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Understanding the Chemicals Used in Nail Care
The odor of a nail salon makes it obvious that chemicals are at play in beautifying or strengthening nails. But what causes that odor? How can colors be so bright? What makes nails healthier? Personal care raw ingredients supplier Bell Chem is here to answer those questions and more.
What is in your nail polish?
A chemical breakdown of nail polish typically reveals a nitrocellulose polymer dissolved in either ethyl acetate or butyl acetate with a plasticizer (typically phthalates) added for durability. When the polish comes into contact with the nail and is subjected to oxygenated air, the solvent evaporates and the polymer adheres to the nail.
Gel nail polish
With a different concoction from conventional nail polish, gel polish consists of methacrylate compounds and photo initiating compounds, including benzoyl peroxide. Gel nail polishes are brushed on in layers, then dried under an ultraviolet light. The UV light begins a polymerization process with an end result of a solidly-fused polish.
Colors
The stunning and sometimes startling colors in nail polish are generally organic or inorganic pigments. Inorganic pigments include:
Chromium oxide – green tints
Ferric ferrocyanide – blue tints
Iron oxide – red and orange tints.
Organic pigments come in a vast array – such as beta carotene for orange - and are similar to the chemicals responsible for food colors.
Glitter nail polish is the result of mica, and pearlescence is due to titanium dioxide. Other showy nail polishes contain:
Light-sensitive (photochromic) compounds containing spiropyrans and spirooxazines show a structural alteration with exposure to ultraviolet rays.
Temperature-sensitive (thermochromic) compounds known as leucodyes with solvents with low melting points as well as acids. When temperatures decrease, the color retains its natural hue. When temperatures increase, the molecules are farther apart and not able to react with one another and the color fades.
Nail Hardeners and Polishes
Many nail polishes contain hardeners to give nails durability as well as shine. Typically the chemical used in this process is formaldehyde, although it may be listed as methylene glycol or formalin on the label. Formaldehyde bonds to naturally occurring keratin in the nails, giving greater strength to the nails.
An alternative to formaldehyde’s hardening properties is a nail coating, such as toluene sulfonamide/formaldehyde resin, or TSFR. Along with resins, TSFR also aids in adhesion of polish, adds shine, and maintains the correct viscosity to polish.
Preservatives
Preventing contamination due to bacterial, yeast, or fungal growth is vitally important in nail products. Preservatives such as parabens and formaldehyde carry out these important functions.
Nail Polish Remover
As any home nail polish tech knows, acetone is essential for those who wish to remove nail polish once it begins to crack or wear off. This chemical also has the ability to remove nail glue, making it a versatile nail solution.
Bell Chem is a personal care raw ingredients supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse, including nail care chemicals. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.
How Personal Care Product Chemicals Promote Healthy Teeth and Gums
Personal care products tend to bring to mind materials designed to enhance the way an individual looks or feels. Only a few categorically improve health as personal care product chemicals formulated for oral care do. Bell Chem highlights some of the chemicals it stocks to protect the health of gums and teeth.
Fluoride, calcium, and phosphate
If only one chemical was part of dental care, the majority of dentists would choose fluoride. Before fluoride was added to drinking water beginning in 1945 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the sheer number of cavities in the general population’s teeth flourished. When fluoride was researched and adjusted to perfectly control the small amount necessary to prevent cavities in both children and adults, it was determined the ultimate method of dispersal was community water fluoridation. When water fluoridation became the norm across the United States, the amount of severe tooth pain, unnecessary extractions of permanent teeth, and a tremendous amount of fillings fell dramatically. It has been estimated that fluoride alone accounts for a 25% reduction of oral cavities.
Calcium and phosphate are both good for bones and teeth, which are chemically different from each other. Both calcium and phosphate are positively charged ions that interact with acidic compounds. This is extremely important in oral care because acids, such as those consumed in dark soft drinks and citrus drinks, can rapidly break down the enamel protecting the sensitive interior of teeth. Thinner enamel leads to fissures and chips in teeth where bacteria lurk. As the bacteria consume the same foods the mouth consumes, their acidic waste products erode teeth and cause dental caries and may lead to infection. Even worse, the human body is incapable of repairing any oral damage; the only alternative is to secure the hole with a filling that can withstand the pressure of mastication.
