Compass: For the Love of Formulating
By: Rachel L. Chapman, Cosmetics & Toiletries
Posted: February 1, 2007, from the February 2007 issue of Cosmetics & Toiletries.
Juliet is the sun, according to Shakespeare’s Romeo, who also tells us that a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. He might have agreed that it also would look as beautiful—and as the adage goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Beauty also is said to only be skin deep, and to come from within.
It seems to be fitting to tie together the well-known natural symbol of love—the rose—with the idea of beauty during the same month as St. Valentine’s Day. This issue of Cosmetics & Toiletries magazine looks at several of the elements described by this historic play—the sun, the rose, nature and love.
The sun: Juliet may have been the sun in Romeo’s eyes, but at that time she probably did not know the importance of UVA protection. Recent studies have focused toward the effects of UVA on the skin. In Wakefield et al.’s, “UVA Skin Protection: Issues and New Developments,” the authors consider the instability of commonly used UV-absorbing components and describe how new materials allow better protection against UVA exposure over extended periods of use.
As a special premiere in this issue, Robert Holtz’s new testing column, “Testing Tactics,” also focuses on the sun and describes, “In Vitro Methods to Test Materials for UV Protective Capabilities.”
The rose: Cosmetics & Toiletries magazine strays from strictly topical applications of the past with an article focused on the beauty-from-within concept. “Systemic Evening Primrose Oil for Irritated Skin Care,” by Reto Muggli, PhD, examines the effects of orally administered evening primrose oil on various skin parameters. The results recommend evening primrose oil for supplemental beauty care.