Join Susan as she obsesses about cosmetic chemistry and other things (some possibly related to monkeys). Often strange, occasionally useful, and always worth a stop as a point of interest on your journey through the Intertron.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Heat protecting hair care products - round up!
Oil comparison chart - free download

Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Last year's New Year's Resolutions

Take singing lessons with Wanda: Did it!
Take more photographs: We bought a new camera and I've been taking tons of pictures!
My crafty goals...
Learn embroidery: Did it.
Learn silk screening: Haven't yet!
Learn jewellery making: Did it. Loving it!
Perfect our mascara recipe: Still a work in progress.
Perfect our foundation recipe: Powder: Done. Liquid: Done.
Perfect my butter cream recipe: Found a great icing recipe and love it!
Get my Christmas presents done in time: Didn't get it all done!
Finish at least two unfinished projects, sewing: Did it!
WHAT DID I WANT TO EXPERIENCE?
Heat protecting hair care products - ghd Thermal Protector
Ingredients: Water, SD Alcohol 40-B, Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate, Propylene Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Aminomethyl Propanol, AMP-Acrylates/Allyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Benzophenone-4, Butylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Cocodimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Extract, Meadowfoamamidopropyl PG-Dimonium Chloride, Panthenol, PEG-12 Dimethicone, Sodium Hydroxide, Diazolidinyl Urea, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Fragrance.
Butter comparison chart - download

Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Want free advertising on this blog? Well, here it is!
The products work by effectively destroying the infestation of the human demodex parasite, they also help to replenish and revitalize the important elements that make up healthy skin. The active ingredient Seabuckthornoil will help speed up the healing process as well as repair the damage done by scarring.We know seabuckthorn oil is a pretty awesome oil with tons of phytosterols, polyphenols, tocopherols, and carotenoids, as well as palmitoleic acid, which is the building block of our skin that helps heal wounds and scratches as well as being anti-microbial. But can it do all these amazing things?
It might play a role in those little bumps on the back of your arms and legs (keratosis pilaris) and it might play a role in acne. It may or may not play a role in rosacea: I only found one reference source, a press release from - you guessed it! - the Face Doctor company.
Heat protecting hair care products - Analysing Nexxus Heat Protexx Heat Protection Styling Spray
Panthenol: It builds a thin moisture film on the surface of your hair (film former) and makes it shine without oil or greasiness. In addition, it can penetrate the cuticle of your hair and brings moisture to the cortex! This means you get good manageability and pliability of your hair, and it is better able to cope with brushing, wind, and other non-hair friendly things. Finally, it could give your hair more body!
Ascorbic Acid: Vitamin C. An anti-oxidant.
Polysorbate 60: A high HLB emulsifier.
Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Myristic Acid: These are fatty acids used for emolliency, thickening, and co-emulsification.
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride: Also known as cationic guar. It is a cationic polymer that offers conditioning and thickening to the product. It works with surfactants well. Used at 0.2% to 1.0%.
Triticum Vulgare Flour Lipids (Wheat): This is likely wheat germ oil, although it could be wheat germ oil wax as a viscosity increaser.
Persea Gratissima Oil (Avocado): Avocado oil.
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate: An oil soluble Vitamin C ester. Acts an anti-oxidant and may mitigate UV damage.
Glycine Soja Sterols (Soybean): Soybean oil.
Alpha Glucan Oligosaccharide: An emollient with water binding properties - a humectant.
Ceramide 3: A lipid that increases water binding in the skin and improves skin's barrier functions. It may penetrate hair strands. It is a humectant.
Ethylehexyl Methoxycinnamate: A sun screen ingredient.
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane: Another sunscreen ingredient known as Parsol 1789 or Avobenzone.
Niacinamide: Vitamin B3 or niacin. Prevents UV related damage, regulates sebum, helps with water retention and hydration.
Biotin: Vitamin B8. Offers increased cell regeneration and skin barrier repair. Its efficacy is boosted by Vitamin C. Studies have shown benefits using biotin in nail and hair care. It might prevent hair loss, and improves the quality of both hair and nails.
So what we have in this product is dimethicone, a ton of humectants (glycerin, propylene glycol, alpha glucan, ceramide 3), some cationic compounds (cetrimonium chloride and guar), some moisturizers (the fatty acids), hydrolyzed silk, some oils, UV protectors, and some vitamin-y goodness.
This differs from the other products we've analyzed in that it's a water based product, which means it needs to have emulsifiers, which we find in the form of polysorbate 20, polysorbate 80, and polyglyceryl 3 distearate, and some co-emulsifiers in the stearic, myristic, and palmitic acids. It also needs preservatives, anti-oxidants, and chelators, which we find in the preservatives, Vitamin E, disodium EDTA, and TEA.
Could we make a product like this? I think we could quite easily. You'd need some water soluble dimethicone (we find this at the Herbarie as raspberry dimethicone WS), some cationic guar and cetrimonium chloride, some humectants - glycerin, propylene glycol, or something like honeyquat that would be both a cationic polymer and a humectant - and a few water soluble oils or oils mixed with polysorbate 20 or 80.
Having said this, I think you could do a nice job with a leave in conditioner with cetrimonium chloride as your primary conditioning ingredient, some water soluble dimethicone, and some water soluble oils. I made up a very light detangling spray for my best friend with 3% cetrimonium chloride, 2% hydrolyzed oat protein, 2% panthenol, 3% PEG-7 olive oil esters, 1% fragrance, and 0.5% preservative. You could add up to 4% (max) water soluble dimethicone and you'd have a a nice detangling spray that would offer some heat protection from the silicone.
Or make up a leave in conditioner with BTMS as the emulsifier and conditioner and add panthenol, hydrolyzed protein, regular dimethicone, cetrimonium chloride, and oils. Hey, where have I seen that before? (Just make up this recipe with more dimethicone - say 10% or so - and leave out the cyclomethicone). Add a bit of Vitamin E and other vitamins and you might have yourself a very nice conditioning spray.
This isn't to say these suggestions will work as heat protecting sprays as I haven't been able to test it out. These are just ideas of how I would duplicate this product.
Join me tomorrow for another analysis of heat protecting hair care products with ghd Thermal Protector.
Fatty acids and other things you'll find in oil - download

