The cosmetics industry is like many others in perpetual motion. And as usual, one event chases another. It's always time to remember. This is what François Canac offers us in this small series of …
Thermogène or skin that heats up
I am reacting to an article on Thermogène© published by Retronews to briefly discuss a particular sensation which is not often highlighted, although it has its raison d'être in cosmetology: skin that …
In the footsteps of DIY.
As I reviewed this text published in our newsletter, I thought it should be part of our main articles, because it illustrates practices regularly discussed. Do-it-yourself, or DIY, continues to …
The Deodorant story
This product category is one of the oldest in modern cosmetics. It emerged mainly due to the development of hygienism in the late 19th century. Let’s take a look back at the history of a modern …
The “aging odor” or nonenal effect
Non-2-enal is an unsaturated aldehyde. It is a colorless liquid largely responsible for the flavor of aged beer and buckwheat. The characterization of this substance in the skin of elderly people will …
50 years ago: Morhange!
In August 1972, an odd rumour put the spotlight on a cosmetic product: Morhange’s talc. Then, things turned out to be serious. This incident, later called the Morhange talc case, was a consequence of …
The shaving art
You all know the term “hipster”. Until recently, it was used to refer to not-so-new a practice – now it corresponds to a particular trend. Plus, it often described the young bearded men that brought …
Liquid cerates
Just like for many other things, we tend to like and forget certain formulation technologies. Let’s focus on the example of cerates. This term comes from the Latin word ceratus: according to …
Rosy cheeks
This question is central in the beauty world, including both skincare and make-up products. This is quite possibly the oldest beauty practices. And yet, very few people are interested or have been …
La Peaulogie 6
Artificial skins: will technology have human skin? It is in these terms that number 6 of the review La Peaulogie rises the question. This new issue of the journal tries to show how things are …
Beauty secrets made in Japan.
The confinement did not allow us to fully appreciate the remarkable exhibition which was held until July 10 at the Maison de la Culture Japonaise in Paris. It was devoted to the Make Up art in …
Depollution and bioremediation.
Tackling the effects of pollution is nothing new. Classically, this approach will very often involve what is called "anti-pollution". The idea will preferably be to "fight" against the effects of …
Muscular beauty part 4 : the Botox like or Cosmetic Botox.
We have seen in the previous episode that Botox had become a basic gesture of beauty and aesthetics in general. But that its use was complicated, even impossible in cosmetics. However, the cosmetics …
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Muscular beauty Part 3 : Botox effect.
In this dossier dealing with beauty in relation to muscles, a substance occupies a prominent place. Its effect to revolutionize aesthetic medicine, and by way of consequences beauty. Cosmetics …
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Muscular beauty part 2 : Tissue oils and massage
If you have a closer look at how beauty product ranges were developed in the late 19th century, and especially in the first part of the 20th century, you will be surprised to see that many ranges …
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Muscular beauty : Introduction
Can face beauty be actually related to muscle functions? The two are much more closely interdependent than one can imagine. It has even become one of the essential approaches in the world of …
Arcancil
Arcancil is a legendary makeup brand, specializing in eye contour makeup. It happens that I modestly accompanied this brand for a while. Quick return on this adventure. Founded in 1935, Arcancil …
Nourishing Creams
As a professional, like me, you must have met people who talked to you about “nourishing creams”. It is quite a common, even ordinary term. But every time you need to describe what it refers to, maybe …
Expanscience
"I'm talking to you about a time that under 20s can't know." So begins a famous French song. Expanscience brilliantly reminds us of this. Indeed, this organization celebrates its 7O spring and we …
Radioactive beauty
Driven by scientific progress, the cosmetic industry, as in many other fields, has always rushed to use the progress to design new products. The radioactivity has not escaped. Back on this period and …
Les Cosmétolégumes®
As what we call “cosmetofood” is back in the spotlight, most of you must have never heard this rather odd term: “Cosmetolégumes” (“cosmetoveggies”). And yet, it refers to an interesting project which …
Boric acid and Bore derivatives
By following this link you will find an interesting development made by Laurence Coiffard and Céline Couteau on a particular ingredient, the boric acid. Long used in many preparations, it is one of …
“Volatile” oils in cosmetic formulas
The term “volatile oil” may sound a little odd, but it is probably the one that best designates a particular type of ingredients in formulation. Why odd? Because the notion of oil is rarely associated …
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Back to basics
It is customary to say that the best jams or soups are made in old jars. The adage can also be applied to areas other than jams! I gladly take the title of a recent article from Expression …
The collagen
This protein occupies a central place, not only in the dermis where it plays an essential role, but also in communication and in many storytelling. I am pleased to relay an excellent article not …
Chemistry and beauty
Chemistry is one of the central disciplines of the Cosmetics industries. Beyond the major contributions that come to us from chemistry such as lipochemistry, dye chemistry, synthetic chemistry in …
Tragacanth
Gum tragacanth, like some others natural gum, has been somewhat forgotten. Back to this interesting ingredient. Gum tragacanth, also called dragon gum, is an exudate obtained from the dried …
Linseed: the great forgotten oil
Rather curiously, if you leaf through cosmetics formularies – even old ones – linseed oil rarely appears. It even seems to be very little or never used. On the contrary, flax is widely grown: its …
The DORIN House
The big "perfume factories" as some call them, have played a decisive role in the industrialization of the perfume and beauty business. Those of beauty are a little more recent than perfumery, and …
Up cycling.
