A Consumer's Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients
By Ruth Winter
The fifth edition of this classic guide, first published in 1978, continues the tradition of being the most up-to-date, complete, and trusted reference for taking the guesswork out of choosing safe and effective cosmetics and toiletries.
You wouldn't eat something without knowing what it was--don't you want to take the same care with what you put on your face, hair, and body? Find out what's in that shampoo, makeup, toothpaste, lotion, or perfume here, with more than 6,000 entries, organized alphabetically. Cosmetics are barely regulated these days, leaving it up to you to learn what those strange-sounding names mean and how they might affect you. For example, did you know these intriguing tidbits?
- Abietic acid, a texturizer in soaps, is harmless when injected into mice but causes paralysis in frogs.
- The American Medical Association frowns on medicated makeup, because their potential to do harm often outweighs their benefit.
- Mayonnaise is as effective a dry-hair conditioner as the expensive preparations.
- Milk is a good face wash, but you'd better rinse it off well, or rancidity will give rise to bacteria that will cause pimples.
Don't skip the introduction, a provocative discussion of "cosmeceuticals," anti-aging products, what's really meant by the word "natural," "culture and cosmetics," and what to do if you have an adverse reaction. This is the fifth edition of this guide, which originally appeared in 1978. Even if you own the fourth edition, you'll want to update, because this edition includes 1,400 newly developed chemicals and hundreds of name changes. --Joan Price
From the Inside Flap
The fifth edition of this classic guide, first published in 1978, continues the tradition of being the most up-to-date, complete, and trusted reference for taking the guesswork out of choosing safe and effective cosmetics and toiletries.
The more than 6,000 entries include 1,400 newly developed chemicals (along with hundreds more whose names have been changed by the manufacturers since the last edition of this book was published in 1994). Virtually every chemical found in toiletries and cosmetics, from body and face creams to toothpaste, hand lotion, shaving cream, shampoo, soap, perfume, and makeup, is evaluated, including those ingredients marketed as being all natural, for children, and for people of color. The book's alphabetical arrangement makes it easy to look up the ingredients in the products you use.
With more substances than ever in products we use every day--and with the continuing deregulation of the cosmetics industry--this book is more indispensable than ever.
About the Author
Ruth Winter, M.S., is an award-winning science writer who is nationally known for her many books and for her magazine articles in Family Circle, Woman's Day, Omni, and Reader's Digest. She is also the author of A Consumer's Dictionary of Food Additives and A Consumer's Dictionary of Medicines: Prescription, Over-the-Counter, Homeopathic, and Herbal.
very informative - a must read if you have sensitive skin
yes this book does tell you what purposes many of the ingredients have. for example, "as an emolient", "as a thickening agent", "a preservative", etc. this book is a consumer's guide, not a text book teaching you about chemistry and cosmetic formulation, so there's no need to be too technical. i have very sensitive skin that's prone to allergies. i used to waste a lot of money on cosmetics because almost everything will give me rashes. when i was tested by an allergist i was reacting to every single sensitizer i received. now i use this guide to learn about ingredients and sort through the vast inventory of beauty products to find the right one. i just bought a newly updated version as the older version did not cover all the newest ingredients.
Comprehensive and thorough
The 6th edition of Ruth Winter's A CONSUMER'S DICTIONARY OF COSMETIC INGREDIENTS, first published in 1978, contains an excellent 40 page introduction covering everything from the state of cosmetics regulations, safety concerns, basic ingredients, and what to do if you have an adverse reaction, to an annotated list of organizations concerned with cosmetics safety. This detailed book is over 500 pages with thousands of entries of varying lengths--from a line or two to a paragraph. There are some longer entries of 2 or more pages on a key topic like sunscreen. The information covers more generic cosmetics, like cold cream or lipstick, as well as more technical ingredients and chemicals that you may find a specific products. In addition to a 3-page bibliography, there are two useful Appendices: "Common Label Warnings--Pay Attention!" and "Nail Safety."
The only book needed to find out about ingredients.
This eye opening cosmetic ingredient dictionary is the perfect tool for checking out the ingredients in any cosmetic product. There has not been anything left out of the more than 5,000 listings. Ruth Winter has a science background and puts it to good use by telling the reader if the ingredient if allergenic, carcinogenic, or has no known toxicity. In comparison to Aubrey Hampton's "What's In Your Cosmetics?", Winter's book wins without a doubt. Hampton pays too much attention to listing information on natural ingredients and not enough of toxic ones. As a cosmetic ingredient researcher, I appreciate the convenience of having this resource at my fingertips, and you will too!
