Chemicals in Cosmetics

Chemicals find great use in cosmetics. Creams like cleansing creams, cold creams, bleaching and vanishing creams are prepared synthetically from chemicals. Perfumes, talcum powders and deodorants are also some other cosmetic substances that are obtained from chemicals. Lipsticks, nail polish and hair dyes also are chemical substances.

Chemicals are widely used for cosmetic purposes, so much so that, just like pharmaceuticals, they are called cosmaceuticals.

Creams

Some of the common ingredients present in all facial creams except vanishing creams are:

• oils like olive oil, almond oil and mineral oil

• fats and waxes such as bees wax, spermaceti and paraffin.

• emulsifier

• water

• perfume

Types of Creams and Lotions

Cleansing Creams - Composition

Cleansing creams are emulsions of detergents in water. An emulsifying agent is added to stabilize the emulsion. Some examples of such emulsifying agents are glycerol monostearate, fatty alcohols, stearic acid and bees wax.

Cleansing creams are emulsions that contain bees wax, borax, mineral oil and water.

Application

A cleansing cream or lotion is used for the removal of facial make - up, surface grime and excess oil. The mineral oil in the cream acts on the grease and excess oil that bind grime or make up on the skin and removes them.

Cold creams

Cold cream is an emulsion where the oil component is predominant. Oils may be almond oil, lanolin oil, paraffin oil and bees wax. Cold creams also contain water, a little perfume oil and borax. This borax enables emulsification.

Application - Cold creams

• lubricate the skin

• prevent roughness and chapping

Vanishing creams - Composition

• stearic acid

• water

• alkali (pure caustic potash and a bit of caustic soda)

• glycerine

• preservatives

• auxiliary emulsifying agents (glyceryl monostearate)

The soap formed emulsifies the fatty acid in water. Glycerine reduces the dryness.

Characteristics

A good vanishing cream must:

• Have proper consistency, neither too soft nor too stiff

• Provide a good foundation for powder and other make-up

• Be stable under different climatic conditions

• Be safe on the skin without causing any allergy

Application

Vanishing cream gives a thin film on the skin, which is not greasy or conspicuous. This can be used as a powder base or as a face cream for oily skins. It increases dryness and might cause roughness on dry skins.

Bleach creams - Composition

• Titanium oxide

• Zinc oxide

• Hydrogen peroxide

• Sodium hypochlorite

• Ammoniated mercury

• Hydroquinone

Application

Bleaching creams lighten or bleach dark skin. Skin color is determined by melanin formation. Bleaching creams act on melanin and reduce the normal pigmentation of the skin.