A-Closer-Look-At: Sunscreens (part I)

Sunscreens – part one: How do sunscreens work?

The big question is of course, why should you use sunscreen. Sunscreen is good for preventing sunburn. The red color of sunburned skin is a tell-tale sign that skin cells are damaged. Damage can be induced by UVA (Ultra violet sub type A) and UVB (Ultra Violet sub type B). There is also UVC (Ultra Violet sub type C), but the ozone layer prevents UVC from entering the atmosphere. UVB increases melanin production in the skin, which makes us tan, and also causes sunburn.

UVA is perhaps even more dangerous. UVA is able to penetrate deeply into the skin, ages skin quickly and damages DNA. Damaged DNA can lead to cancer (okay, I have to admit, that the fact that ‘DNA damage causes cancer’ is a very, very brief summary about what causes cancer. Even now, scientists are still trying to figure out how and why cancer exists.)

UVA isn’t blocked by glass or the clouds. Unlike UVB, UVA doesn’t give you any warning signs. You’re not going to get a sunburn or a tan. UVA is present every day, in every season, whether it is overcast or not. My first advice would be  to wear sunscreen (with at least SPF 15) every day. My second advice is to wear a broad spectrum sunscreen which protects you for both UVB and UVA. You should be able to tell from the packaging if this is the case.l

Oh, and it is wise to avoid sunbeds, according to a study in 2007, even one visit to a sunbed can increase your chances of getting skincancer (melanoma, the most dangerous kind) by 19%! (International Agency for Research on Cancer Working Group on artificial ultraviolet (UV) light and skin cancer. The association of use of sunbeds with cutaneous malignant melanoma and other skin canacers: A systematic review. Int J Cancer. 2007: 120: 1116-1122.)

How do sunscreens work?
There are two types of sun filters; chemical and physical.
Chemical filters (oxybenzone, octyl methoxycinnamate, octocrylene and avobenzone) are absorbed into the skin and absorb UV radiation. A number of chemical filters can be absorbed by the body and end up in the bloodstream. Others can generate free radicals (free radicals are bad!) when they react with the suns rays and therefore cause skin damage. This also happens if you don’t use a sunscreen!

Physical sunfilters stay on the skin and reflect the light. Good examples are titanium oxide and zinc oxide. They create a barrier to protect the skin by not allowing harmful chemicals to enter the bloodstream. They are known to not cause irritation. A drawback is that physical sunscreens leave a white film on the skin. If these sunscreens don´t leave a white film, nanotechnology is used.

What is nanotechnology?
Nanotechnology is the use of very, very tiny particles to enhance the performance of a product. The name derives from a nanometer. A nanometer is one billionth of a metre. Nanotechnology is the study of manipulating material on a molecule or atom scale. It is a relatively new study, so long term health effects are not known yet. The main concern is whether or not the particles can be absorbed by the skin and other cells of the body. This could lead to a higher dosage of the chemical in your body. The dosage of a chemical is linked to its toxicity. How higher the dosage, the more dangerous (poisonous) a chemical is. The main concern is if nanotechnology can penetrate the skin and cells. If yes, it could be dangerous, if not, we don´t have to worry. Unfortunatley, this is still being researched, so I can´t give a clear statement whether or not nanotechnology is advisable or not.

What is SPF?
SPF, sun protection factor is a (laboratory) logaritmic measure of how effective a sunfilter is. This is mentioned on the bottle. The SPF is the amount of UV radiation required to cause sunburn on skin with the sunscreen on in comparisation of the amount UV radiation required without the sunscreen.

It is said that the number of SPF determines how long one can stay in the sun without re-applying the product. For instance, if you get a sunburn from one hour of exposure to the sun, you should be able to stay in the sun for 15 hours with an SPF 15 on. This is not true. The intensity of radiation varies considerably with time of day. In early morning and late afternoon, the radiation has to pass through more of the atmosphere because the sun is nearer the horizon. The amount of SPF is determined by factors like skin type, the amount of sunscreen that is applied and the frequency of re-application, activities (sports, swimming) and the amount of sunscreen the skin has absorbed.

