The Big, Bad Beauty Ingredients
03/09/2010 -
The personal care industry has many big, bad wolves. There are countless ingredients on the market that are commonplace in beauty products but are synthetically derived, rife with side and on consumers’ blacklist.
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SKINny Dipping: Natural Skin Care
11/24/2009 -
As consumers become more conscience of what ingredients their putting on their skin, the demand for natural skin care products continues to rise. Antioxidants, botanicals and essential oils are starting to replace parabens and other synthetic ingredients in the marketplace.
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Natural Actives for Hair Care
09/01/2009 -
Ingredients such as green coconut water, soapnut and neem are powerful tools for formulators developing hair care products that tap into consumers’ desire for all-natural, botanical offerings.
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Energizing with Camphor
07/16/2009 - Camphor (Cinnamomum camphora) is a large, hardy evergreen tree that grows very tall; its strong connection to the earth gives it the capacity to energize the base chakra, stimulating the body’s vital energy. Ancients believed camphor gave life to the body after death; hence, it used to form an important ingredient of embalming. Camphor’s red energy gives motivation and reduces...
Essential Oils and Skin Care
05/26/2009 - Skin care is an enchanting and elusive desire that has endured through centuries. Western culture ascribes natural skin care to roots in ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. Cleopatra’s beauty has been variously attributed to milk baths and herbal skin formulas, as well as a favorite mud pack made with crocodile manure. The cosmetic industry has certainly evolved since the more exotic and...
Rose: The Essence of Emotion
12/29/2008 - "A rose is a rose is a rose," said Gertrude Stein. William Wordsworth implored, "Change me, some God, into that breathing rose." And Sappho called rose the crowned king of flowers. Indeed, many poets and artists have been inspired by this lovely flower. The legends about rose span history. Some say rose was created from a drop of sweat falling from the brow of Mohammad. Others attribute its...
Formulators Challenged by Eco-Scents
11/20/2008 - Since the days of Cleopatra, essential oils have been used for both aromatic and healing purposes. GCI examined the intertwined growth of natural personal care products and interest in eco-friendly ingredients and formulations—including fragrances. The challenge is often to capture the ideal scent and use natural ingredients, but avoid potential allergens in a final natural product....