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.
Category: Cosmetic Chemistry
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The chemistry of henna
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 look at the chemical similarities and differences. View the full graphic on the C&EN site. Also, check out the article the graphic accompanies, which looks at the chemistry of solid body washes!
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 […]
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!
Deodorants and antiperspirants are products that the majority of us make use of everyday. The two terms aren’t interchangeable, however; there is a difference in the manner in which they act to reduce body odour. Today’s graphic is a collaboration with ACS Reactions looking at the chemical compounds that allow each to do their job; […]