I can. Right now this is a hobby but might consider going the indi route in the future
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Btw thats my husbands picture. Thanks to google somehow it merged his profile picture to my email account. I dont know how to undo this annoying thing google did. I could start a new email but I just dont have the time.
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@nicolemarie - Welcome to the forum.
You could actually change your picture by clicking on your user name and editing your profile. There is a button that allows you to upload a different picture.RegardsPerry, 44 -
Hello everyone, my name is Julie Hamilton and I live in the UK. Like Nicole I am also a professional photographer but my field is in fine art.I have over twenty five years experience with essential oils and their uses, and am in the R&D stage of setting up my own skincare product business. This has become a natural path to choose from what has become an absolute obsession. Family and friends love the products I make although I do realise I have a lot more to learn…especially if I am to sell to the public. For this reason I have enrolled on the course starting on April 15th. Can’t wait to get started! Along side of cosmetology I am learning about perfumery, because I think products have to smell good as well as be functional.Other interests include horticulture,I love growing things in the garden…but don’t want to grow things in my cosmetic formulations!
Looking forward to being a part of this great forum with so many interesting people. -
Hello @tiare - So good to have you in the program and on this forum.
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Hello everyone, my name is Jan. I am a pastor in Florida, USA. However, my wife and I are formulating an all natural men’s shaving and grooming product line. We owned a candle manufacturing company in the 90’s and have experience in formulating for the candle industry. This is a new endeavor looks to be a pleasant challenge for us. I am excited and passionate about all natural skin care. Looking forward to learning more and creating great products!
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Hi i am Ingrid from Indonesia. Currently i am also taking Perry’s Practical Cosmetic Formulating course. I have my BSc in Chemistry from the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. I am a housewife now and sometimes i make melt and pour soap for sale. I never worked in cosmetic line before and i spent 3 years working in R&D company in Singapore. I have always wanted to start my own line of cosmetic in Indonesia and since i have very little exposure to cosmetic formulation, i decided to join Perry’s class to learn more.
Looking forward to modules and hope i can learn more in this forum.Ingrid
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Hi!I’m Elena and live in US. But I am Russian, and my English is not very good, so I apologize for grammatical mistakes.I love making everything from scratch from food and clothing to soap and cream. Cosmetic products I’m doing for a long time, but I have no special chemical or cosmetic education. It is why I always feel the lack of knowledge to be fully confident I doing everything right. So I came to your Practical Cosmetic Formulating course and am excited about it
Thank you for the opportunity. Here you can see a gallery of some of my cosmetics and soap from scratch:More than anything at this point I’m having difficulty in the the surfactants understanding, licensing my activity, FDA’s requirements. And how to reach wholesale ingredients suppliers (Seppic for example) . They did not respond to requests and do not want to sell small wholesale party ingredients.And of course I have a lot of technical and scientific questions -
@Misteriya & @Iinkwan - Welcome to the program!
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Hello everyone !! Nice to read all your life stories. All of you have very interesting profiles and i am looking forward to share some time and learn new things with you! This is enormously motivating !
I am a chemical engineer graduated in Venezuela. I did my thesis about the stability of multiple emulsions and that is where my love and interest for cosmetics started (even though this emulsions where not use directly for cosmetics but for water treatments). After that i worked for 4 years in R&D in Spain studying the properties of natural and synthetic Ceramides (not related to cosmetics again ! - somehow i am still trying to find my way).And finally now i am going to start working for a very nice italian company of raw materials in the cosmetics division. I am looking forward to learn a lot about all the ingredients used in the industry, mainly because i might end up working in the technical marketing or in the export department (don’t know yet). All the information is well received !I decided to joined the Practical Cosmetic Formulating course because it seems a very complete course where i will learn a lot about the industry. I am really excited to start, i am so happy that i found Chemistcorner, it seems to be a pearl of knowledge. Thank you Perry and all the experts in the field !
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