Words from a Cosmetic Chemist

Happy Weekend Fabulous Readers!

This weekend we have a special blog for you all, the first of others to come, a series of interesting and amazing guest bloggers from various fields in the cosmetic and beauty industry. We hope you will enjoy J

Feel free to comment or ask questions!

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Meet John Kressaty

Cosmetic Chemist/ Pharmacy Minor

John Kressaty’s extensive background in bio-chemical research, development, manufacturing and marketing establishes him as one of a few true experts in the field of Skin Care. Before starting The Skinbar with his wife, Heather Chandler-Kressaty, a luxury skincare boutique in Brentwood, TN, he was the Chief Chemist and Executive Vice-President of 3LAB,Inc. He was also the key innovator, president and partner at June Jacobs Labs, LLC, a company owned and founded by Peter Thomas Roth Clinical Skin Care to provide research and development as well as contract manufacturing.

John has a degree in Chemistry from St. Francis College and in Pharmacy from St. Johns University. He is the 1997 Board Chairman for the Society of Cosmetic Chemists and is a member of ICMAD (Independent Cosmetic Manufacturers and Distributors.) and CTFA (Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association)

You can visit John at The Skin Bar: http://www.theskinbar.com/

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Face Serums

How do they really work? Is this all you need on a daily basis? Is it enough for my skin? So many choices and so many ingredients to choose from…..

Face serums are specifically formulated as a treatment product to apply under your moisturizer.  They can be used to plump up the surface of the skin especially prior to make up application. Most of these products are water based for optimum absorption into the skin. Once applied a moisturizer is used to help lock in the actives in the serum. Ingredients such as Hyaluronic Acid and Vitamin C are often incorporated into these formulas for immediate results. Many of the firming and lifting actives are added to serums as they tend to be water based ingredients and are very effective in these systems.

Face serums can be used once or twice daily and are usually compatible with creams that are layered. They often add to the hydration of the skin and help to lock in moisture, this is especially great for oily to combination skin clients that tend to avoid creams as they can build up on the skin or feel too greasy. I enjoy formulating face serums as I feel these are the products which give the quick results and make the skin look good immediately upon application.  

Serums also allow me to incorporate the maximum amount of actives into a system, whereas with a cream you are limited as to the amount you can add to keep the fine balance in the formula and make sure you have no issues with separation or stability.

As a man, I love the feel of a serum especially after shaving; it immediately hydrates and soothes my skin. It also calms down redness (even though every serum doesn’t contain anti-irritants). This is a good start to the day for me. After that, I apply my sunscreen for maximum protection.