Handbook

This course will explain how cosmetics and personal care products work from a scientific standpoint. Chemistry plays a key role in the manufacturing and continual improvement of personal care and other household products. It is involved in all stages, from the chemical extraction of natural products to the packaging of final consumer products. Throughout the course, students will learn the interaction of skin-care chemicals with lipids in the skin, the suspension of oil in emulsions, and how sunscreens filter or scatter UV light. Furthermore, the students will learn how to interpret ingredient lists and understand their roles. Marketing hype and trends, such as anti-aging, will be dissected to examine the underlying scientific principles and negative campaigns analysed to evaluate their veracity.

The course is aimed at students across all year levels and Faculties at the university. Presumed knowledge is Year-10 general science. All lectures will be delivered in a combination of pre-recording and live-streaming. In face-to-face laboratory experiment sessions, students will have first-hand experience and practical exercises aligned with course topics. Additionally, students will learn analytical techniques used in the personal care products industry to assess products before taking them to market.