This term refers to an approach which has recently gained much ground in our trades. Lavoisier told us that “nothing is lost, nothing is created; everything is transformed”! This aphorism is …
Cosmetofood
COVID unfortunately led to the cancellation of the U'Cos 2020 conference which was to be held in Guingamp in March 2020 on the theme of Cosmetofood. Jean Claude LE JOLIFF was invited to give the …
History of Squalane, vegetable or not!
The so-called vegetable squalane is regularly presented as a major advance. What is the origin of this ingredient? François Laserson tells us the story of squalane. François has an extensive …
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Deadly kisses
Beauty has made considerable progress as regards cosmetics safety of use. Although some people keep pretending that certain ingredients are problematic, while it is not scientifically based on the …
Nylon, not only for stockings!
The news recently focused on microplastics and their environmental impact. This triggered an awareness campaign about what these substances could be used for in cosmetics and about their effects on …
Spotlight on a bacteria from the Swiss glaciers.
Fatigue is one of the most easily factors which can be read on the face. When you are young, recovery capacities are important and a few quieter nights can restore a fresh complexion and good looks. …
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PEAUrigami
Our skin is our own paper ! Origami is the art of folding paper. The Skin and Origami share many common points. Corinne Dechelette had the good idea to create a work of art mixing the skin and …
The Barbara Gould’s saga
Have you known Barbara Gould? The brand still exists, but it lost quite a lot of its prestige, after enjoying a prominent status in the cosmetics world in the 1950s-80s. Now, if its name sounds …
Guerlain’s skin care inside.
Many hypotheses illustrate the business life in our trades. One of them leads to the classification of brands according to different criteria. Some consider that there are brands naturally associated …
Emotion through skin
Cosmetic products can give as much pleasure as a caress. This notion emerged a few years ago, but, interestingly, it reappeared as a topical issue at the In-Cosmetics 2019 show. It is an issue that …
A precious cosmetic
After gemmology, let’s take another look at “gemmology”, or rather “lithotherapy”!! Indeed, if these two terms are identical, they do describe very different approaches. They are derived from a Latin …
L’Oreal seen from inside
What could be simpler than visiting a company under the leadership of its CEO, the oldest collaborator as he defines himself: "I was the youngest manager and I am probably the oldest now". Lets read …
Making new skin : the cosmetic peeling.
Cosmetic peeling is a famous mechanism of action intended for improving the quality of the skin surface. It relies on a well-known skin feature: the continuous renewal of the epidermis and its …
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Liposomes and Cosmetics
Just like in other fields, innovation in cosmetics is usually associated with advances derived from scientific and technical progress. But, at the end of the day, few major technological innovations …
La Peaulogie
We want to draw your attention to a new journal that you may have already visited. This is "La Peaulogie". This excellent journal allows you to consult these issues online on various and varied …
The mercury time
Mercury is a metal with multiple properties, but in cosmetics it is not very welcome, so far. Although it has been used for a very long time, it is nowadays banned in the majority of countries. Its …
Cannabis in Cosmetics
If the aim of the Cosmétothèque is to revisit forgotten concepts, and / or striking facts, it is also its vocation to mark the appearance of new ideas and new concepts. Without judging the …
Cult product : DDML
Cult products are products that have marked the history of a product category or a brand, or that have installed new concepts or new gestures of use in the long term. It is normal to do them justice …
The talc saga
Talc is out of time. This ingredient basically dates back to the creation of the Earth’s crust and is used in all kinds of ancient preparations, in particular in the field of beauty and hygiene. …
Hot Shaving
The Gillette heated razor is an opportunity to remember that hot shaving is a very common practice, having even been the subject of specific developments, not only devices but also products. A …
From gemmotherapy to gemmocosmetics
Yet a new term that seems to have been invented for marketing purposes. Well, actually it was not, and there is an original R&D story behind it. Gemmotherapy: Gemmotherapy is a branch of …
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Roller skin ? Part 3
Beauty accessories have always occupied a special place in beauty routines. And today, as cosmetics are getting increasingly more accessorized, people are more than ever interested in them. Some of …
Plant placental
This name has often made cosmetics experts – and others – laugh, if not more, given the extent to which the notion of placenta is associated to the animal kingdom, and certainly not to plants. And …
Suresnes, the Beauty and Perfume city.
