Chelsey V.

McCready

Mr. Smith, Mr. Berry

Contemporary Lit, Engineering

31 March 31, 2010

Chelsey McCready

Spring 2010

Darling Beauty & You

Overview of the Company

You’d never see me without at least a minimal amount of

make-up on my face! Essentially you’re never seeing the real me

underneath the layers of foundation, blush, and mascara… nearly all

American women apply the slightest bit of make-up before venturing

outside for the world to see. However as the market and science of

chemical engineering behind cosmetics changes and consumers

become more conscious of what exactly they’re putting on their skin

and letting soak into their bodies, many women are abandoning the
 2

generic brands and switching over to organic cosmetics. The rapid

growth of the organic cosmetic industry creates the opportune market

for a company like Darling Beauty & Cosmetics, with the high demand

for one-hundred percent naturally made cosmetics it is likely that this

company will succeed greatly. Our company’s objective is to create a

toxin free cosmetic line that women can use without worrying about

the adverse reactions and chemicals that go along with traditional

cosmetics.

That being said, Darling Beauty & Cosmetics has worked to

overcome the challenges that are present when creating beauty

products, to bring consumers a line of products that will leave them

feeling beautiful and rejuvenated after usage. With an in depth study

of the world of cosmetics, insight on the field of chemical engineering,

along with the help of scientific mentors, our company thus far has

concocted several products with hopes of expanding the amount and

variety of our current line. While it is true that there are already

established organic beauty lines (1), our company believes that it is

capable of surpassing these brands in the ever changing and

fluctuating market of cosmetics. We are working to assure that our

products have been more carefully crafted than those that have been
 3

fabricated in a factory, by putting in the hours and woman power to

hand-make each and every product, albeit with the help of nature.

History of Chemical Engineering and Cosmetics

Dating back to 10,000 BC… the Egyptians used the fragrant

flowers and herbs that were indigenous to their lands as scents to

mask their often times unpleasant "personal odor", in 4,000 BC, a

compound of ash, copper, lead, and burnt almonds called "kohl" was

used to trace the eyes and accentuate them. Rice powders, egg

whites, chalk, and white lead used as a face whitener (foundation)

became popular throughout the next several thousand years, berries

were used as cheek stains, and animal fats and blood were used to

create a nail varnish. The pale skinned look was popular with women

until 1920, when Coco Chanel sported sun kissed tan skin, red lips, and

dramatic eye make-up (2). The faces of cosmetics, creativity, and

women changed with the times and depended upon what was readily

available for use. The year 1960 was the year that cosmetics of a more

natural variety were introduced, with botanical ingredients and

essential oils becoming prevalent in a woman's beauty cabinet.

 4

Over a course of six centuries, cosmetics made many

advancements... but that is not to say that there have been no set

backs in the beauty that is make-up. The use of cosmetics of any

variety can be noted in almost every single culture and historically

significant time period, ranging from the kohl eye liner used by Queen

Nefertiti to the white facial paint used to adorn a Geisha's face... the

history of cosmetics is as rich and thick as its products. Early historical

records and artifacts show that most early cosmetic products were

made with natural ingredients, such as soot or berries that were

crushed to make a paste that was then applied to a face to somehow

alter it. However, studies have found that numerous amounts of lethal

toxins and chemicals such as lead, arsenic, and mercury were used in

most mainstream cosmetics used by women all around the world

throughout history. The use of these dangerous materials became

prevalent over time but as the standards of what was socially

acceptable for a woman to wear on her face changed, the world of

make-up did too. Along with the ever changing styles from a pale face

with dark lips to rosy cheeks with fresh looking eyes, new products

were developed at first by common folk and eventually by people with

an education in the fields of chemical engineering and cosmetic

 5

sciences…

Chemical engineers can work with anything ranging from

microchips to potato chips, or in this case, cosmetics. They are

responsible for research and design as well as development,

production, technical sales, and management of anything involving

chemicals. The art of chemical engineering when it comes to cosmetics

is that it is truly about transformation and synthesizing materials and

turning them into something much more valuable than their original

substance's state. At the turn of the 19 century, university courses

th

and lectures about the disciplines of the newly booming chemical

industry spread through the eastern hemisphere, the news traveled

overseas to one of America’s most established engineering institutes,

MIT (3). Chemical professor, Lewis M. Norton, created Course X in

1888, which was the world’s first four year chemical engineering

curriculum offered to MIT attendants. Eventually the Department of

Chemistry allowed participants of the curriculum to receive their

Bachelor’s degrees in Chemical Engineering, which was the first of its

kind to ever be received. As the field developed, chemical engineering

became a legitimate engineering discipline to undertake… the field

took off, textbooks were created and published, chemical engineering

 6

as a profession was distinguished, and the ability to earn a Ph.D. in the

field was finally possible.

Current State of Cosmetics and Chemical

Engineering

Presently the world of cosmetics has been overcome by the rapid

increase of the need for “green” (eco-friendly or natural) products, the

cosmetic industry is booming despite an economic downturn and

almost every name brand is working some form of a “green” product

into their new lines.