It is therefore recommended to re-apply sunscreen (half a teaspoon every application for the face and a shotglass for the rest of the body) every two hours and to stay out of the sun during the hottest hours of the day (12.00 – 15.00) of the day. Or go and have a nice long lunch in the shade. Or take a siesta.I mean, it’s vacation anyway.

Make up has an odd number of SPF (for instance, SPF 8 or 18) because first, the product is formulated and then the SPF is measured. Usually, an SPF in make up, or in a sunscreen in spray form isn´t as effective as a  regular SPF because you have to apply the sunscreen thickly. With a spray, it is usually not easy to determine where, how thickly and evenly the sunscreen is applied. With make up it is the same way. To get the SPF that is indicated on a foundation or powder, you have to put on the foundation very thickly (a.k.a. cakey!). So it’s always better to use a sunscreen under your day cream and makeup.

SPF can’t be increased by layering it. I will explain this with an experiment. Take two glasses. Fill them with water. Add to each glass the same amount of food coloring (or dye), for instance, 3 drops. Mix well, and take half of the first glass. Put this in a new glass. Now take half of the other glass, and put it in the third glass as well. Has the color changed? No. So, if you use a daycream with SPF 15 and a foundation with SPF 15, you will not get SPF 30. It will only help you to reach the required half teaspoon of sunscreen.

As I said earlier, SPF is a logaritmic scale. This means that SPF stops 93% of the UV rays (UVA or B depending on the sunscreen). Factor 30 stops 97% of the radiation. A higher factor is not always better. The higher the SPF, the more greasy the product will feel like. If your skin type is average (meaning not extremely fair), I would recommend sticking with SPF 15 in the winter and SPF 30 in the summer.

A wee bit extra
Next to a good sunfilter, it is also wise to check the rest of the sunscreen. Are there irritating ingredients in the sunscreen, like perfume, PABA, coloring agents, methylisothiazolinone, tea tree oil, witch hazel, ylang ylang, mint or citrus? Alcohol is not good either, unless it is a fatty alcohol (just type in the name of the Alcohol in wikipedia, and scan the page on the word “fatty alcohol”. For instance, cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol).

And last, but no means least, after tanning/staying in the sun and using a sunscreen, hydrate your skin! Take a luke warm shower or apply aloe vera to cool the skin. Or use after-sun.

In the next post about sunscreens, I will talk about different kinds of sunscreens, and which ones to look out for!

Until next time,
Dymphy

A-Closer-Look-At: Argan Oil

Argan Oil is hot at the moment, in the sense that it is trendy to use it
And why not? Celebrities like Beyonce are said to use Argan Oil. It is a deep, golden colored oil and is a very multi-functional product. Argan oil can be used as a skin- and hand serum and as bathing oil. It can be used by all skin-types from greasy to super dry, flaky skin types like myself. I’ve been using argan oil in the evening as a serum under my regular night cream and it’s wonderful! Flakes disappeared in a few days and the oil gave my skin a natural glow. Argan oil originates from Morrocco, where it was first used as an oil for cooking and baking. Later, it was also used for skin and hair.

Argan oil is extracted from the seeds of the Argania Spinoza tree. The argan tree grows in infertile and dry regions of south-west Morrocco. From June to September, the fruits are harvested and processed into oil.

A single tree produces about 30 kilos of argan fruit, which in turn yields 700 ml of argan oil. Until a few years ago, the seeds of the argan tree were found in goat droppings, since they were the only ones able to climb up the thorny trunk.

Nowdays, the demand is much higher and so the fallen fruits of the argan tree are collected.
The fruits are then taken to the villages to be processed.The seeds are beaten with rocks to get  the kernel out.

The fruit is used to feed livestock and the shells are used to make the fire which is needed in the extraction of the oil.