As an old citizen from Suresnes, I could not ignore the fact that this city has hosted some very nice companies of beauty and perfume. Beyond the big house Coty, which in the early twentieth century …
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Rolling skin: part 2
Beauty accessories have always occupied a special place in beauty routines. And today, as cosmetics are getting increasingly more accessorized, people are more than ever interested in them. Some of …
Mister Sabetay
In our time, we could have called him "Monsieur Sébastien" to designate Mr. Sabetay, a great name in the cosmetics industry. A long career for one of the first "Doctor" of our field. François …
The Avant-Garde Lady
There is an outstanding exhibition going on at the Paris Museum of Jewish Art and History about Madam Helena Rubinstein. I am inviting you to go see it – or go back – which I did. It is full of …
The protection of the skin against the waves: what?
The effects of electromagnetic waves remain a widely debated issue. This does not mean that the debate dates from yesterday. Today, we have the IoT – as we say to refer to the “Internet of Things” …
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Age indices
Every day God gives goes with their own “digital” advances in our trades. All fields are concerned, but skin diagnosis or characterization is at the forefront. This phenomenon is not new: it started a …
The formulation masters.
Every day God gives comes with a series of new launches invariably introduced as radical innovations. Still, the products will long remain at the core of the problem. And the question is: how to keep …
The Sensitive Skin
The birth of the Sensitive Skin concept in the 90s. The notion of sensitive skin has always been a tricky issue for the cosmetics industry. Long mistaken for skin irritation or allergic skins, …
When scents get active!
This year, again, the news is much focused on the In-Cosmetics show: a few remarkable, interesting items are derived from it, like the “Best Ingredient” of the year, which revives an approach whose …
From the foam.
The Cosmétothèque mission statement is not to promote new ingredients, but to bring to the attention of as many people as possible the sources of progress on the technical field and the scientific …
SOD what is that.
Thanks to Celine Couteau to propose an up date on this molecule which has been trendy in the 90s. …
The Matrixyl™, a mythical ingredient.
Matrixyl™ has a special place among key cosmetic ingredients. Here is its story. Today, peptides have a special place in the world of cosmetic ingredients. The concept of “bioactive” peptides …
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Tensor as active ingredient
Tensors are a group of substances commonly used in cosmetics and representing a class of their own. The term ‘tensor’ comes from a Latin word. It was introduced in 1846 by William Rowan Hamilton to …
The licorice
In a recent publication in their blog, our friends from Nantes offer an interesting point on a substance a little ubiquitous and in addition to that "epicene", a French word describing word which can …
Making her self Up
The Frida Kahlo's beauty products. Magdalena Frida Carmen Kahlo Calderón, known as Frida Kahlo, was born on July 6, 1907 in a territorial demarcation of the present federative entity of Ciudad de …
Active ingredients past and present
Back on an article made for Expression Cosmétique which remains perfectly topical. The concept of active ingredient is central in cosmetics, although it can be discussed in some aspects. A return …
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Master Chefs are back
If the "masters" formulators were the way of the future? When I talk to different people, it seems obvious to me that our trades are in a slump. The two fields in which something might actually be …
The storied pasts of the beauty brands you love.
Over the years, only certain brands and products have managed to attain legendary status, first for capturing the needs of the time and then for nimbly keeping pace as those needs changed. We reveal …
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Optics help cosmetics science
These technics, which are strange for us, are more than useful. In a recent publication, Régine Frick on behalf of Premium Beauty, highlights the benefits of taking an interest in optical phenomena …
Philocomes, an unique product in the world
Do you know what the Philocomes are? In a recent contribution, lets discover with our friends from Nantes University a preparation that has disappeared today, but which has been successful and …
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Edible… perfumes !
CERNUSCHI Museum, Paris, March 9-August 26, 2018: a most beautiful exhibition dedicated to ‘Perfumes of China, the culture of incense in imperial times’ This exhibition takes visitors on a journey …
