The Green Chemist

The Green Chemist Blog

Green cosmetics stories from a mad scientist or a scientist mad about cosmetics

Barbara Olioso
3
Cosmetic Product Development
February 23, 2018

What is the difference between natural, synthetic, naturally derived in cosmetics?

We trust natural, and we find this word all over, however what was natural 100 years ago is different from what is natural now. 100 years ago our ancestors were doing their washing by hand using animal derived soap. There were very few cars and…
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Barbara Olioso
8
In the news
February 12, 2018

Organic Healthier?

Recently I read an interesting article published on the British Journal of Nutrition. The article reported that organic produce has lower pesticide and higher antioxidant contents than non organic produce, opening a big debate about the value of organic. Is organic healthier? answering this question is…
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Barbara Olioso
4
Cosmetic Product Development
February 12, 2018

What you need to know about suncare product development

Sun protection is very popular and in demand these days as women associate UV light with ageing and look for sun protection for their faces all year round. However when it comes to developing a beauty product that has a sun protection factor things get…
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Barbara Olioso
12
Cosmetic Ingredients Opinion
February 1, 2018

Why henna hair dye is great and how best apply it

Being a regular henna user and fan I finally got round writing a post about why henna hair dye is great and how best apply it to make the most of it. Not all henna available is the same and the way you apply it…
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Barbara Olioso
8
Cosmetic Product Development
January 28, 2018

Sustainability definition in cosmetic development

How many times have you heard of sustainability in cosmetics? or sustainable cosmetics in the last six months or so? to me it has become a buzz word, I thought it is time to write about it to understand not only how to apply the sustainability…
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Barbara Olioso
1
Cosmetic Ingredients OpinionNatural beauty tipsSensitive skin
March 13, 2015

Perché l’ henné é salutare e il metodo migliore per applicarlo

Essendo un' abitué dell' henné, finalmente ecco qua il mio post sull' henné come colorante naturale per capelli e sul metodo migliore di applicazione. Infatti non tutta l'henné disponibile sul mercato é la stessa, quindi qualita' e metodo di applicazione fanno una differenza tra il giorno e…
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Barbara Olioso
1
Cosmetic Product DevelopmentIn the news
January 14, 2015

Natural and organic cosmetic standards: are the Germans raising the bar?

Who knows how many natural and organic cosmetic standards are out there, they look all the same at first sight. Consumers tend to trust a green logo that says organic or natural even though there can be significantly different criteria behind the green cosmetic standards,…
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Barbara Olioso
1
Cosmetic Ingredients Opinioncosmetic productsUncategorized
November 20, 2014

What is natural in the twenty first century?

What is natural in the twenty first century? To me this is the key question the cosmetic industry faces today. "Natural" is very much a magic word for the general public, a green label that inspires trust and safety. However technology has evolved dramatically, affecting…
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Barbara Olioso
2
Cosmetic Product Development
August 26, 2014

Formulating vegan cosmetics

Am I mistaken or vegan cosmetics are becoming as popular as organic? when I go to green trade shows I see exhibitors promoting the vegan concept growing like mushrooms. In fact there is an increase in demand in vegan cosmetics. As a cosmetic formulator I wonder…
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Barbara Olioso
3
Cosmetic Product Developmentcosmetic products
August 12, 2014

How much does a beauty business cost to set up?

This is probably the most common question I get asked. It is also a sign of how many people are thinking about developing their own beauty business. In fact DIY beauty products workshops are very trendy at the moment. These courses are ok in the…
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