If the oil is used for consumption, the kernels are roasted before pressing to add some flavor.

After cooling down, the nuts are ground by hand. Water is added during the grinding process, so a paste will be formed. The paste is pressed by hand and what’s left is pure argan oil.

 

This labour intensive process takes about 15 hours, which makes argan oil pretty expensive.

Nowdays, this process is more and more replaced by mechanical press machines to extract argan oil. The collection and removal of the outer shell of the seed is still done by hand, but everything else is done by a machine. This saves time and eliminates the use of water, thus prolonging the shelf life of the oil.

Argan oil contains twice the amount of vitamin E found in olive oil, an anti-oxidant. It also contains a lot of lipids and fatty acids which are beneficial for the skin, including oleic acid, palmitic acid, and especially linoleic acid. It is therefore great for people with acne, as well as eczema and psoriasis.

Until next time,

Dymphy

A-Closer-Look-At: Polymers & Plastics

Polymers & Plastics

Although I already explained polymers briefly in the article on methyl methacrylate and poly(methyl methacrylate), I wanted to write a more in depth explanation of polymers.

Aw, look at my old science notes. Brings back memories. 😉

Polymers are the result of a polymerization reaction. I think the best way to explain this is with Lego. Within Lego, you have different building bricks. You have white bricks, blue bricks, red bricks, yellow bricks and so forth. You have bricks with four studs on them, and bricks with six or eight studs. If you take a brick, and place it onto the next, you are building a column. Building with Lego has a lot of similiarities to a polymerization reaction. You have individual units of small molecules, which you can bond to each other.

I have only seen two major polymerization reactions (I’m a biologist, not a chemist, so excuse me if I exclude some possibilities) in cosmetic science. The first one is the formation of the most common polymer, by the breaking a double bond. A double bond can be found in a molecule (a brick), mostly between two carbon atoms. Oxygen is also known to form double bonds (other atoms as well).

As shown in the figure above, carbon atoms (and also oxygen atoms) are going to form a double bond to make sure to get the necessary 4 (carbon) or 2 (oxygen) bonds. In a polymerization reaction, another molecule is present to which a carbon atom can bond. The double bond breaks and both carbon atoms form the fourth bond with another molecule.

A polymer can consists of a large number (10.000+) of molecules, hence the ~ sign on both ends. Another polymerization reaction is shown in the photo of my old science journal above, when a hydroxyde (OH, also known as the ‘alcohol’ group) reacts with another hydrogen atom and thus forms water (H2O). The carbon atom then bonds with the other oxygen atom and a polymer is formed.

Polymers are considered plastics and are used in cosmetics as thickening or film forming (for instance in nailpolish) agents. If you find a plastic or a polymer in a ingredientlist, please do not flush it through the sink. The plastic ends up in the ocean, where it can contribute to the plastic soup that already is floating around there, killing sea animals by choking or contributing to the malformation of a sea animal. Rinse the product off with a make up removal wipe or by using a cotton pad and some cleanser.

I hope the topic of polymers and plastics is even clearer now. If not, just ask a question in the comments.

Until next time,

Dymphy

A-Closer-Look-At: Cetearyl Alcohol

Many people cringe when they see alcohol on an ingredientlist. And they should, because the alcohol/hydroxy group dries out the skin. The hydroxy group that makes alcohol an alcohol, consists of both an oxygen (symbol: O) and a hydrogen (H) atom. A hydroxy group can form a hydrogen “bridge” with another water molecule. It basically pulls out water and takes it with it when you, for instance, wash it off your face.

But why is cetearyl alcohol (or cetostearyl alcohol/cetylstearyl alcohol) good for the skin? That is because of it’s fatty acid tail. The tail usually has an even number of carbon atoms, ranging mostly from 8 to 22 carbon atoms, although 36 or more aren’t an exception.

