[Dr_Sara]

Thank you!

[Dr_Sara]

Thank you @Pharma!

Very interesting about the logP. (Apparently Professor P -my husband knew about logP and did not share!) That makes complete sense- I had a bit of a brain freeze. 

Almond indicates benzylalcohol and slight vanilla could be vanillyl alcohol, benzoic acid… As a wild guess, it could be purified and maybe hydrolysed balsam of Peru or Tolu balsam. Good antimicrobial activities and approved as fragrance.

We finally managed to get an EU allergen declaration and you are correct… benzyl alcohol! 

Just curious, where did you get your pharmacy degree? I studied for one year at the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science.

[Dr_Sara]

Thank you.

You are correct. If I give the children a stack of atoms, they make branched molecules. Rings are more of a problem.

The tricky part is when they ask “Dr Sara, what is the name of this molecule and what does it do?”

Stearic acid is a molecule that all kids can relate to- the smell of crayons!

[Dr_Sara]

Thanks. I use Legos to teach children how to make molecules. We mostly use C H O and the studs correspond to the number of bonds. 

You would be surprised how young children can pick this up. I can give them a formula and they can make the molecule.

My daughter, Meggy aged 7,  is pictured with her molecule of stearic acid.

Only rule is the Legos can only be 2 deep. It doesn’t work for nonlinear molecules.

[Dr_Sara]

Hi Perry. So close. Stearic acid. 
CH3 (CH2)16 COOH
in Lego of course.

[Dr_Sara]

back to basics… maybe lanolin

[Dr_Sara]

Hi
Is this the complete formula? Are you adding any water? 

I think the oils and the polysorbate are separating because they are not miscible. 

Which polysorbate are you using? PS80? If there isn’t an aqueous fraction, why add the polysorbate? 

I am not sure this has helped at all. More information would be useful.

[Dr_Sara]

Naticide is an oil and I cannot comprehend how it can be an efficacious anti-microbial.

With the exception of extremophiles, mini-beasts like to inhabit the aqueous phase. Your olive oil does not grow mould, but make a tasty emulsion with olive oil and water and you have a booming population- not so yummy.

I also take exception to a manufacturer assigning the INCI name Parfum to an ingredient that is clearly intended to be used as a preservative.

This brings me back to the rules and conventions of INCI name assignments. I could not find the convention that describes what molecules can be called Parfum. 

A few days ago, I send an email to the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association (CTPA). They very kindly wrote back to me and are looking into the matter and will respond with more information. 

[Dr_Sara]

I think I am a bit late to the discussion, but I have some insight.

List of ingredients

• Bentone gel

 

• Kaolin

 

• Honey

 

• Talc

 

• Ground Organic Aduki Beans

 

• Glycerine

 

• Evening Primrose Seeds

 

• Peppermint Oil

 

• Tagetes Oil

 

• Vanilla Absolute

 

• *Limonene

 

• Perfume

 

• Chlorophyllin

 

• Methylparaben

 It appears the formulation is non-aqueous, with the exception of the honey (H2O approximately 17%). The Bentone Gel® is clay in oil.

The above is an “ingredient list” not a properly formatted label of ingredients. This list is not in INCI terminology (common names are being used, ie honey should be Mel) and is likely not in the order of decreasing concentration.

Honey is antibacterial and depending on the actual percentage of honey, the honey will inhibit the growth of microorganisms.  From memory, I think the percentage needed is 40% honey.

[Dr_Sara]

Hello! My name is Dr Sara Robb.

The children in my science club call me Dr Sara so that is what I chose as my username.

 
I have a PhD in Neuroscience from Hershey Medical School. My thesis was Mechanisms of Oxidative Stress in Neurodegenerative Diseases. Pretty radical, I know.
 
I moved to the UK to do my post-doc over 20 years ago. My meandering path eventually lead me to my new career- teaching beekeepers how to make cosmetics and helping them meet all the EU legal requirements.

Beekeepers sell their honey at markets and are interested in value-added products that can be sold alongside their honey. Cosmetics are ideal because beeswax, honey, and propolis are on-trend, functional ingredients. I write recipes for soaps, creams, and other products that include bee ingredients.

My main activities are running workshops for beekeepers at The National Honey Show and British Beekeeping Association Spring Convention, writing books and articles, and as a cosmetic safety assessor for Verdigris Cosmetic Solutions.

I am really pleased to join Cosmetic Science Talk!
Dr Sara

[Dr_Sara]

Dear Chemicalmatt,
Thank you so much. Did I cite the correct INCI nomenclature conventions? Numbers 31 and 55? I like to have a source. 

In the UK/EU we list the ingredients that are in the finished product. You should not see a soap label that lists sodium hydroxide and omits glycerin. It is a dead giveaway that the manufacturer is unaware of the legislation and probably does not have a CPSR
Kind regards,
Sara

[Dr_Sara]

Hi Thota,
I am an EU cosmetic safety assessor for Verdigris Cosmetic Solutions. I write CPSRs for products sold in the EU. In the EU you also need a Product Information File (PIF). Preservative Efficacy Test (depending on the product)

There are some changes in the UK. After Brexit, you will need a UK based “Responsible Person”. 

Have a look at https://www.verdigriscosmeticsolutions.com/ where you will find an outline of what you need to meet legal requirements. 

You also need to be aware of differences in labelling by country/legal area. The labelling in the EU differs from that in the US.

Kind regards,
Dr Sara in London