DIY Skin Care Recipes
It's been quite awhile since I've posted on the blog. I really wish that weren't true because I have so much to share. I literally have about 20 blog titles written down in my little journal, I just haven't had the time to post. I've been super busy in the lab making...
Beauty Product Challenge
I wanted to start the year off with a challenge for my readers-- consumers and fellow formulators alike. While natural products are all the rage these days, it can be difficult to find "all natural" products that can compete on all levels with their synthetic...
Not Tested On Animals
I've seen the claim "Not Tested On Animals" more times than I can count. I recently saw it while browsing Etsy, so I thought now was a perfect time to address it. I'll start by saying: I don't know of any cosmetic end product that has been tested on animals. IF any...
Moving On Up!
I promised myself back in August that I would take the time to recognize my accomplishments and give myself a pat on the back before I return to business as usual. So in keeping with my promise, I have to acknowledge the fact that I've reached one of my major goals...
pH and Hair Care
I started a new project in the lab last week that inspired this blog post. While developing new products, a lot of "tests" are done to make sure all is as it should be. One test that is a constant for all (most) products is pH. pH indicates the level of acidity (or...
EVERYBODY Wants One…
I get inquiries for all kinds of product development ideas. Usually, the products I'm asked to develop have differentiable features, but one thing I hear probably 85% of the time is *drumroll* "I want to patent my product."Is that even possible? Yes, it is possible to...
Eczema Relief
As you may already know, my son has severe eczema. I used a hydrocortisone compound nearly everyday for a year to keep his skin clear. After getting conflicting opinions about whether or not there would be adverse side effects, I chose to discontinue use. Instead, I...
The Lipstick Theory
I've been away from the blog for far too long, but with good reason. Things are picking up in the lab and I've been working on a little personal and career development. I recently joined Toastmasters International which is a world reknown public speaking and...
Sunscreen Actives
Now that we've discussed what SPF is and how it's determined, we can get into a few of the ingredients that actually deliver the sun protection. Octyl Methoxycinnamate (octinoxate) is the most common chemical sun blocking agent. It absorbs UVB rays and also has...
Cracking the Code of SPF
Late last week, someone tweeted that they were about to put on their SPF 100 lotion. My immediate reaction was "Wow! Marketing at its finest!" We all know by now that sunscreen is of the utmost importance in protecting our skin from harmful sun rays. Sun damage rears...
Color, Color, Color! Part I
"Nothing says Spring and Summer like color, color, color!"-- MeWhen spring arrives, there's color everywhere-- green grass, pink and lavender flowers, blue skies. It's nothing short of inspiring, so out comes the colorful nail lacquer, lipstick, gloss and eyeshadow....
Water: The Ultimate Moisturizer
A few weeks ago, I saw a tweet that baffled me a bit. Someone (I don't remember who) was completely annoyed that the top ingredient in some product was water. My first thought was "Whoa, what's wrong with water?!" More recently, I read about a product line whose claim...
The How and Why of Formaldehyde
I had the pleasure of attending America's Beauty Show and FACE and BODY in Chicago a couple weekends ago. I had a blast! While I was there, I engaged in an interesting conversation with someone regarding formaldehyde. The conversation was spun from the fact there are...
Talk to Me!
I realized today that I don't know much about my readers, and my readers may not know much about me. Even on Twitter it surprises me how many people have no idea what I do. I clearly need to toot my own horn a bit more. Nevertheless, this post is dedicated to giving...
The “Formula” in my Hair
I'm going to tell you ladies a secret... are you ready? Here it goes: One night while I was asleep, my son decided to rest his bottle in my hair. I woke up with a mane full of formula! I know what you're thinking... "That is so gross!" "I hope you washed your hair...