To be more precise, Cetearyl Alcohol is a mixture of fatty alcohols, of which cetyl and stearyl alcohols make up most of this ingredient. Since cetearyl alcohol has a polar, (water loving) head and a non-polar (oil loving) head, it is a surfactant. It can therefore be used as an emulsifier, stabilizer, opacifying agent (cetearyl alcohol turns into a white, waxy solid at room temperature) and a foam boosting agent.

Cetearyl alcohol was first extracted from whale oil, but since commercial whaling is forbidden, cetearyl alcohol is now produced from vegetable oils, like palm or coconut oil. It is also an end-product of the petroleum industry. It can also be made synthetically, from, for instance, breaking up triglycerides (three fatty alcohols bound together). The source can determine the amount of carbon atoms. For instance, rapeseed produces longer molecules of about 20 tot 22 carbon atoms, whilst coconut oil will yield molecules with 12 to 14 carbon atoms.

Please be careful if you have sensitive skin, cetearyl alcohol can possibly worsten dermatitis.. If you don’t have dermatitis, cetearyl alcohol is a very safe to use moisturizer and surfactant.

Until next time,
Dymphy

A-Closer-Look-At: Glycerin

Glycerin, also known als Glycerine and Glycerol, is a colorless, odorless, viscous and sweet-tasting liquid. It has a low toxicity and three hydroxyl (=the main group of alcohol, very water-soluable) groups. It can occur as the polar head of a fatty acid. It can be made from natural substances by hydrolysis of fats and by fermentation of sugars. Next to extraction, glycerin can also be made synthetically and it is a by-product of making soap.
A plus is that the glycerin is skin-identical; it means that it can be found naturally in skin. It is therefore one of the many substances in skin that help maintain the outer barrier and preven dryness and scaling.

Glycerin is mostly used in cosmetics to moisturize, giving the skin a smooth feel, as a thickener and as lubricant. It can also be used as a humectant because glycerin likes to absorb moisture.

 

From the dermis, the water is drawn out to the epidermis by the glycerin. The more glycerin, the more water is pulled out of the under layers of the skin. It is therefore not very wise to apply pure glycerin to your skin. It can even cause blisters if left on too long. Since the water drawn from the inner layers can evaporate into the air, glycerin is mosty combined with other moisturizers, oils and/or other film-forming ingredients.

If you are a pro-amateur (a non-make up artist who want professional materials and results) and you are wondering if a mixing medium is something for you, you can try out this DIY. Take one part glycerin and three parts (boiled, then completely cooled before adding) water. Mix well. You can mix it in a bottle, or in a jar. Keep in mind that it doesn’t contain preservatives so you should only make a little at a time. This DIY should keep well for two weeks, discard any left overs. You can also make enough for just one application.

I hope you enjoyed this information and the little DIY on the end.

Until next time,

Dymphy

Read-the-Label: O.C.C. Skin Primer

Tanistates was wondering (you are always allowed to ask more questions, don’t feel shy because I love to answer them!) where she should start her primer search. To make it a bit easier, I thought it would be nice if I reviewed the ingredientlist of one of Monique’s favourites; the O.C.C. skin primer.

O.C.C. skin primer contains the following:
Deionized Water (Aqua), Vegetable-Derived Glycerin, Xanthan Gum, Chamomile (Anthemis Noblis) Extract, Comfrey Root Extract, Lemon Peel Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate

