Why natural cosmetics aren’t better
It’s easy to find people claiming on the Internet that natural cosmetics or natural skin care is better than synthetics. These claims are inherently believable…
Why don’t consumers trust the cosmetic industry?
An industry friend of mine posed this question to me in regards to the proliferation of so much junk science when it comes to the…
Why the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics is bad for formulators
This article about the upcoming ban of Johnson & Johnson baby shampoo has me concerned. We cosmetic chemists are being attacked and told by people…
Are gold nanoparticles causing wrinkles?
Scare stories about the dangers of cosmetics always grab headlines. Whether they are put out by fearmongering groups, politicians or even researchers, these stories are…
Why are cosmetics recalled?
In the 17+ years that I spent formulating products, our company never went through a recall. We did have a microbial contamination issue with a…
What is wrong with a cosmetic company caving to fearmongers?
Recently, Johnson and Johnson have announced plans to remove a variety of chemicals from their cosmetic products. This is strictly a PR move and also…
Lead in Lipstick – Are Cosmetic Chemists Trying to Kill Consumers?
Recently, lead in lipstick has been in the news. The FDA came out with a report in which they reviewed 400 samples of lipstick and…
Parabens – A tale of two headlines
There was a recent study on parabens that made the news. It was research published in the Journal of Applied Toxicology conducted by Dr. Philippa…
3 reasons the EWG is dubious resource
**NOTE: This post was written in 2012 and at the time was accurate. The EWG has changed some aspects of their Skin Deep Database which…