Behind the serums, lotions and makeup products in your bathroom cabinet are a bunch of very clever, very creative, and very stubborn scientists, who just do not take no for an answer. They ask (and solve) problems like this everyday: Why should we have to sleep in smelly fake tanner? Who says nail polish has to chip after 10 days? Why shouldn’t people with sensitive skin be able to slather on retinol? Hey, can’t foundation tackle wrinkles, too? We love them for it (heart eyes emoji). So in the spirit of being thankful, we’ve reached out to some of our fave cosmetic chemists for the low-down on the most challenging formulas they’ve ever created. Lift hands. Bang them together. We salute you. Click ahead for more.
A couple of years back, you may remember a little controversy around the fact that hair-straightening treatments contained a nasty chemical (and known carcinogen) called formaldehyde. You do not want to breathe this stuff in — even for permanently silky hair.
“Formulating a next-generation smoothing formula was very challenging — but also rewarding,” says cosmetic chemist Ron Robinson of BeautyStat.com, who helped create Cezanne Keratin Perfect Hair Smoothing Treatment. “We wanted a product that was free of harmful chemicals, but it took several months for us just to figure out how to test it safely, because it had never been done before. We reviewed testing protocols at some of the top labs in the country and, in the end, were able to show this new treatment got the same job done — safely.”
Cezanne Perfect Finish Keratin Perfect Hair Smoothing Treatment, prices vary, available at select salons.
Imagine being able to turn one of your favorite skin-care formulas — like a serum, face oil, or even a sunscreen — into a foundation. Oh wait, we can totally do that now. But it wasn’t an easy process, says Victor Casale, a chemist and chief innovation officer of Cover FX.
“We had the idea to add pure pigments to skin-care formulas — but the challenge was: how do you ensure they will instantly suspend in whatever you add them to?” says Casale. The answer didn’t come quickly — but ended up being as smart as it was simple: Coat the pigments in a molecule called lecithin. “This meant the colored pigments not only bind to skin, but also bring water- and oil-soluble ingredients together,” he says. Bottom line: Whatever you drop these babies into, they mix smoothly and transform your fave skin-care formula into base makeup.
Cover FX Custom Cover Drops, $44, available at Sephora.
If you struggle with dry, frizz-prone strands, you’ll appreciate the pains scientists took to solve this conundrum: Most heavy styling creams do a great job, for about an hour. After that, they weigh hair down, making it look greasy and flat. The reason is that high concentrations of oils and waxes are unable to penetrate hair properly, so they sit on the surface.
After 150 trials and almost two years in the lab, “we overcame the problem using an ingredient called a polymeric emulsifier,” says cosmetic chemist Joseph Cincotta, an adjunct professor of chemistry at Housatonic Community College in Connecticut. This clever molecule forms a bubble around microdroplets of oils and emulsifiers (the stuff that makes your hair smooth and soft). “When it touches your hands on the way to your hair, the salts on your skin burst the bubble and the teeny droplets then penetrate the hair shaft, eliminating any greasiness or oiliness on the hair surface,” says Cincotta. Mind. Blown.
ColorWow One Minute Transformation, $24, available at Ulta.
The big problem with self-tanner is the telltale stink that follows you around until you shower. Obviously a formula that leaves skin with a gorgeous glow and smells like sugar cookies is genius. Unfortunately, it gave one chemist many sleepless nights.
“The formula was gorgeous, smelled wonderful, and performed beautifully... but then we discovered that once on shelves, the color shifted to baby poop green and no longer tanned the skin,” says cosmetic chemist Ni'Kita Wilson. She only had seven days to solve the problem. “The old standards just weren't working. Turns out, this was a classic case of less is more. After exhausting complex, high-end ingredients, all I needed to do was increase an ingredient already in the formula by the equivalent of five grains of salt. The day was saved, the color remained a beautiful dark chocolate brown, and it has been flying off the shelves ever since.”
Unfortunately, Wilson can't disclose the name of the product, but this one closely fits her description.
Tarte Brazilliance Skin Rejuvenating Maracuja Face and Body Self Tanner, $39, available at Sephora.
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