Deionized Water (Aqua) is hard to go wrong with (unless you happen to add another hydrogen which means you get hydrogenperioxide aka bleach used for bleaching your hair – don’t worry, that usually doesn’t happen, unless you force it to happen by means of a very complicated process). It is mostly used as a solvent.
Next up the list is Vegetable-Derived Glycerin, which is probably derived by fermentation of sugars. Fermentation happens to be a very posh word for “letting it rot”. Another great example of a fermented product is fish sauce. Glycerin is an excellent moisturizer, but don’t use it in it’s pure form as it will have a drying effect on skin.
Xanthan Gum is a polysaccharide (a type of sugar) and is used as a thickener in oil-in-water emulsions, to stabilize the oil droplets and it has some skin hydrating porperties. It could also be used to create a water-gel-like structure.
Chamomile (Anthemis Noblis) Extract sooths the skin, and has some anti-oxidant and anti-microbial properties.
Comfrey Root Extract has some anti-inflammating properties, but could be toxic if taken orally. This proves that not only synthetic ingredients are ‘bad’ for you. Don’t worry if you put it on your face, since the water and glycerin (the first two ingredients) make up the most of the product, so it shouldn’t give any problems.
Lemon Peel Extract is a bit of a delicate subject. Some say it is great for moisturzing and it has some anti-bacterial properties, some say it could be irritating on the skin. Combined with the Chamomille, I would give a try.
Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate and Potassium Sorbate are preservatives, which are really necessary because the sugar (Xanthan Gum) makes it ideal for bacteria and fungus to grow.

The ingredientlist is what you make of it. Personally, I would give the skin primer a try, but if you don’t like the Comfrey Root and Lemon Peel extract, it’s up to you.

Anyway, do you have any other favourite primer as a recommendation for Tanistates? Please share below in the comments!

Until next time,

Dymphy

A-Closer-Look-At: Castor Oil

Castor (seed) oil is derived from seeds of the Ricinus communis plant.

The seed is bean shaped, but doesn’t belong to the bean family.

The oil from the seeds is a colorless to pale yellow liquid with no odor or taste.The seeds contain between 40% to 60% which is rich in triglycerides (fatty acids) of which (90%) ricinolein acid is the main compononent. Other fatty acids that are present in the castor oil include oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid.

Another component of castor oil is ricin, a toxic protein. This protein is denaturated (=inactivated/destroyed) by the heating during the oil extraction process.

Castor oil can be used as an moisturizer. It has a unique property that, when dry, it forms a solid film that can have water-binding properties. That film could feel a bit sticky on skin, but it is rarely associated with skin irritation or allergic reactions. I also read (although I couldn’t confirm it) that castor oil helps stimulate the production of elastin and collagen to soften and hydrate the skin; causing wrinkles to dissapear. It could therefore also be great for combating stretch marks and acne.

Castor oil can also be used as a bathing oil. However, the oil dissolves quite poorly in water, so it needs a little soap (showergel or something alike). Otherwise it just stays on the surface of the water, instead of mixing with it. As a massage oil, castor oil has some anti-inflammation properties. It could be used to relieve the pain of arthritic joints, nerve inflammations, and sore muscles.

A funny fact to end this post with: castor oil has been used for ages to induce labor.

Until next time,

Dymph

Read-the-Label: Embryolisse Cleansing Bar

Last Friday, I looked at triticum vulgare or wheat kernel oil, which is a component of the Embryolisse Cleansing Bar, and I was curious how the bar could be made without soap.

Let me first explain what soap is. Soap is the salt of a fatty acid and is a member of the surfactants family.
Soap is made by treating vegetable of animal oils and fats (which contain three tails) with a stong base (such as sodiumhydroxide).
The saponification (I’m not making this up) takes place by hydrolyzing and breaking up the oils into seperate tails and then mixed with the base. During this proces, glycerine is produced as a by-product. The reason soaps cleanse, is that they have a polar, water-loving head that can dissolves dirt that is water-soluble. They also have an a-polar oil-loving tail, that dissolves dirt that is soluble in oil. The reason why soap makes your skin feel dry is because while it’s cleansing, it will also wash away the natural oils (or sebum) on your skin.

So, I was quite interested in how the no-soap bar works and what the ingredients are.

Disodium lauryl sulfosuccinate, sodium coco sulfate, triticum vulgare, cetearyl alcohol, paraffin, aqua, parfum, titanium dioxide.

On first glance, I see a sulfate. I’m not sure whether or not a sulfate is considered soap. There is also some paraffin and cetearyl alcohol to moisturize the skin. There is some water added, but not much.