Chemical engineering is currently one of the top paying fields of

engineering, the top three schools that feature chemical engineering

are Cooper Union, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, and Rowan

University. Most students majoring in chemical engineering obtain a

master’s degree or doctoral degree which can take between six and

eight years. Students spend the first two years in math and science

classes and then move on to advanced chemistry classes. While some

engineers obtain a professional certificate, many prefer the support of

organizations such as the American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

 7

An Analysis of the Problem

The error in the ways of a generic cosmetic company is that their

products are not FDA approved, for the most part. Almost ninety

percent of make-up contains at least one or more ingredients that

have not been FDA approved for safety, consumers assume that

because a product is on a shelf, that it is safe for use.

• Food and Drug Administration Regulations or Lack

Thereof

The regulations of organic cosmetic products is not necessary by the

FDA (Food & Drug Administration) unless a product has been called to

attention, giving companies the leeway to claim their products are

organic when in reality they are not. In fact, the FDA does not regulate

most cosmetics, as they do not require cosmetic companies to be

subjected to regulating. It is not uncommon for most cosmetics that

are available for consumption, to not even have been tested or

approved by the FDA... it seems that a company could produce a

product, lipstick for example, mass market it to consumers as being

"natural" and "long lasting", and get away with the product without
 8

FDA approval. This creates the notion that products could be marketed

to consumers who are unknowingly buying cosmetics with harmful

ingredients.

According to the Federal Food, Drug, & Cosmetic Act, “A cosmetic shall

be deemed to be adulterated— (a) If it bears or contains any

poisonous or deleterious substance which may render it injurious to

users under the conditions of use prescribed in the labeling thereof, or,

under such conditions of use as are customary or usual, except that

this provision shall not apply to coal-tar hair dye, the label of which

bears the following legend conspicuously displayed thereon: ‘‘Caution

—This product contains ingredients which may cause skin irritation on

certain individuals and a preliminary test according to accompanying

directions should first be made. This product must not be used for

dyeing the eyelashes or eyebrows; to do so may cause blindness.’’,

and the labeling of which bears adequate directions for such

preliminary testing.” (4)

• Parabens & Toxic Ingredients

 9

A paraben is a compound of chemicals that are prevalent in the

cosmetic and pharmaceutical fields; parabens are used as

preservatives in products to increase shelf life and fight off bacteria

and fungi that could possibly grow in or on a product. These chemical

compounds are commonly found in foundations, lotions, shampoos,

and tanning products… while exposure to parabens at a small scale

level is not harmful, some products that contain upwards of twenty-five

percent are in fact dangerous. While rare, some cases have been

reported about allergic reactions to parabens, and in an even rarer

case, cancer. (7)

When a product contains a

carcinogen, it is always a risk to use…

a carcinogen is a substance that is

capable of causing or aggravating

cancer in humans and animals. Nine

of the top ten most common and

toxic ingredients found in cosmetics

are carcinogens, among them are

mercury, lead acetate, and

formaldehyde… all very dangerous toxins which would be absorbed

 10

through the skin and flow through the blood stream if a cosmetic

product with any of the toxins is used.

How Darling Beauty & Cosmetics Overcomes These

Problems

With the elimination of harmful chemicals and additives in our

products, we have worked to create a line of products that are 100%

naturally made… perfumes, eye shadows, lip balms, and lotions are

the products our company has to offer. Hand-made and hand-

packaged, the attention to detail Darling Beauty & Cosmetics strives to

attain is above and beyond.

Zero additives, artificial sweeteners, or artificial colors are all

upsides of our products, with such circumstances it is even more likely

that our products will not cause irritation to skin.

An Introduction to Our Products

 11

Offering a line of price and environmentally conscious products

available in aesthetically pleasing packaging, Darling Beauty &

Cosmetics has several cosmetic kits available for purchase. The first

kit, Flora consists of a perfume with heavy floral notes, rose lip balm,

and an eye shadow quad in pastel tones… all packaged in a small

metallic daisy shaped box, conveniently holding all the products. Bee

Soft & Kind consists of honey hand crème, honey lip balm, and an eye

shadow quad in golden tones, packaged in a circular crate decorated in

the likeness of a bumble bee. Sweetheart is a heart shaped kit that

holds a perfume with notes of vanilla and sugar, an eye shadow quad

in purple and pink tones, and a lavender flavored lip balm. All products

are available for separate purchasing.

Build Descriptions

Using the process of vaporizing and condensing a substance to create

a concentrated matter of extracted oils, or distilling, our company

created several perfumes that vary in scents. The whole process

begins with a tablespoon of a solid matter (lavender) and 100 mL of

 12

liquid (vodka/alcohol) being subjected to high temperatures in a small

Pyrex beaker on a heat plate, the substance is heated and eventually

as the mixture is boiled, a portion vaporizes. Once vaporized, the

vapor travels through

plastic tubing and through

a condensing unit which

cools it down and creates

a droplet of a compound

of essential oil and

alcohol, creating the final

result of perfume.

Essentially what's being

extracted from the lavender is an essential oil, which can be worn as

perfume, and creates a pleasant scent that lasts all day.

