Cosmetic Science and Polymer Chemistry: Perfect Together

Cosmetic science has evolved significantly during the past thirty years. One of the principal drivers of such advancement has been the development of new color cosmetic formulations that deliver a combination of drastically improved functional performance and outstanding aesthetic properties. The key element enabling the creation of such high performance products is the increasingly widespread use of a broad spectrum of polymers in a wide range of color cosmetic formulations. The primary reasons for this trend are rooted in intrinsic attributes of polymers. Polymers typically are more substantive to biological substrates than are many of the fatty-based raw ingredients historically used in cosmetic formulations. Polymers also can be customized readily to meet very specific performance requirements. In some formulations, polymers have supplemented fatty-based raw ingredients as a means of improving product performance. In other formulations, advanced technology polymers have completely replaced traditional cosmetic chemicals in order to create products having superior skin adhesion and wear attributes. Polymer scientists should be aware of the safety and regulatory requirements peculiar to the cosmetic industry so as to engage cosmetic chemists in a productive way.