Review

As a reference book, this book is a treasure. Written for an esthetician by an esthetician, and anyone who works in a salon, spa, or behind the cosmetic counter. This book not only explains in an easy-to-understand style what the ingredients in a skin care product are, but also tells you what they do, how safe they are, and what side effects they might have. The book also explains what the skin functions are, how products penetrate, and the different skin types and conditions. Whenever a student asks me at a lecture or seminar what books I recommend, the first book that comes to mind is Milady's Skin Care and Cosmetic Ingredients Dictionary, by Natalia Michalun. This book is a must have for all students and estheticians.

Product Description

Milady's Skin Care and Cosmetic Ingredients Dictionary, third edition, is a multi-purpose resource for cosmetic professionals and consumers alike. Part one puts cosmetics in the context of skin care. It provides an overview of skin physiology. In order to understand how and why a product works it is essential to understand how the skin works. It gives an overview of the complexity of cosmetic chemistry particularly with respect to product penetration, and highlights the current challenges facing cosmetic formulators. In addition, it offers comprehensive discussion of the various skin types and conditions in order to help professionals in their product selection. Lastly, it defines common cosmetic industry terminology used by cosmetic manufacturers, professional estheticians, marketers and the media. The second part is dedicated to helping cosmetic users identify the function and purpose of specific ingredients. It is an alphabetical dictionary that lists and describes not only active principles but all other categories of ingredients that comprise a skin care cosmetic. As scientific knowledge of skin physiology and cosmetic chemistry advances, so do cosmetic products. This volume puts everything in context in an easy to read, easy to understand, user-friendly format.