Gum disease prevention
Most dental patients worry about their teeth, but the gums are extremely important in oral care. Gum disease (often gingivitis) can easily lead to tooth loss and is often unnoticed since bacteria lurk below the gum line out of sight. Small pockets at the base of teeth enlarge and bacteria enter, breaking down and giving off acidic waste products. The diseased tissue eventually dies and falls away from the teeth and more bacteria enter the larger space. This feedback loop eventually causes the teeth to loosen or fall out.
The addition of the personal care product chemicals fluoride, calcium, and phosphate in oral care products has significantly improved oral health around the world. Bell Chem has hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse, including oral health chemicals. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.
Guar Gum in Cosmetic and Hair Care Products
Guar gum (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba) is not a gum or sap at all; instead, it is the seed from the guar plant. Guar gum is an elongated, fibrous chain of bonded carbohydrate molecules composed of galactose and mannose.
Guar gum – also referred to as guaran – is renowned for its viscosity and many manufacturers use it for its binding and thickening ability. Personal care raw ingredient supplier Bell Chem wants you to learn how to incorporate guar gum into your cosmetic and hair care products.
Guar gum in hair care products
The thickening power of guar gum is evident in hair care products. Guar gum thoroughly coats individual hairs in a transparent sheen, leaving a fuller, silkier appearance. This coating serves a second function: it strengthens the hair and protects it from breakage and split ends. Exposure to sun and wind can dry hair, but guar gum protects hair by sealing in moisture. In winter’s dry months, guar gum also protects against frizzy and staticy hair. Unmanageable hair is tamed with guar gum.
Guar gum in cosmetics
Another property in guar gum is its ability to suspend other particles within a mixture, giving a similar amount of each ingredient with every use, such as in toothpaste. Toothpaste tubes generally have little residue once they are used because guar gum resists adherence to the inside of the tube as it aids in easing paste out in measured doses. Add to this guar gum’s natural whitening power, it is no wonder so many manufacturers add guar gum to their toothpastes.
When mixed with either hot or cold water, guar gum powder bonds with water molecules to form a versatile paste. Depending on the use, guar gum can be mixed with a small amount of water for a viscous mixture, such as a face mask, or with a larger amount of water, such as in a shampoo.
As a skincare ingredient, guar gum seals in moisture and allows skin cells to link closely together. In shaving creams and gels, guar gum decreases friction, giving a smoother, closer shave. It also acts as a surfactant in soaps and shaving creams, producing suds for a better clean as it whisks away debris and grime.
Guar gum goodness
With the push for natural, organic ingredients, guar gum is a star contender. Its gentle formula is hypoallergenic and gentle enough for almost any use.
Need more convincing? Guar gum is also reported to extend the shelf life of the products in which it is an ingredient.
Bell Chem is a personal care raw ingredient supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse, including guar gum. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.
Understanding the Use of Preservatives in Personal Care Products
When most consumers think of preservatives, their mind wanders to packaged foods, not personal care products. Why would manufacturers add preservatives to skin care? Bell Chem, your personal care ingredient supplier, wishes to share information on the uses and reasons preservatives are a vital ingredient in the majority of personal care products.
Why do personal care products need preservatives?
Water-based products have an Achilles’ heel. Kept in a room-temperature environment in a stagnant container, water-borne bacteria, fungi, mold, and other microorganisms quickly multiply. Think about where you use the majority of your personal care products – the steamy, damp bathroom. This exacerbates an already perilous situation. The answer is preservatives to stanch the microbial growth. Knowing this, the only personal care products exempt from the necessity of preservatives are anhydrous products. Even these are not entirely safe since water can be introduced via wet hands or a steamy bathroom, which invites bacterial growth.
Over time, many ingredients within products begin to break down, which can diminish the usefulness of a product. Preservatives act to stabilize those ingredients, which enhances the product’s ability to last a longer amount of time.
What’s in a name?
Recently many consumers have opted out of products containing a long list of chemical-sounding ingredients, and sometimes preservatives are those very words. However, not all preservatives are artificial. Take, for instance, honey. This innocuous ingredient is a preservative since it extends shelf life of products as it deters microbial growth.
Natural preservatives
Glycerin, essential oils, and alcohols are all considered natural preservatives. Their advantages are abundant – they can be used by most of the population, including young children and older adults, and deliver peace of mind to the end user. However, they may alter a product’s smell or performance and increase the cost of production since often up to 30% of the product could consist of preservatives. This cost is passed on to the consumer as a higher price than chemical preservatives.