(5)

To produce a satisfactory lip balm product, precise measurements and

mixtures are required... the balm starts off as 20 mL of unbleached

beeswax pellets, melted in a small Pyrex beaker on a hot plate. The

pellets (tiny beads of wax) liquefy into a clear yellow mass and the rest

of the ingredients are added. Cocoa butter (1 teaspoon) and Shea nut
 13

butter (2 teaspoons) are joined with the beeswax, then six vitamin E

capsules are sliced and the liquid inside of them is poured into the

mixture, it is stirred well. Next up in creating a smooth lip balm, are

the ingredients that give the balm a desirable aroma: jojoba oil and

almond oil extract.

While we are in still in the process of making the lotions and eye

shadows, each product is fairly easy to produce. With the lotions

consisting mainly of a small amount of beeswax and a large amount of

an emulsifying wax to create a moisturizing and creamy substance, the

finished product creates a satisfying result in softening skin. The eye

shadows are the easiest things to make; as it is just combining oxides

and mica powders into a circular container… creating a packaging

pigment that is easily wearable.

Materials

Creating commodities such as perfume, lip balms, eye

shadows, and lotions requires an abundance of materials and time.

One especially helpful tool used in the process of concocting our

perfume, was a distilling apparatus, which consists of: several tubes,

 14

various beakers, a heat source (in this case, a hot plate), a condenser

unit, and a thermometer which is used to track the temperature of the

distilling substance. Darling Beauty & Cosmetics prides itself in being

an organic company, which is why it's no surprise that every single

ingredient used in our products is natural.

1. Perfumes ingredients

• Pure vanilla bean stalks

• Roses

• French Lavender

• 100 proof Vodka

2. Lip balm ingredients

• Beeswax pellets

• Shea butter

• Cocoa butter

• Vitamin E capsules

• Almond oil extract

• Lanolin oil

• Jojoba oil

• Olive oil

3. Lotion ingredients
 15

• Beeswax pellets

• Emulsifying wax

• Lanolin oil

• Almond oil

4. Eye shadow ingredients

• Zinc oxide

• Refined cosmetic grade Mica

Trial & Error

While formulating each product, our company ran into several

blockades in the process of producing the line. While everything seems

so much easier in our imaginations, the real life facts were that making

our own cosmetics was a difficult task to complete; it took more time

than expected, and was not exactly inexpensive. During the first trial

run of distilling perfumes, the final product of usually about 20 mL of

liquid, didn't have the most desirable scent... after six different

testers, we decided to change up one of the main ingredients and

switch from distilled water to 100 proof vodka. (6) In the end it
 16

produced a much more pleasant scent and increased a longer lasting

aroma that would stay on a consumer's body.

Our second product we created were several lip balms made

from beeswax acquired from a local specialty store, this product was

the trickiest of them all to make. Exact measurements and attention to

detail were needed in making a balm with a soft consistency that

wasn't too waxy, as per the feeling of pure wax on lips is not enjoyable

sensation. By eliminating ingredients that were heavily water based,

which was causing the balms to dry out and cake up in their

containers, we yielded a much softer and silky end result. Measured

amounts of certain key ingredients such as Shea butter, cocoa butter,

and vitamin E were crucial to creating a lip balm that was not too waxy

but not too harsh on the lips.

Limitations

Given that our company is working on a budget of two

unemployed high school students, finding products that are

inexpensive yet high quality has proven to be difficult. The availability

 17

of resources for creating organic make-up, while vast, is extremely

hard to come by… countless hours of searching in natural stores and

online became a fruitless effort in the quest for cosmetic grade mica

flakes. Our company tried to make the process of creating everything

as refined as possible, but this was one of our greatest challenges.

Eventually we settled on using powdered mica, as the flakes were

virtually impossible to find. Time and patience were expendable during

the course of concocting our perfumes; it took up to two hours to

extract even the slightest amount of an essential oil through the

distillation process.

The last thing to take in consideration while trying to produce a

full line of natural beauty products is that it is extremely difficult to

determine a product’s shelf life… while some products lasted up to four

weeks, others deteriorated within days of creation. Our company is still

working on a way to create longer lasting products and hopes to

further develop each item in our line.

Future Developments with Darling Beauty &

Cosmetics

Darling Beauty & Cosmetics intends to sell each and every

product that has been produced to women that want to feel beautiful

in their own skin, our products are natural and are undeniably
 18

deliciously scented, along with being moderately priced, what’s there

not to like?

Hopefully in the future, once money and time are no longer a pressing

matter, we will continue our line and market it to those in our

community who are interested in cosmetics and perfumes. When

you've mastered a trick of the trade, why not continue on with it? To

be able to know that your friends, acquaintances, and various people

are wearing something that one has created is a warm and joyous

feeling, when a person feels good about the way they look or smell… it

changes their overall self confidence level. By creating products that

accentuate someone's natural beauty and increasing their level of

happiness and confidence is a great business objective, it isn't just

about gaining the capital, but it's about our company going somewhere

and making a difference along the way.

19