by theglamscientist | | Uncategorized |
Shiseido Company, Limited is a 137 year old timeless treasure founded in Tokyo by Yushin Fukuhara (a former pharmacist). The original objective of this family owned company was to be Japan’s first western-style pharmacy. The company began to dabble in cosmetics during the transition of the japanese feminine appearance; while some women still wore the ancient makeup (white faces and stylized eyebrows) many were making the transition to the look of western women (the way we wear makeup as Americans).
Shiseido expanded the scope of its business by offering franchise opportunities outside of the normal reach of the company. Its early success was due largely to customer loyalty which was encouraged by high quality products and personalized service. Similar to the way the Tokyo store was tailored to a specific market, the franchises were also. The franchise stores also began to offer mail-order services. The company had such a solid foundation that it was not rocked by World Wars or Depression.
Overtime, of course, the company image became dated. The loyal customers grew old and the new youthful generation of consumers were not wowed by the Shiseido brand. The response was to diversify the brand and its stores. While some stores carried cosmetics, other stores carried youth fashions, home goods, or fitness aids. The company also introduced a line tailored to the needs of its older customers. Diversification has proven to be the key to this company’s staying power because it can target several markets simultaneously.
This multi-faceted company has been global for decades and continues to hold a top spot among international cosmetic companies. I’m sure this company will survive for centuries to come.
by theglamscientist | | emollient, hair care, humectant, moisturizer, pantene, panthenol, pantothenic acid, skin care, vitamin B5 |
I’ve often seen panthenol in the ingredients of shampoos, conditioners and moisturizing facial products. Panthenol can be classified as a humectant, emollient and moisturizer. A humectant draws water to a surface (for our purposes hair and skin) thus increasing hydration. An emollient makes skin soft and supple and generally results in a soothing sensation.
Panthenol easily binds to the hair follicle and seals the surface which increases shine (Remember the post about shine and scatter?). This is the ingredient that Pantene capitalizes on… I’ve seen it in every one of their products that I’ve tried (thats almost all of them! I love Pantene). In hair treatments it is used in a concentration of 0.1-1%. The skin can absorb panthenol rather easily and effectively. It can be used to treat sunburn, minor burns and certain skin conditions. I found it in my moisturizing toner (I swear by toner!).
I guess after all that I should tell you guys exactly what it is. Panthenol is the alcohol analog of pantothenic acid (also known as vitamin B5!). In lay-man’s terms, a piece of the B5 chemistry has been replaced with an alcohol. So they’re kind of like cousins. Panthenol has passed the CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) for safety in concentrations up to 25%. I haven’t read any negative press about this ingredient, but if I find any, rest assured I’ll report it.
by theglamscientist | | egg, guanidine carbonate, hair care, hair relaxer, non-chemical relaxer, phytorelaxer, soya |
Ok… my idea for today has gone horribly wrong! Well, I take that back. Just the result of my research is not what I expected. I heard [read] about a method of relaxing [or texturizing] hair that is chemical free. Of course that peaked my interest. So my first thought was “How does that work?!”
What I found is that it is chemical free [not according to my standards]… but I think it is more appropriately classified as no-lye. The company [Phyto] claims the active ingredients in their Phytorelaxer are derived from egg and soya. How so? Those ingredients are waaaaay at the bottom of the list! I guess that doesn’t really matter… I did however find guanidine carbonate in the ingredients list. Guanidine carbonate is derived from mushroom salts. It is listed in other no-lye relaxer treatments, but I have never seen it stand alone. It is usually accompanied by some sort of hydroxide (calcium hydroxide for example). Knowing this, I am skeptical about how this relaxer can be effective without the aid of some other base…
In defense of the product [this was not meant to be a product review… see horribly wrong!] it has received rave reviews by those who use it. It has a reputation of being much gentler and more nourishing than the more widely known relaxers. This may be due to all the extra steps included in the kit, but who really cares… it works right?!
by theglamscientist | | Uncategorized |
“Beauty is how you feel inside, and it reflects in your eyes. It is not something physical”
–Sophia Loren
I agree with Sophia…. except I must admit oftentimes looking good on the outside helps me feel better inside. That pretty much explains why I am so passionate about personal care products. I know I’ve talked alot about perfecting that inner beauty. I think it is a task that is never quite complete. You can always do more to make yourself a better person; that is beautiful in itself. A big part of being successful in life is having goals… why not start from within?
Decide today on 3 to 5 things that you think would contribute to the growth of your personality, intellect and self esteem. I read in If It Is To Be, It’s Up To Me by Thomas B. Smith that it takes 21 days to break bad habits and establish new ones. [My parents taught this principle to me first but I wanted to give you a solid reference.] So let today be the start of your 21 days. Concentrate on the things you decided you want to work on and do your very best. Don’t slip up!!! If you get off track you have to start the 21 days all over. Think of it like a game and give yourself a positive incentive… when you succeed [notice I said WHEN, positive thinking goes a long way] reward yourself with a new pair of shoes or a trip to Coldstone Creamery (yummmm!)… anything to say to yourself “Well done honey!”
I’m 100% sure you will find this to be a productive excercise. I’d love to hear the success stories! Mark your calendars and begin your 21 day journey.
by theglamscientist | | breast cancer awareness, Cosmetic Ingredients Review, FDA, parabens, preservatives |
I think I can keep this short and sweet. In recent years there has been a big fuss made about parabens in cosmetic applications. So what’s it all about? Parabens are preservatives used to protect your personal care products from the growth of harmful microorganisms. Most personal care products have water as one of the main ingredients. Any product that contains water can grow some really nasty stuff so preservatives are a must. Sidebar– while I’m an advocate and producer of natural personal care products, I firmly believe in the use of some sort of preservative system. I do not think it is safe to sell natural products without preservatives because the average consumer does not consider expiration dates.– The most commonly used parabens are: methylparaben, propylparaben and butylparaben. They are usually used together to minimize the amount of preservatives necessary to achieve the same end result.
Parabens have been confirmed to be safe by both the FDA and the Cosmetic Ingredients Review expert panel in the concentrations used (0.01-0.3%). The problem is parabens have been found in the breast tissue of breast cancer patients. So the premise is; because parabens are in breast cancer tissue, parabens must cause breast cancer…. not necessarily true. In the studies conducted, normal breast tissue was not tested for the presence of parabens. So who knows, they may exist naturally! Parabens also exhibit estrogen like behavior. Estrogen activity has been linked to the occurance of breast cancer. However, parabens have much lower estrogen levels than what is naturally found in the human body.
Armed with this info, its now up to you to decide if you believe the hype. As a scientist, research carries a whole lot of weight to me. Personally, I am not alarmed by the ‘possibility’ of parabens causing breast cancer… but just in case, you won’t find those preservatives in my line of products.
