Personal Care Products

Module Outcomes• Have an awareness of consumer science and its

importance in society• Be able to read labels and identify main ingredients

in shampoos, sunscreens and creams• Make a basic cream and have a basic understanding

of emulsions• Gain understanding of sunscreens how they work

and the relationship between particle size and bulk properties

• Understand that emerging technologies such as nanotech used in products needs to be approached by a well informed consumer.

Did You Know?

• Ancient Greeks and Romans used…

• Nanocrystals of lead sulfide to permanently colour grey hair black

• Kohl (soot) to darken their eyelids

• Poisonous lead carbonate to achieve a pale complexion.

The use of cosmetics is not a modern phenomenon.

Image: Courtesy: Istockphoto.com

Did You Know?

A face cream containing 24-carat gold promises anti-aging technology (advanced phytosterone) by reducing the appearance of lines, wrinkles and age spots. The particles in the cream reflect and scatter light and consequently help alter the appearance of the skin's surface. Enhances the reflective properties of skin itself, making it luminous from the instant of application.

That’s $31 for 1 ml!

DEMAND for luxury skincare is soaring in Australia, as women snap up creams and serums that cost hundreds of dollars for tubs that contain 100 millilitres or less.

You can buy a face cream for $930?

Image: Courtesy: Istockphoto.com

Overwhelmed By Choice Of Products?

A new food or beauty product is launched every three and a half minutes.– How many is that per day or week?!Experts predict that future products will make us smarter and younger.

You can buy a face cream for $930?

Image:Courtesy Ralphbijker @ Flickr

How Do You Choose A Shampoo?Shampoo prices range from $1.50 to $100.00

Image: Courtesy: Clean Wal-Mart @ Flickr

• What makes a good shampoo?

• Are expensive shampoos better?

• Can you think of the claims made by the shampoo you use?

• Is it necessary to use a conditioner?

Did You Know?• 20% of the cost of producing cosmetics goes into the

product?• 80% is marketing, such as packaging and advertising.

Images: Courtesy of Jenna Malone Bridge8, Akira Ohgaki @ Flickr

Activity 1 Reading LabelsHow do we make informed decisions about personal care products?

What information would you want to know before you would consider paying $960 or $10 for a cream?

Reading Labels

Images L to R: Courtesy: Alexandra Smart

• Why do products need labels?• Which products have labels?• Which products don’t?• Can you think of any reasons for this?

Experiment 1 Making A Cream

What’s in a product?

Image: Courtesy Jenna Malone

Reading labels has given an insight into what products contain. Now lets make our own product!

Now That We…• Know how to read labels• Have made a product• Better understand how to make product choices

What about nanoparticles in cosmetics?• Is it safe or more effective?

Or Is It Just A Marketing Strategy?

• How does the consumer know it’s nano?• When are nano products better?• When do products use ‘nano’ in their labeling and marketing?

How Do We Make Informed Decisions?

A new shampoo uses 'NANO' directly as its brand.

Image: Courtesy imageshack.us\

The shampoo, claims to contain titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles, which could penetrate more effectively into the hair and, thanks to its photocatalytic oxidation characteristics, oxidize the harmful residues after hair perming.

Would you buy this shampoo?

How Do We Make Informed Decisions?

Image: Courtesy: petitjie @ Flickr

DiorSnow Pure UV Base SPF 50“Makeup base and brightening skincare in one, with Nano UV filters for ultra-protection against the damaging effects of UVA and UVB rays.”

Coco Mademoiselle Fresh Moisture Mist“Ultra-light nano-emulsion hydrating

particles prolong fragrance.” Would you buy these creams?

How Do We Make Informed Decisions?

Image: Courtesy: Graham and Shelia @ Flickr

Blue Lizard Baby – Chemical free formula, SPF 30“Formulated in Australia using the newest Nanotechnological ingredients to meet the world’s toughest sunscreen standards…Australia’s and yours!”

Would you buy this sunscreen for your baby brother?

An Example Of Nano In Products

Sunscreens

Image: Courtesy: Alexandra Smart

• One nano product readily available is sunscreen

• Does the nanotechnology make it a better product?

IssuesAre there issues with nanotechnology in personal care products?

• Are there safety issues with nanoparticles in products?

• Should products that use nano include this on the label?

Activity 2 Research Questions

The following banners appeared in the crowd at the L’Oreal 2010 Melbourne Fashion Week:

• L’Oreal: fashioning a new health disaster

• Go Nano-Free L’Oreal,because we’re worth it

Perform Activity 2 on safety issues

Activity 3 Research Questions

How does sunscreen work?

Image: Courtesy: IvanWang @ Flickr

Experiment 2 Investigating Nano Sunscreens

How does nano in sunscreens work?

Image: Courtesy: xlordashx @ Flickr

Revision1. What is a cosmetic?2. What is the difference between cosmetic and

therapeutic?3. What general ingredients do cosmetics contain?4. What is an active ingredient?5. What is the active ingredient in a shampoo?6. What is the active ingredient in a conditioner?7. What are the main ingredients in a basic cream?8. What is the active ingredients in a sunscreen?9. What role can nanotechnology play in sunscreens?