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Cosmetic Chemistry Science Projects (10 results)

Cosmetic chemistry—thousands of personal care products line store shelves. From hair care and lotions to makeup and perfume, consumers have a wide range of choices. It takes science to develop and test products to improve them, offer new benefits, and ensure safety.

Learn more about the science involved in product development while making, testing, and comparing toiletry items in these hands-on science projects.

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Science Fair Project Idea
Have you ever had a refreshing bath using a bath bomb? A bath bomb is several ingredients mixed and molded into a shape, which becomes fizzy when it touches the water. It can be quite a relaxing experience, especially if your bath bomb has a nice fragrance or includes some bath salts. The fizz is the result of a chemical reaction taking place between different ingredients within the bath bomb. In this science project, you will get to make your own homemade bath bombs and explore how changing… Read more
Science Fair Project Idea
Have you ever watched your parents dress up for a big evening? They may even splash on a bit of aftershave cologne or dab on some perfume since it is special occasion. But did you know that using perfume and scents is an ancient activity? Perfumes and the art of making perfume is an art that is thousands of years old. In this chemistry science fair project, you will learn more about one way to make perfume, called enfleurage, and experiment with it to extract your own floral scents. Read more
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Science Fair Project Idea
Have you ever noticed that on a hot day, it's more comfortable to wear a light-colored shirt than a dark one? Or that it's cooler in a park than walking down a street? This happens because different surfaces absorb and reflect heat in different ways. Urban heat islands are parts of cities where man-made surfaces like pavement and buildings replace natural surfaces like grass and trees. In this project, you will use temperature and satellite data to see if certain areas in a city have higher… Read more
Science Fair Project Idea
Did you know that cosmetics companies employ teams of specialized scientists to develop and test each new line of makeup, perfume, lotion, or soap? This science project lets you be the cosmetics scientist. You will create your own lip balm right in your kitchen using a short list of ingredients, then test it, and follow up with some creative cosmetics science of your own! Read more
Science Fair Project Idea
Soap comes in many varieties and forms—from bars to bottles to boxes. The uses for soaps are just as expansive—from cleaning our hands, hair, and faces to a variety of household cleaning jobs, such as dishes or laundry. One thing all these different soaps have in common is their chemical origin; they were all made by mixing fat or oil with a strongly basic solution, such as lye. In this chemistry science project, you will carry out the chemical steps needed to transform coconut oil… Read more
Science Fair Project Idea
Does your skin get dry? Or do you know someone with dry skin? Dry skin can be a real medical problem for some people. You may have seen many kinds of lotions, creams, and ointments advertised as restorative for dry skin, especially dry hands. But how well do they work? And which ingredients are most important in making them work? In this science project, you will create a model of human skin using JELL-O® and test how well skin moisturizing products with different ingredients keep the… Read more
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Science Fair Project Idea
Does your dog get bored when you are not home? Do you ever toss them a few treats right before you head out the door? What if you could keep them busy by automatically dispensing treats throughout the day? What about training them to sit in a certain place or even press a button by automatically rewarding them with treats? In this project you will build your own automatic dog (or cat, or other pet) treat dispenser that you can customize to react to different sensors.  Read more
Science Fair Project Idea
Have you ever tried a beauty face mask? Cosmetic face masks are skin care products that promise rapid hydration of your skin to make it look younger and more radiant. Hydrogel face masks are made of jelly-like materials that are infused with special ingredients to nurture your skin. The ingredients for cosmetic products like face masks are carefully selected by cosmetics chemists. Each product is designed to have the properties that are necessary for its intended purpose. In this science… Read more
Science Fair Project Idea
Do you love it when your hair is nice and fresh? The key to keeping your hair nice and clean is to use a good shampoo. But with so many different products in the store, how do you know which one works best for you? In this science project, you will put a variety of shampoos to the test, including your own homemade organic shampoo recipes. Do you think these will perform better than a store-bought product? Read more
Science Fair Project Idea
Do you care about the look and feel of your skin? Then you probably know that your skin prefers to be well hydrated (moisturized). Dry skin often cracks, gets inflamed easily, and looks dull. If you go to the store, you will find many skin care products that promise to hydrate your skin. Among them are cosmetic face masks (sometimes called facial masks) that you put on your face to provide the skin with water and nutrients. In this science project, you will make your own hydrogel face masks… Read more
Science Fair Project Idea
Have you ever tried to make parts of your hair lighter than the rest of your hair? Perhaps the way you tried to do it did not lighten it or maybe it turned out a weird orange color? With this science project you can understand why. Read more
Science Fair Project Idea
Does your hair go crazy when the weather turns damp? Did you know that strands of hair can relax and lengthen when the humidity increases and then contract again when the humidity decreases? In fact, hair strands can be used as the basis for a hygrometer, a device which measures the humidity level in the air. Can a human hair hygrometer also detect changes in hair structure caused by chemical lightening? This project shows you how to find out. Read more
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