A big part of esthetics is education! As an esthetician, I'm committed to helping you learn to navigate the world of skincare. Don't shy away from checking out the what and why of cosmetic chemistry - there are lots of resources out there.
Ingredients:
Alcohols: Widely used as solvents, carriers and astringents. When used as active ingredients, they are considered antiseptic, antiviral and bactericidal. Compounds listed with an “ol” ending are generally alcohol derivatives, i.e. ethanol, isopropanol, geraniol, linalool.
Amino Acids: The basic building blocks of life. These compounds which contain an Amine group and a Carboxylic acid group are strung together to make proteins and everything else in the body. There are 20 of these that occur naturally and are the basis for all life on Earth.
Colorants: Used to add color to a product or an applied surface. The federal government strictly regulates the pigments and dyes used in the cosmetic industry.
Enzyme: A special type of protein that causes some types of biochemical reaction to happen more quickly.
Fatty Acid: Long-chain hydrocarbon with a carboxylated end & basic precursor too many cosmetic raw materials.
FD&C: Abbreviation for Food, Drug and Cosmetic. The FDA uses this to classify a category of certified dyes used in personal care products.
Lipid: A class of long-chain hydrocarbons that is insoluble in water, this includes fats, waxes & oils.
Pearlizing agent: Gives a product an opaque, shiny or glossy “pearl” appearance.
Peptides: Any sequence of amino acids made up of less than 50 amino acids strung together.
Polymer: Long-chain macromolecules used in a variety of personal care applications.
Protein: Ingredient based on amino acids that are commonly used in cosmetics for conditioning effects.They are long chain polymers made up of amino acid building blocks. They can take on numerous forms.
Stem Cells: These are basic cells that have not differentiated and can be coaxed into becoming any type of cell in the body. The stem cells in the dermis are the source of all new skin cells that are produced.
Technical Terms:
1. Chemical feedstock: Raw materials used by suppliers to make chemicals. For examples, coconut oil is the feedstock for many surfactants.
2. Flashpoint: A measurement of the temperature at which a material ignites when exposed to a flame under controlled conditions. This data is important in establishing requirements for shipping and storage of flammable materials.
3. HLB: Acronym for Hydrophilic/Lipophilic Balance, this is a system that helps select appropriate surfactants for creating stable emulsions.
4. INCI: International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients, a system of names for waxes, oils, pigments, chemicals, and other ingredients of soaps, cosmetics, and the like, based on scientific names and other Latin and English words.
5. Lot number: An alphanumeric code that uniquely identifies when and where a specific batch (lot) of material was produced. Lot numbers are assigned to batches of chemical raw materials as well as finished products.
5. Micelle: A (usually) spherical conglomeration of surface active molecules formed in solution. Micelle formation is the basis for most emulsification.
6. Raw material: Chemicals used to make personal care products.
7. Solubilizer: A type of surfactant used to disperse an insoluble chemical.
8. SDS: Safety Data Sheet. This literature is designed to alert workers to potentially hazardous characteristics of a compound.
9. Suspending agent: Raw material used to immobilize bubbles or large particles in a cosmetic formulation to create a uniformly distributed look.
10. VOC: Acronym for volatile organic compound.
11. Viscosity: A measure of a liquid’s thickness and flow. Water is typically the benchmark for the lowest viscosity possible.
Cosmetic Industry Trade Groups:
Society of Cosmetic Chemists - This group is dedicated to the advancement of cosmetic science; the Society has 18 Chapters throughout the United States and Canada that organize educational seminars, publish newsletters, and hold supplier’s day events (a venue for many raw material suppliers to showcase their ingredients).
Cosmetic Executive Women (CEW) - A social organization that has grown to include education, career development, and philanthropic endeavors. The group is based in New York City and membership ranges from entry level positions to senior executives. Networking opportunities, interviews with industry newsmakers, access to online mentoring and podcasts are all part of the package.
American Oil Chemist’s Society - AOCS offers a broad range of technical services, publications, courses, and eLearning modules.
Personal Care Product’s Council - PCPC acts as the voice of the industry by providing information regarding ingredient safety, safety assessment and promotion of regulatory standards. This group is also responsible for assigning new ingredient names in the International Nomenclature for Cosmetic Ingredients (INCI). They provide an ingredient database online plus supplier information.
American Chemical Society - The ACS is the oldest chemical society in the United States and covers all areas of chemistry including the cosmetic industry.
Referenceshttp://chemistscorner.com/biochemistry-terms-that-cosmetic-chemists-should-know/Beginning Cosmetic Chemistry 3rd Edition, Perry Romanowski & Randy Schueller