Cosmetic Science
                     Cosmetic 
science
Introduction
• cosmetic science is the area of study focused 
on the development of products designed to 
improve the look and feel of skin, hair, nails 
and other surfaces of the body.
Source: chemistscorner.com 2
What are cosmetics?
• Any product that you put on your body for the 
specific purpose of improving the appearance 
or feel is considered a cosmetic. 
Source: chemistscorner.com 3
Chemistry
• Since all cosmetics are made up of chemicals 
(yes even so-called “natural” cosmetics are 
chemicals), the most important aspect of 
cosmetic science is chemistry. This is the study 
of chemicals and how they interact with each 
other.
Source: chemistscorner.com 4
Functional ingredients
• These are the ones that provide the benefit of 
cosmetics. They include cleansers 
(surfactants), conditioning agents, colorants, 
fragrances, reactive ingredients, film formers, 
and drug actives. Every cosmetic you’ve ever 
used or made has at least one functional 
ingredient.
Source: chemistscorner.com 5
Aesthetic ingredients
• These are those that help make delivery of the 
functional ingredients more acceptable. These 
are ingredients like solvents, cosmetic 
thickeners, preservatives, fragrances, pH 
adjusters, plasticizers, fillers, appearance 
modifiers, anti-oxidants, anti-irritants, and 
delivery systems.
Source: chemistscorner.com 6
Claims ingredients
• These are ingredients added to a formula at a 
low level for the primary purpose of getting to 
put the ingredient name on the label. This 
includes ingredients like natural extracts, 
vitamins, proteins, biotechnology, and fanciful 
made-up ingredient names.
Source: chemistscorner.com 7
Formulating
• While knowing the raw materials is important, 
it is equally important to know how to put the 
ingredients together in a formulation. There are 
a wide variety of formulation types including 
solutions, emulsions, gels, sticks, aerosols, 
powders and more. 
Source: chemistscorner.com 8
Physics
• Depending on the type of products you are 
making, there are a number of topics in the 
field of physics that are important. For color 
cosmetics the principles of light reflection are 
important for determining color mixtures and 
formulations.
Source: chemistscorner.com 9
Biology
• Since cosmetics are put on the biological 
surfaces, it is helpful to know the basics of hair, 
skin and nail biology. Cosmetic chemists learn 
about hair growth, the composition of hair 
fibers, and the ways in which it is damaged and 
repaired by personal care products. 
Source: chemistscorner.com 1
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Future of cosmetic 
science
• 3D printing cosmetics which may have some 
application in the color cosmetic area.
• Epigenetics - a field which activates DNA 
sequences based on environmental conditions
• Microbial cleansing - using good microbes to 
clean skin surface
• Sustainable sources - raw materials derived 
from renewable resources like plants
Source: chemistscorner.com 1
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