Chemical preservatives
Noted for their ease of production, chemical preservatives keep products free of contaminants even in your bathroom. These preservatives are stable, predictable, sanitary, and have been tested thoroughly to allay most allergic reactions. Benzyl alcohol, ethylene glycol, and potassium sorbate are all examples of chemical preservatives you can trust.
Bell Chem is your personal care ingredient supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse, including preservatives for personal care products. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.
Why Ascorbic Acid is Found in Skin Care Products
Look at the ingredient list in many skin care products and ascorbic acid is likely to be included. What causes so many manufacturers to reach for ascorbic acid when creating their products? Personal care raw materials supplier Bell Chem has several facts to share about ascorbic acid.
Many people interchange the words “ascorbic acid” and “vitamin C”; in fact, vitamin C comes in many forms, but ascorbic acid is its purest form. For anyone worried about using ascorbic acid, rest assured. More dermatological research has been conducted on this chemical than on any other. The following attributes have been credited with using ascorbic acid.
Oxidative stress reduction
Free radicals are often the culprit in many of skin’s anomalies, such as damage to nucleic acids, proteins, and cellular membranes. Ascorbic acid’s excess of electrons in its outer shell quickly adhere to free radicals, keeping them at bay. Free radicals stimulate a chain reaction of events leading to breakdowns of collagen, which keeps skin soft and supple, and elastin, which increases the elasticity of skin’s appearance. When free radicals are inert, these changes are less likely to occur because the connective tissues remain intact.
Photoprotection
The addition of ascorbic acid to sunscreen enhances its ability to protect against UV rays. The same free radicals as mentioned previously are activated by UVA rays, which affect the underlying dermis by mutating collagen, elastin, and proteoglycans; and UVB rays, which primarily affect the epidermis where mutations can lead to sunburn and skin cancer.
Alone, sunscreens block approximately 55% of free radicals associated with UV exposure. With ascorbic acid as an ingredient, the propensity to block harmful UV rays reduces erythema by 52% and sunburn cell formation by approximately 50%.
Removal of skin discoloration
Ascorbic acid inhibits melanin formation, which is responsible for freckles and other patches of skin discoloration.
Bell Chem is a personal care raw materials supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse, including ascorbic acid. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.
Understanding the Uses of Polysorbates in Personal Care Products
Polysorbates come in a variety of strengths – 80, 60, and 20, depending on the mols of ethylene oxide present – and your personal care raw material supplier Bell Chem ensures you have access to all three for your personal care product creation business.
Polysorbate 80
Polysorbate 80 is renowned for its role in improving the feel of cosmetics. This multi-use fatty acid derived from oleic acid is an emulsifier and a surfactant. Both these properties smooth the feel of skin care products, allowing all ingredients to blend thoroughly and spread easily. How is this accomplished, though?
Surfactants lower the surface tension of a liquid or solid, which causes the items that would normally not mix well, such as water and oil, to thoroughly combine. However, this combination will not last when the product is not shaken. To remedy this, an emulsifier is added. This double duty of polysorbate 80 allows cleansers in which it is an ingredient to suspend the skin’s surface debris and oils, safely lifting them from the epidermis before washing them away.
Polysorbate 80 is visually recognizable from other polysorbates since it presents as a viscous yellow liquid.
Polysorbate 60
If your product relies on foam and aeration, your answer is polysorbate 60. You can find this versatile emulsifier and surfactant in gels, shaving cream, and foam cleansers. All the properties of polysorbate 80 are similar for this version of the polysorbate family.
Polysorbate 20
Derived from sorbitol, a medium-chain triglyceride originally discovered in apples, peaches, and pears, polysorbate 20 is a cleansing agent, emulsifier, fragrance enhancer, and surfactant. Its reduced amount of ethylene oxide appears to be more gentle to the skin.
Unlike polysorbate 80, many personal care manufacturers add polysorbate 20 to their products for another reason: scent. The source of this aroma is its derivation from fruit, and the addition of this ingredient enhances any product’s scent.
Polysorbate 20 is recognized as a clear to light yellow viscous liquid. The clarity of polysorbate 20 gives it a lighter appearance, which many manufacturers favor while the viscosity stabilizes the product at a greater range of temperatures.
