Polymers for Personal Care and Cosmetics: Overview

Abstract

Polymers are routinely used in many personal care and cosmetic products. The applications take advantage of the various properties of these polymers to impart unique benefits to their formulations. The range of properties is as varied as the class of polymers that have been utilized. Using polymers, cosmetic chemists can create high performance products. Broad spectrums of polymers; natural polymers, synthetic polymers, organic polymers as well as silicones are used in a wide range of cosmetic and personal care products as film-formers, emulsifiers, thickeners, modifiers, protective barriers, and as aesthetic enhancers. This book is based on an international symposium on “Polymers for Cosmetics and Personal Care” held at the 244th National ACS Meeting in Philadelphia on August 22, 2012. The aim of this book is to cover the many facets of polymers used in cosmetics and personal care products and to bring together researchers from industries and academic disciplines from different countries. This overview chapter provides a brief description of each chapter presented in this book and is meant to provide the reader with an insight to the exciting developments described throughout.