Raw materials

A wide range of chemical and natural materials is used in the formulation of cosmetic and toiletry preparations. It is outside the scope of this book to give a complete overview, therefore only those materials of primary importance will be stressed. This chapter deals with the basic raw materials for the production of hair-, skin- and oral-care products. It does not include special additives such as herbal extracts, nor raw materials, such as pigments, for decorative cosmetics. An overview of herbal extracts is given by Nowak.

The materials described are Iisted by application rather than by chemical classification, which is difficult to follow. This means that some products are described twice. for example the alkyl sulfates as basic surfactants and as oil-in-water emulsifiers, but makes it easier to provide an overview of a specific field and, allows the direct comparison of possible ingredients. For each material, the chemical pathway of production and special precautions regarding stability and compatibility with other ingredients are also described.