Soapy Hollow

You know the big difference between me and nanotech researchers?  I have never once been at a carnival with a big ball of spun sugar and thought “Wow, I could make nanofibers with that cotton candy machine!” But that’s just what happened with the bioengineers at the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, as […]

One of the groovy things about science is that obscure discoveries can suddenly become world-changing. As an example; examine the organic material called a Janus dendrimer. Janus was the dual-faced Roman god. Dendron is the Greek word for ‘tree’ or many branches. A dendrimer is a molecular sphere with many branches forming the shape. (Picture […]

I’ve talked before about how lotions work, and skin absorption rates, and the claims of certain cosmetics manufacturers that they have a product which will “penetrate the skin” and do magical mystical (usually anti-aging) things. But we know, unless a product has been deliberately designed to penetrate multiple skin layers, the skin doesn’t let much […]

The green movement continues to grow as more consumers are becoming aware of the impact that the products they use have on themselves, society and the environment. This new green consciousness is making consumers change their consumption habits and thus their purchasing criteria. In concrete terms, consumers are increasingly interested in products that contain natural ingredients and respect the environment.

Soap, Perfumery & Cosmetics Magazine, a trade journal for cosmetics formulators, posits the theory that the cosmetics sector is pressing ahead with nanotechnology innovation despite consumer fears. While many of the claimed benefits of nanotechnology remain uncertain, the cosmetics industry is at the vanguard of developments. There seem to be real advances that nanotechnology can […]

Research spending on nanotechnology risks is woefully inadequate and industry participation in data gathering projects has been limited, according to the Wilson Center’s Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies. Spokesperson Colin Finan said that 99 percent of nanomaterials are probably perfectly safe but a tiny percentage of unsafe material has the potential to cause lot of damage. […]

A nanomaterial created by MIT researchers acts like the main ingredient in soaps, shampoos and detergents. In addition to improving existing cleaning products, these nanostructures may have other chemical engineering uses for materials where traditional surfactants are used. Unlike lipids, it’s possible to modify these kinds of molecules so that it is easy for them […]