Disodium lauryl sulfosuccinate is a surfactant and it is a salt of a lauryl alcohol half ester of sulfosuccinic acid. So technically (as in, the chemical definition of soap), there is some soap in this cleansing bar. However, it’s emulsifying/cleansing properties are likely much less, so the skin doesn’t get stripped of all it’s sebum.

Sodium coco sulfate is a surfactant as well as the disodium lauryl sulfosuccinate. It is the less irritating version of Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. The difference of sodium coco sulfate and sodium lauryl sulfate is the degree of purification. Purified coconut oil makes sodium lauryl sulfate, unpurified coconut oil makes sodium coco sulfate. However, sodium coco sulfate doesn’t foam as well and will vary depending on the quality of the coconut crops harvested in a particular year.

So, is there soap in this bar? Well, there are no ‘traditional’ soap components, but there are some surfactants that could be classified as soap.

However, there are just two components that are classified as soap (and they do make up most of the product), but after that, the good stuff comes. For instance, Triticum Vulgare, or Wheat kernel oil, an oil with a lot of good fatty acids and vitamin E to moisturize the skin.

There is also Cetearyl alcohol, known as the “good alcohol”, one of the small group of alcohols that moisturize the skin instead of making it feel dry. It is derived from coconut oil or can be made synthetically. It is basically a mixture of fatty acid alcohols.

Paraffin is a bit of a underdog lately. It is actually an alkaline (get it? fatty acids + alkaline makes soap!) and could be used as a thickener. It won’t clog pores, because the formula will wash away during cleansing. Then there is Aqua, water; always good and Parfum. Parfum is in the formula to make the product smell nice.

Titanium Dioxide It is only used in a concentration of 1% or less, so we can safely assume that it is used to give the product it’s white color (and not to provide SPF, since it is used in a such a low concentration and will wash away during cleaning). (~could also be used as a thickening agent ~Monique) Oh, and lately I have heard that titanium dioxide is a natural compound and not a chemical. Please keep it in mind that every substance is a chemical, whether it would be water, plastic or titanium dioxide. So, a “chemical free” sunscreen claim is not correct.

So, from the ingredientlist I can conclude that there is actually soap in the no soap bar. However, the used ingredients provide for a less irritating formula than traditional soap and might be worth a try.

Until next time,

Dymphy

A-Closer-Look-At: Triticum Vulgare

I browsed through the Promakeupstore website and I clicked on the Embryolisse Cleansing Bar. First I thought that it was a soap bar, so I was curious whether or not the ingredients would be listed (contrary to regular cosmetics this isn’t obligatory for soap bars). Then, I actually discovered that the bar was soap free. So, I quickly scanned the ingredient lists, and saw Triticum Vulgare listed. The name made me curious, what is this ingredient?So, Triticum Vulgare, otherwise known as Wheat germ, Octacosanol, Octacosanol concentrate, Octa cosyl alcohol, Polycosanol, Isopolicosanol, Ateromixol is a grain.

In the Embryolisse Cleansing Bar, the oil is used. It is extracted from the kernel of the grain

It is a light yellow or reddish oil. The oil contains octacosanol and policosanol(long, saturateded alcohols which are good for the body) , the fatty acids linoleic acid (omega-6 and omega-3), palmitic acid, oleic acid and vitamin E. It is no surprise that the wheat kernel oil is used as a moisturizer. Scientist believe that it is the vitamin E that benefits the skin the most.

It is also used in the treatment of exzema, dry or irritated skin, wrinkled skin, scars and hair. However, it isn’t very wise to put pure wheat oil on your face. The oil has a drying effect on skin. If you do want to DIY with it, try an oil blend of a maximum of up to 10-15% of wheat kernel oil.