You will find polysorbates in facial creams, lotions and balms, hairspray, and sunscreen.
Bell Chem is a personal care raw material supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse, including polysorbate 80, 60, and 20. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.
6 Key Benefits of Malic Acid for Skin Care
The name malic acid hardly sounds like a chemical you would like to add to your skincare routine, but malic acid has the potential to improve skin texture and appearance. Personal care chemical supplier Bell Chem ensures malic acid is on hand to ship to you today.
As its backstory, malic acid’s name is derived from the Latin word malum, or “apple.” It’s the tart flavor imparted when you crunch into a juicy apple or drink a slightly acidic wine. Malic acid is a member of the alpha hydroxy-acid (AHA) family, which is renowned for its exfoliation ability.
Exfoliation
As an AHA, malic acid breaks the connection between cells on the epidermis. This relaxation between dead skin cells and their living neighbors stimulates exfoliation. As the dead skin cells flake away, newer – and more radiant – skin shines through.
Acne prevention
Acne is caused by the blockage of dead skin cells inside the skin’s pores. As the pores fill with sebum, the sebum is not able to be naturally released. This causes blackheads and bacterial infections, which can exacerbate breakouts. The exfoliating function of malic acid lifts away the dead skin cells and releases the underlying sebum so it can properly protect the epidermis.
As a humectant
Malic acid has the ability to attract water from deeper layers of the body’s skin or directly from the atmosphere. As water is drawn toward the epidermis, the overall feeling of dryness disappears and the skin feels rejuvenated.
Patients diagnosed with eczema or other skin disorders may find malic acid a simple treatment, not only because it is a humectant, but also because it retains moisture within the skin. This leads to less itchy and irritated skin.
pH balance
Many chemicals used in cosmetics only react under specific pH controls. If the product is too basic, the addition of malic acid balances the compound to allow the chemicals to react properly
Collagen rejuvenation
Dr. Annie Chiu, founder of the Derm Institute in California, states that higher concentrations of malic acid penetrate the dermis and stimulate collagen production. This vital protein is responsible for the creation and repair of cells, including skin cells. As the body ages, the amount of collagen decreases. Adding malic acid to the skin routine can strengthen skin texture, removing fine lines and wrinkles.
Gentle enough for all skin types
Although it is an acid, malic acid is so gentle almost any skin type can safely utilize it. The molecular size of malic acid is larger than other AHAs, which means it is less likely to penetrate deeply beneath the surface.
Bell Chem is your personal care chemical supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse, including malic acid. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.
How Gums are Used in Personal Care Products
Gum in a personal care product? It seems contradictory – wouldn’t that solidify a free-flowing powder? However, a variety of gums are regularly added into personal care products. Learn how gums are valuable assets to skin care manufacturers and how you can benefit from one from the vast inventory of the personal care chemical supplier, Bell Chem.
Xanthan gum
In personal care products, xanthan gum reigns supreme as a multi-purpose tool. It improves the consistency of gels and serums and stabilizes oil and water combinations as an emulsifier. Because xanthan gum is extremely affordable and easy to source, many manufacturers turn to it before all other gums. Xanthan gum can be used in a wide pH range and is stable in cold- or hot-processed products. Xanthan gum works well with anionic and nonionic ingredients.
Locust bean gum
As the name describes, locust bean gum is harvested from plants and is therefore considered vegan. Added to creams, gels, and lotions for hair and skin, locust bean gum has a very good gelling capacity.
Guar gum
A thickener derived from the Cyamopsis tetragonolobus legume, guar gum hydrates in warm or cold water to produce a thick gel. Its consistency changes to stringy when used alone, but in conjunction with xanthan gum, the product becomes highly viscous. Since it does not carry a charge, guar gum can be used with ingredients of any ionic charge.
Arabic (acacia) gum
While arabic gum is not ideal as a thickener, it is an excellent stabilizer and emulsifier, interacting primarily with lipids. Its other positive attribute is the silky feel it imparts to skin products. For any products that change the skin’s color, arabic gum acts as a film that allows pigments within the foundation to adhere to the skin.
Tragacanth (trag) gum
Traditionally manufactured from the sap of plants, vegan tragacanth gum is used in shampoo, where it may promote hair growth. As an emulsifier, you often see tragacanth gum added to lotions and creams. When compared to arabic gum, only half the amount of tragacanth gum is necessary for similar results.
