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CHEMISTRY
OF
COSMETICS
ESSENTIALS
Cosmetics are products designed to cleanse, protect and
change the appearance of external parts of our bodies.
The key ingredients present in most cosmetics include
water, emulsifiers, preservatives, thickeners,
moisturizers, colors and fragrances.
Ingredients can be naturally occurring or artificial, but
any potential impact on our health depends mainly on
the chemical compounds they are made of.
The doses of potentially dangerous chemicals found in
cosmetics are considered too small to pose a risk to
human health.
In most countries, cosmetics and their ingredients are
highly regulated by several government agencies.
COSMETIC CHEMICALS
INTERACTIVE
AFTER SHAVE GEL EYE SHADOW LIPSTICK FOUNDATION DEODORANT MOISTURIZER
19 16 20 27 13 16 40
NAIL POLISH SHAMPOO PERFUME SUNSCREEN BLUSH MASCARA TONER
22 32 50 23 22 31 22
SHAVE
COLOGNE POWDER BODY WASH HAIRSPRAY CLEANSER EYELINER
CREAM
19 22 13 20 21 16 18
What is a cosmetic?
a cosmetic is defined under theIndustrial Chemical
(Notification and Assessment) Act 1989as a substance
or preparation intended for placement in contact with
any external part of the human body' (this includes the
mouth and teeth). We use cosmetics to cleanse,
perfume, protect and change the appearance of our
bodies or to alter its odours. In contrast, products that
claim to modify a bodily process or prevent, diagnose,
cure or alleviate any disease, ailment or defect are
called therapeutics. This distinction means that
shampoos and deodorants are placed in the cosmetics
category, whilst anti-dandruff shampoos and
antiperspirants are considered to be therapeutics.
INGREDIENT LABELLING
Like the food industry, the cosmetics industry is subject to mandatory
labelling requirements by Australian government regulations. Product
ingredients must be listed on the packaging, on the product itself, or shown in
some other way that allows the consumer to be informed. As with food labels,
ingredients are listed in descending order by mass or volume. The purpose of
this mandatory labelling is to allow consumers to identify ingredients they
might be allergic to, and to compare the ingredients in products claiming to
have similar benefits.
Products are classified as therapeutic goods rather than cosmetics when they
claim to treat an ailment or modify a bodily process. Therapeutic goods are
subject to different labelling requirements. Unlike cosmetics, they are required
to show only theiractive ingredientsand any ingredients known to have the
potential to cause adverse affects in some people. Antiperspirants and anti-
dandruff shampoos fall into this category. Cosmetic products are not required
to demonstrate their effects scientifically in the same way that therapeutic
products are. Their claimed effects are usually couched in cautious language
such as may reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. So consumers
should be aware that many of the claims made for cosmetic products have
not been scientifically proven to be true.
What do cosmetics contain?
here are thousands of different cosmetic products on the market, all
with differing combinations of ingredients. In the United States alone
there are approximately 12,500 unique chemical ingredients approved
for use in the manufacture of personal care products.
A typical product will contain anything from 1550 ingredients.
Considering
the average woman uses between 9 and 15 personal care products per
day
, researchers have estimated that, when combined with the addition of
perfumes,
women place around 515 individual chemicals on their skin each day
through cosmetic use.
But what exactly are we putting on our skin? What do those long names
on the ingredient list mean and what do they do? While the formula of
each product differs slightly, most cosmetics contain a combination of
at least some of the following core ingredients: water, emulsifier,
preservative, thickener, emollient, colour, fragrance and pH stabilisers.
Water
If your product comes in a bottle, chances are the first
ingredient on the list is going to be water. Thats right,
good old H2O. Water forms the basis of almost every
type of cosmetic product, including creams, lotions,
makeup, deodorants, shampoos and conditioners.
Water plays an important part in the process, often
acting as a solvent to dissolve other ingredients and
forming emulsions for consistency.
Water used in the formulation of cosmetics is not your
everyday, regular tap water. It must be ultra-pure
that is, free from microbes, toxins and other
pollutants. For this reason your label may refer to it as
distilled water, purified water or just aqua.
Emulsifiers
The term emulsifiers refers to any ingredient that
helps to keep unlike substances (such as oil and
water) from separating. Many cosmetic products are
based onemulsionssmall droplets of oil dispersed
in water or small droplets of water dispersed in oil.
Since oil and water don't mix no matter how much
you shake, blend or stir, emulsifiers are added to
change the surface tension between the water and
the oil, producing a homogeneous and well-mixed
product with an even texture. Examples of
emulsifiers used in cosmetics include polysorbates,
laureth-4, and potassium cetyl sulfate.
Preservatives
Preservatives are important ingredients. They are added to cosmetics
to extend their shelf life and prevent the growth of microorganisms
such as bacteria and fungi, which can spoil the product and possibly
harm the user. Since most microbes live in water, the preservatives
used need to be water-soluble, and this helps to determine which
ones are used. Preservatives used in cosmetics can be natural or
synthetic (man-made), and perform differently depending on the
formulation of the product. Some will require low levels of around
0.01%, while other will require levels as high as 5%.
Some of the more popular preservatives includeparabens,
benzyl alcohol, salicylic acid, formaldehyde andtetrasodiumEDTA
(ethylenediaminetetra-acetic acid).
Consumers who purchase preservative-free products should be
aware of their shorter shelf life and be conscious of any changes to
the look, feel or odour of the product that may indicate it has gone
off.
Thickeners
Thickening agents work to give products an appealing consistency. They can
come from four different chemical families:
Lipid thickenersare usually solid at room temperature but can be liquefied and
added to cosmetic emulsions. They work by imparting their natural thickness
to the formula. Examples include cetyl alcohol, stearic acid and carnauba wax.
Naturally derived thickenerscome, as the name suggests, from nature. They
are polymers that absorb water, causing them to swell up and increase the
viscosity of a product. Examples include hydroxyethyl cellulose, guar gum,
xanthan gum and gelatin. Cosmetics with a consistency that is too thick can be
diluted with solvents such as water or alcohol.
Mineral thickenersare also natural, and as with the naturally derived
thickeners mentioned above, they absorb water and oils to increase viscosity,
but give a different result to the final emulsion than the gums. Popular mineral
thickeners include magnesium aluminium silicate, silica and bentonite.
The final group are thesynthetic thickeners. They are often used in lotion and
cream products. The most common synthetic thickener is carbomer, an acrylic
acid polymer that is water-swellable and can be used to form clear gels. Other
examples include cetyl palmitate, and ammonium acryloyldimethyltaurate.
Emollient