Is the oil all safe? No, people allergic to wheat or with Celiac’s disease (there is a difference between allergy and intolerance such as Celica disease) should avoid it.
Wheat kernel oil can also be taken as a supplement, but you should make sure that it doesn’t interfere with your medication. For instance, octacosanol may interfere with the Parkinson’s drug Levodopa. Policosanol may thin the blood slightly and thus should be avoided by people with potential bleeding disorders and who are taking blood-thinning drugs such as Asperin and Warfarin (Coumadin).

Until next time,

Dymphy

A Closer Look At: Acrylates

Acrylates (methyl methacrylate, poly(methyl methacrylate) )

I was curious what methyl methacrylate and poly(methyl methacrylate) were doing in a foundation. So, I dove deeper into the acrylates as subject of today. Please bear with me until the end when I try to make “an educated guess” about the use of these acrylates in beauty.

Last Tuesday, I wrote about acrylamide, bisacrylamide and polyacrylamide. Acrylamide and bisacrylamide are used to create polyacrylamide for a technique calles SDS-PAGE (sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis). It is an example of an acrylate, because the acrylamide and bisacrylamide form bonds to create the polymer, resulting in a sponge like texture. This technique is mainly used to study and seperate proteins based on weight. Acrylamide is a neuro-toxin (it gets on your nerves – literaly) so you never want to touch it with your bare hands. Although the gel should be used with caution, it is still the golden standard in the research fields.

But now we are going to take a look at methyl methacrylate and poly(methyl methacrylate). Both substances are acrylates. To give you a clear understanding: poly(methyl methacrylate) is mostly refered to as plexiglass.

Poly(methyl methacrylate) is made from methyl methacrylate. Because manufacturers can never guarantee that all the methyl methacrylate has reacted and ‘changed’ itself to poly(methyl methacrylate), they have to list the ingredient as well. The red dots in the picture above indicates the place where the double bond between two carbon atoms (indicated by = ) opens, and creates another bond with a carbon atom from another methyl methacrylate molecule.

Methyl methacrylate is mostly used in total hip and knee replacements. It is used as the “glue” to fix the bone insterts to the bone. It reduces the post-operative pain, but it has a finite lifespan of about 20 years. Therefore, methacrylate is mostly used for the elderly (in younger patiënts, cementless inserts are used).

Poly(methyl methacrylate) is known as plexiglass, lucite, optix and perspex (depending on the manufacturer). It is used as a glass substitute in for instance, those huge aquariums in a zoo, because it can withstand the pressure of the water more easily than glass. Other uses include medical implants and plastic optical fibers (like the cable which you might use to connect your computer with the internet).

It is not surprising that poly(methyl methacrylate) might be used in nailpolish, because nailpolish consist of polymers to make a thin and yet durable layer (although that is a point of discussion – Chanel, with high prices, never seems to last an entire day on my nails).  Also, acrylates are used in hair gel or wax, as a fixative.
But what could it’s purpose be in a foundation or a concealer?

The most logical thing that I’ve come across are the acrylic paints. Acrylic paint is an pigment suspension in an acrylic polymer emulsion. Acrylic paints can be diluted with water, and become water-resistant when dry. Depending on the amount of dilution (the amount of water added) or modified, the finished painting can resemble a watercolor or an oil painting.

Although I wasn’t the best one in art class (my art teacher advised me not to pursue a career in art), I do remember that acrylic paints didn’t have a cream consistency like the Ben Nye foundation or concealer I reviewed last week. However, it is possible that the acrylates in that product provide a water resistant film, or at least makes sure that the product is waterproof. Since the foundation is for oily/combined skin, it could cause some trouble: the oil of the skin (sebum) can’t go anywhere because of the film and perhaps clog pores and cause pimples. My advise would be to thoroughly clean your face after using the products, perhaps even with a waterproof makeup cleanser.

However, you shouldn’t be worried about the safety of the product. A few atoms more or less can make a huge difference in the world of chemistry.

I hope this article is clear and it answers your questions (I had some myself as well), otherwise there’s always the comment box below to ask one.

Until next time,

Dymphy