Bell Chem is a personal care chemical supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse, including triethanolamine. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.
Triethanolamine Uses in Skin Care Products
In case you have not noted the ingredient “triethanolamine” on labels of skin care products in the past, Bell Chem, your trusted personal care chemical supplier, wishes to give you a little background information on this fantastic ingredient and how it can positively impact many of your skin care products. As a liquid, triethanolamine is clear, colorless, and viscous. It is considered a “non-active” ingredient since it does not impact the human body; however, it significantly changes the chemistry of the other chemicals it comes into contact with.
Emulsifier
Adding triethanolamine as an ingredient allows chemical bonds to change, which means fluids not easily mixed can be thoroughly processed into one main product. Thinking of an oil and water salad dressing, adding triethanolamine causes the immiscible ingredients to mix thoroughly and homogeneously without the need for shaking the container before every use.
pH adjuster
Triethanolamine has been found to work well with acidic compounds, bringing their pH down to a level safe for sensitive skin. However, it works in the opposite direction as well, stabilizing higher pH levels to more acceptable skin care levels.
Stabilizer
Creating a creamy texture for a shaving cream or gel that lasts every time it is used is difficult unless triethanolamine is present to stabilize the mixture to ensure its shelf life is extended.
Surfactant
Triethanolamine decreases a liquid’s surface tension, giving it the ability to blend more easily with another liquid, or even a solid or gas.
Thickener
When viscous triethanolamine is added to a product, it adds body and density to the formula’s feel. This factor solidifies triethanolamine’s inclusion in hand sanitizer, sunscreen, lotions, and ear drops to provide a better consistency.
Bell Chem is a personal care chemical supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse, including triethanolamine. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.
Malic Acid and its Potential Benefits
Malic acid may be, as the name applies, acidic as well as sour, but these properties add to its charm. With benefits ranging from skin care to dry mouth assistance, your USP ingredient supplier Bell Chem knows this ingredient should be a staple in your business.
Cosmetics
Malic acid works wonders on your complexion as it sloughs away dead skin cells on the surface of the epidermis by breaking the bonds between cells. This makes it ideal for many individuals who suffer with acne or older folks who wish to revitalize their skin. Your cells are built and maintained by the protein collagen, which gives skin more support and flexibility. As we age, collagen is not as abundant, which causes wrinkles and loss of elasticity. Malic acid stimulates collagen production.
It has also shown to help those with skin disorders. Melasma is a disorder characterized by areas of more darkly pigmented skin. A 2013 study determined repeated applications of vitamin C and malic acid lightened areas of melasma as long as the regimen lasted. However, the benefits go beyond anti-aging and skin healing properties. Malic acid is often an ingredient in shampoos, nail treatments, and lotions since it acts as a humectant by keeping skin, nails, and hair hydrated and supple.
Medicine
Medical professionals often prescribe malic acid as a spray or lozenge since its pungent flavor activates taste buds, causing salivation in those patients who suffer from dry mouth. For patients with a propensity to kidney stones, malic acid is often prescribed since it is the precursor to citrate, which may prevent the formation and growth of kidney stones as it increases the pH of urine. Malic acid also catalyzes important minerals, such as calcium and magnesium. When the mineral and malic acid are attached, the mineral is more easily absorbed.
Energy levels may also be improved with the addition of malic acid in the diet, since it is a key component in the Krebs cycle, a body process that creates energy. Athletes likewise benefit from malic acid as they train since it increases energy endurance levels. Creatine, long associated with elite athletic training, is more quickly absorbed by the body’s tissues when taken with malic acid. A 2015 study noted sprinters taking the malic acid/creatine supplements had increased peak power, body composition, growth hormone levels, and total work while long distance runners increased overall distance run.
Foods and Beverages
The tangy kick of malic acid is frequently used as a food flavoring, especially in extremely sour candies. As an acid, malic acid prevents the oxidation of foods, maintaining their fresh appearance longer. Malic acid’s acidity also proves to be antimicrobial. Both these factors increase the shelf life of products.
The secret ingredient in low-calorie beverages is malic acid since the intense fruity flavor stimulates the brain into believing the drink is sweeter than it truly is. In fact, 51% of all malic acid used industry wide is in beverages.
Bell Chem is a sanitation chemical supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse, including malic acid. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.