This week at the lab I got to learn a bunch more about the basics to making a chemical product. First of all, the ingredients are super important, and I am in the midst of researching the best ingredients for both a facial cleanser and a hydrating lip product.
Kerwin taught me a bunch of great tips, including what types of tests products go through before they hit the market. These are all expensive (in the thousands) as well as time consuming, resulting in products taking at least nine months to get to market. There are accelerated stability tests which test how products will react in different environments over time, and the goal is for them to remain stable whether in an oven, fridge, freezer, or at room temperature. Next comes the micro challenges (preservative efficacy tests) which test how products will stand up to bugs like bacteria and mold. There's also RIPT testing for the safety of the product by putting patches on human skin, and optional ocular testing (but highly recommended),which focuses on how the product reacts around the eyes.
Coming in on Thursday, we were faced with a new challenge: figuring out the reason for a change in fragrance of a popular product. When consumers are super used to the same product that never changes, and then they run into an uncharacteristic difference, they can be very dissatisfied - not what a company wants. So we did so many fragrance tests using our noses and samples, trying to solve the reason for the difference. It could be from a change in gasket to a minor change in the water supply.
As you can see below, there was also a change in color in between samples. We still have to figure out why this happened, and fast. Hopefully the manufacturer will give us some answers on what was changed.
Also, completely unrelated, but super fun, I got to create a citric acid solution, and instead of measuring it out using so many conversions to figure out how many mL would be in a 50% solution, I just measured it by weight: 50g citric acid, and 50g of water. I found this way so much easier! But it brought me back to creating a bunch of citric acid solutions for Dr. Scaling, and solving all of those lemonade problems in honors chem! Fun stuff, and useful in the real world! P.S. Don't be an otter, add acid to water - always.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to comment!
Don't ever be an otter!! :)
ReplyDeletelove it!! So glad I remembered before I was about to weigh the citric acid before the water! Those funny otters :D
DeleteHey Lauren! It sounds like your project is awesome and you are learning a lot about how to apply chemistry for a practical purpose. When you described all of the different types of tests that products go through, did you actually get to perform those tests when you were in the lab and, if so, which ones did you get to do?
ReplyDeleteHey Jack! Yeah! So as I mentioned, these tests are super expensive, but Mr. Yamanaka has a stability test set up where he tests his products before they go into actual testing, and we got to set this up for a setting spray he created!
DeleteHey Lauren, it seems like your project is exactly in between marketing and chemistry, so that's exciting. My only question is what happens if the product fails a test? Is it reconfigured somehow or is it completely scrapped?
ReplyDeleteHey Evan! Haha good question! It definitely depends on how much the product fails the test. Most likely the product would not be scrapped, because say if bacteria started growing, we could test another type of preservative, it would just take time to figure out a better preservative. But if something really wrong keeps happening in the early stages of formulation, the formulation percents might get completely scrapped, but that would be really rare.
DeleteHey Lauren,
ReplyDeleteYour project seems to be super interesting and you seem to also be really enjoying it. I was wondering if you think materials for more expensive brands are better or materials for less expensive materials are better. I was wondering about this because I have heard that some people get allergic reactions easier to materials in more expensive brands. In all, I'm super excited to continue learning about your topic!
Hey Christina! Aw thank you! I'm so glad you like it! I honestly do not have a great idea of how to answer that question right now, but it kind of depends on what you describe 'better' as. Do you mean better quality or better for the environment, or something else? Also, I was just in a meeting today where we talked about how higher quality products may have adverse results like flaky skin at first if a person's skin is not used to potent, quality materials or types of procedures. It's kind of like if a person were to just hop onto taking the highest dose of an acne medication. And everyone has different skin, so allergic reactions can happen no matter the price of a product. :) I hope this helps, but please ask away!
DeleteHey Lauren,
DeleteI was wondering if they have better materials that are more natural. For example, certain beauty and dermatology products have chemicals inside them to create, for example, the color of the product. To follow up that, I was also wondering about lip balms, do companies also put chemicals into them too to give them color. It is really wonderful how you put so much effort into your blog and the comments! I have already learned so much and I hope to continue learning!
Hi Lauren!
ReplyDeleteWow, your work at the lab is so interesting! To answer the questions you had for us at the end of your other post, I use eos lip balm a lot, which is probably because of its shape. It's innovative and easy to carry. I also find the way it clicks into place very satisfying.
