Compounds in cosmetics such as phthalates and parabens have often been subject to concerns around their use, but the issue of cosmetic ingredient safety is rarely a black and white one. The latest edition of Periodic Graphics in C&EN summarises some of the evidence surrounding these components to give a balanced picture of how concerned we should be. Click to view the full graphic on the C&EN site.
A lot of people have tattoos: an estimated 12% of Europeans and 24% of Americans. What’s in tattoo ink, and how are different coloured tattoos produced? This graphic for National Tattoo Day (July 17) takes a look.
The Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha started on Sunday evening and runs through until Thursday. As part of the celebrations, some create impressively intricate art on their hands using henna. Here we take a look at the molecules in henna that allow it to be used as a dye, and how this process works.
Soap and body wash both clean in the same way – but us different substances to do it. This graphic takes a…
Painting your nails with nail polish might not seem like a particularly complex chemical process, but there’s much more to it than meets the eye. Polymerisation, thixotropic agents, solvents and thermochromism are all terms you might expect to hear more frequently in a lab than in a nail salon, but they can all crop up in relation to nail polish. In this graphic and article, we take a look at the different chemistry that comes together to colour your nails.
This month’s edition of Periodic Graphics in C&EN takes a look at the science behind anti-aging creams – what compounds are found in them, and is there any proof that they can reverse the ravages of time on your skin? Click through the C&EN site to see the full graphic!
