Some articles I read this week: Fruit oils and SPF, medical vs.cosmetic claims, formaldehyde donors

I thought this article on fruit oils and SPF was an interesting read. They won’t let me quote sections, so I took a picture of the warning. Please don’t think that using fruit oils can work as an effective sunscreen! There’s an interesting article about claims at Cosmetics Design and the difference between cosmetic and...

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Please please please please don’t make your own sunscreen

I can’t believe how many things I’m seeing on things like SnapGuide or Instructables or in my favourite forum about making sunscreens. All I can say is please don’t. There is no guarantee that these products work, and you’re risking short and long term damage for yourself and the people you love. I know we...

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A couple of chemistry myths making the rounds…

Baking soda and oil will not create a soap. There is a fascinating process called saponification during which oils and a very alkaline thing like sodium or potassium hydroxide are mixed together to create a soap. We can’t extrapolate this to mean that every alkaline and every oil will mix to create a soap. Lye...

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A thought on beachy or salt hair sprays

I love the way my hair looks after a day at the beach, all wild and untamed and not frizzy (for some strange reason!), but please note that these salt sprays increase the friction between your hair strands, which can lead to irreversible damage! The salt coats your hair, which makes the strands rub against...

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Making a Japanese themed body wash – other ingredients

When making just about anything with surfactants, you want to think about adding other things like moisturizers, humectants, skin conditioners, and so on because when they’re alone, surfactants can feel a bit drying, no matter how gentle or mild they may be. If you have no idea what’s going on, please check out part one...

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