Monday, December 28, 2009
Heat protecting hair care products - Analysing BioSilk Silk Therapy
Ingredients: Cyclomethicone, Dimethicone, SD Alcohol 40-B, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Ethyl Ester of Hydrolyzed Silk, Panthenol, Phenoxyethanol,Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Parfum (Fragrance). Hexyl Cinnamic Aldehyde, Benzyl Benzoate, Linalool, Gamma Methyl Ionone, Citronellol, Lilial, Hydroxy Citronellol, Geraniol, Eugenol
Oil chemistry tutorial thingie - free download

Sunday, December 27, 2009
Quick note!

Heat protecting hair care products - Analysing John Frieda Frizz-Ease Hair Serum
Ingredients: Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethiconol, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Benzophenone 3, Polysilicone 15, Bis (C13 15 Alkoxy), PG Amodimethicone, Phytantriol, Mineral Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrolyzed Silk, Fragrance

- silicones - intended to condition, protect against heat damage, increase moisturization of the hair shaft.
- UV protectors - intended to repel heat and sun.
- Phytantriol - boosts the UV protection qualities (there's no panthenol in here to boost)
- emollients - silicones and mineral oil
- hydrolyzed proteins - increase moisture retention, can penetrate hair shaft, forms a film
Facial product tutorial thingie - free download

Saturday, December 26, 2009
Surfactant tutorial thingie - free download

Friday, December 25, 2009
Merry Christmas!
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Conditioner tutorial thingie - free download

Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Carrot tissue oil

Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Carotenoids

Monday, December 21, 2009
Vitamin A


Sunday, December 20, 2009
Cranberry seed oil

Saturday, December 19, 2009
Pumpkin seed oil

Friday, December 18, 2009
Rosehip oil

It looks like we found it! Check out this post and the links Colin shares on his blog!
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Wheat germ oil

