Putting on a good face – the chemistry of cosmetics
Useful sites
Cosmetics (US Food and Drug Administration)
Information for consumers and industry covering a wide range of topics such as ingredients, labelling and cosmetic questions and answers. Includes links to special features for kids and teens.
Wrinkle free zone (Australian Broadcasting Corporation – Online Feature)
Of all the skin care products you can slap on your face, anti-wrinkle creams are the ones that will hit your pocket the hardest. But believe it or not there's a reason behind the cost. Heather Catchpole looks into the nanotechnology of keeping skin younger-looking longer.
Cosmetics and toiletries – ingredient labelling (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission)
This product safety guide explains the Australian government mandatory information standard that applies to labelling of cosmetics and toiletries. It includes which products are covered by the standard, the responsibilities of suppliers and retailers and the ACCC's role in enforcing compliance to the standard.
Royal Society of Chemistry (UK)
Cosmetics and toiletries (by Sarah Houlton)
Describes the function of ingredients commonly found in cosmetics.
Surfactants: the ubiquitous amphiphiles (by Tony Hargreaves)
Explains what surfactants are, what they are used for and gives examples of common types.
Skin deep (Environmental Working Group, USA)
A safety assessment of ingredients in personal care products.
Know your skin, hair and nails (Mayo Clinic, USA)
Learn about the anatomy of these structures, how they function and how they affect your health.
Personal care products: myths, rumours and facts (Australian Consumers' Association)
Assesses claims made against cosmetic ingredients by looking at the available facts.
Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy
Allergy and the skin
General information about eczema (atopic dermatitis) and other conditions associated with skin allergy.
Allergic contact dermatitis
Information specific to allergic contact dermatitis, including causes and symptoms.
Solving problems related to the use of cosmetics & skin care products (American Academy of Dermatology)
Brochure that aims to identify possible problems with consumer products and suggest solutions.
You've come a long way baby: a history of cosmetic lead toxicity (Clinics in Dermatology, July-August 2001, USA)
Review article that gives a good summary of how lead has been used in cosmetics through different periods of history.
Cosmetic ingredients (DERMAdoctor.com, USA)
Article with information about common cosmetic ingredients. Includes a listing of common ingredients and their function.
Specific cosmetic products:
Moisturisers (Australian Society of Cosmetic Chemists)
Click on ‘Skin Care' and then select ‘Moisturisers'.
Shampoo (What's that stuff? American Chemical Society)
Lipstick (What's that stuff? American Chemical Society)
How do sunless-tanning products work? (How Stuff Works, USA)
How hair coloring works (How Stuff Works, USA)
Chemical peels (New Zealand Dermatological Society)
What is hairspray made of? (General Chemistry Online, USA)
Page updated June 2007.