In this post, you mentioned that consumers are typically really dedicated to a specific product. How do manufacturers get new buyers if everyone is stuck on the products they've always used? Also, you discussed the various tests manufacturers do on products, and how some are optional. Is the information about which tests are done available to the public, and if not, do you think it should be? Thank you! I can't wait to read more about your project.
Hey Nitya!
DeleteOoh, ok very cool! Eos has some really cool packaging!
Consumers definitely do get hooked on products, but consumers are also curious about new trends, just like any type of fashion. You'll always have the business casual, but why not dress it up with some relevant trends like cuff bracelets or scarves. Companies try to start new trends or hop on new trends that seem to be beginning and then hopefully consumers follow since their product actually might have some clout behind it!
Great question about testing! I will ask Kerwin tomorrow and get back to you!
Hi Lauren! This comment is going to be a hybrid for both this post and your previous one, just as a heads up! Your work is truly fascinating at both of these companies, and the level of technicality and understanding you have for each aspect of these products really shines through! The 1% rule definitely stood out, because most consumers, myself included, are blind to statistics like that. I am curious as to what ingredients specifically show the greatest consumer success, and what ingredients are the most critical in our day to day skin care. Will you be incorporating such statistics of consumption into the production of your products? As far as your question on the first post, I tend towards lip balms that blend aesthetic and function. I prefer the Smith's lip balms and salves due to the intense moisture and appealing scents. I tend to straw away from waxy balms like EOS or Burts Bees, because they tend to dry out my lips more than remedy. This may have to do with the hyper-sensitivity of my skin. Speaking of, is the varying degrees of skin sensitivity a factor you are cnsidering in both the marketing and product development aspects of your SRP, as this can limit the choices available to many consumers? For example, I personally tend towards more gentle washes and cleansers, especially from the brand Epionce, to minimize irritation, and follow it up with a more intense cream or mask to see results!
ReplyDeleteI'm super excited to follow the progress of your products and research!
Hey Bobby! Thank you for commenting! I truly love responding to your posts!
DeleteFor what ingredients specifically show the greatest consumer success, that definitely depends on the consumer. For example, at Dermaforce, they target an older audience to deal with anti-aging, so one of their key ingredients along with other anti-aging products is hyaluronic acid which locks in moisture and reduces the look of fine lines and wrinkles. Of course, this is the area I have been surrounded by for the past week, but as I am looking into cleansers and lip products, I will be sure to keep you guys posted on what ingredients typically show the best success! Thank you!
Also, fun fact. Most of our products are actually water! Like a large majority depending on your product. If you're curious, just look on the back of your cleansers or shampoos and most likely, one of the top ingredients is water. We're in the business of selling water! And water actually is one of the most critical ingredients to keep the skin moisturized so the product can go into the skin. But I would also say sunscreen is a huge one for topical products.
I am not sure if I will be using statistics on consumption as much as how effective the ingredients are at what they do, since new molecules might have more effect. But statistics of consumption definitely play a role when you want to effectively market to consumers because they want to hear names that they love like some people love beeswax or essential oils in their products, so I may use those so I can create a great product to have a marketing story behind it too! Great question!
Ooh, very cool. I love how you put that. Blending aesthetic and function. Very cool, thank you so much for letting me know what you like to use!
There are definitely varying degrees of skin sensitivity, and I will be applying that to my study, especially because I want a gentle cleanser and lip product so a large audience can use them.
Thank you for your comment! I really appreciate it, and I can't wait to be able to let you know what ingredients are most used in cleansers and lip products and if they are the most effective!
Hi Lauren. I might be asking a really dumb question but other than otter and water rhyming is there any meaning behind the "Don't be an otter add acid to water"? Anyways, on a more serious note, you mentioned that using the same fragrance can deter customers from buying the same product. Does color matter as well? Like if you made say a lotion that came in a super cool rainbow swirl pattern would that appeal to people?
ReplyDeleteHi Lauren, glad to see how much you've covered and looked at in just the first week! It was also interesting to see how your experience in Dr. Scaling's class has helped in this project! What would you say is the most important factor/process in creating the product altogether, from what you've seen so far?
ReplyDelete