Reading and understanding Safety Data Sheets, aka SDS (formerly known as MSDS)

I had to learn about Safety Data Sheets (SDS) many different times throughout my schooling and then later in life in my professional career as well. It occured to me that maybe not everyone is familiar with them and I find them immensely helpful to refer to from time to time so I wanted to share what they are used for and why they may be helpful to you someday.

Safety Data Sheets were formerly known as Material Safety Data Sheets or MSDS, this terminology change was announced in 2013 and enforced in the end of 2015 to mid 2016 with the goal of making them more consistent and easier to understand across the board. They now adhere to something called the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS). There are even pictograms associated with this new system which is helpful for a quick reference.

There are 16 distinct sections to an SDS sheet:
1. Identification
2. Hazard(s) Identification
3. Composition/Information on Ingredients
4. First Aid Measures
5. Fire Fighting Measures
6. Accidental Release Measures
7. Handling & Storage
8. Exposure Controls / Personal Protection
9. Physical & Chemical Properties
10. Stability and Reactivity
11. Toxicology Information
12. Ecological Information
13. Disposal Considerations
14. Transport Information
15. Regulatory Information
16. Other Information

The first 8 sections are set up for quick reference for the people transporting and handling the chemicals as well as any emergency responders should there be an issue.
Sections 9-11 handles technical and scientific data. Sections 12-15 are not actually mandatory but they are required to be GHS compliant and section 16 will contain information on the SDS itself such as revision dates and changes since last version.

Employers are responsible for making sure there is an SDS sheet for every chemical on site and they must be available for employee reference in their immediate work area. These would most likely be for any cleaning agents in the workplace however essentially ANY product or raw material (i.e. base ingredients) can have an SDS sheet. 

Even "natural" products such as Dr. Bronner's Soap has SDS sheets as well as base ingredients such as Olive Oil. I am pointing this out because I have heard misinformed people many times refer to the information on an SDS sheet of a raw material while trying to make a point about the safety of the entire product. This is always going to be inaccurate because the SDS sheet is informing about the raw material in its most concentrated form and not as the material as used within a formulation in a diluted form. I have read countless times someone who pointed out that the person handling "xyz" ingredient has to wear a respirator or hazmat suit or face mask to handle the ingredient so that must mean it's not safe. WRONG! This reasoning could not be further from the truth. I wear gloves and sometimes a respirator when mixing sodium hydroxide which is a necessary part of making handmade soap but that in no way means that the soap is dangerous or unsafe simply because sodium hydroxide was used in the making process. It simply means that in its concentrated form I am aware that it could cause me harm so I protect myself. 

So there you have it, SDS sheets in a nutshell. Links are below for further reading if you wish.

Stay wise my friends, 
~Your Soapsmith

https://chemicalsafety.com/online-sds-databases/
https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3514.html
https://fscimage.fishersci.com/msds/96356.htm
https://www.drbronner.com/retailers/material-safety-data-sheets-msds/

The Skin

Let's talk about our largest organ. THE SKIN! 
Fun facts:

• The skin is part of the integumentary system which comprises the hair, skin, nails, specialized glands and nerves.
• The skin is the largest and heaviest organ- it comprises 16% of your bodies weight, (bonus fact- the liver is the second largest and heaviest).
• The skin is a barrier, a thermostat, a sensor, a factory and a window.
• The skin can be broken down into 3 major layers with minor layers living within those layers
• the epidermis, dermis and hypodermis
• The epidermis has 5 layers (stratum corneum is the top most layer with stratum lucidum, stratum granulosum, stratum spinosum and stratum basale following deeper and deeper.)
• The has 2 layers and it's main job is to connect the epidermis to the hypodermis and provide structure and support (papillary layer and connective tissue are it's 2 layers)
• The hypodermis has one layer it's job is to provide insulation and support.

Alright- let's break this all down! I am going to focus on the epidermis because that is the part that is most directly affected by skin care products.

The skin is a barrier. I am going to repeat this THE SKIN IS A BARRIER, it is NOT a sponge. Every time I see someone write this on FB or say it I die a little bit on the inside. If the skin were a sponge we would drown every time we took a shower or bath. 

The skin is a waterproof barrier that seals the body from losses of fluid that could lead to dehydration and death. It resists invasions by various types of microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi and viruses that cause infection and serious illness. The skin also blocks many chemicals and allergens from entering the body.

The skin is a thermostat. The skin has the ability to help cool you down or keep you warm, it works in conjunction with the blood vessels to do this. 

The skin is a sensor. It has millions of receptors and nerve endings. There are different types of receptors which perceive different stimuli.

The skin is a factory. The skin is the body's vitamin D production factory. We need vitamin D to build healthy bones a strong immune system which will in turn fight cancers and other diseases as well as mitigate depression and even multiple sclerosis.

The skin is a window. How you feel inside directly affects how your skin can look. If you are happy and healthy and internally balanced it will be reflected in your skin. If you are stressed, anxious, depressed or have some internal health issues it can be reflected by way of skin flare-ups, disease processes, brittle nails and hair. People with eczema and psoriasis tend to have flare-ups when they are stressed or having diet issues.* 

Let's talk epidermal layers!

Stratum corneum- contains 15-20 layers of dead skin cells that ultimately slough off.

Stratum lucidum- this layer is mainly found on thick skin like the palms of the hands and soles of feet, it contains dead keratinocytes.

Stratum granulosum- keratin and lipids that waterproof the skin are produced in this layer

Stratum spinosum- synthesis of keratin proteins begins in this layer

Stratum basale- the cells of this layer divide indefinitely to form daughter cells that rise through the epidermis. Basal cell cancers arise from this level.

Skin and skin care products. Some ingredients can absorb into the deeper layers of the epidermis, these are called active ingredients. Cosmetic chemists often talk about the penetration abilities of ingredients. This is what they are referring to. 

Other ingredients can absorb even deeper, sometimes because of the penetrative abilities and what they can accomplish on a deeper level these products fall into the category of being a drug and must be tested and approved through the FDA, by the way, sunscreen falls into this category, never buy sunscreen that is not FDA approved, you have no idea if it will actually provide the protection that it claims otherwise. On a side note, at this time, there is only one approved CBD topical that has been proven to penetrate deeply and be effective for bone and joint pain. Consider this if you are in the market for a CBD topical that you want to penetrate deeply. 

Some products sit on top of the skin and work their magic at that level, many handcrafted skin care items fall into this category. (some makers do use active ingredients and have products that penetrate deeper.) At the time of writing this post SOAPSMITHS products do not contain any actives nor do they fall into the category of a drug. 

Hard Cider Soap by Soapsmiths

When formulating products I take into consideration what I am trying to achieve. If I am making soap I need it to clean. THAT IS IT! If someone gives you a song and dance about other properties their soap has just smile and nod because you now know that it only cleans and as a wash off product it most likely does nothing else. The second someone claims any differently their soap becomes either a cosmetic or a drug and they could be up a creek without a paddle if the government folks catch wind of it.

Sugar Scrub by Soapsmiths

When formulating a scrub I want it to exfoliate those dead Stratum corneum cells so that the lotion that I will apply after can hydrate and protect the layers of skin that were under them.

Cocoa Mint Creme by Soapsmiths

When creating a lotion I want it to hydrate and protect. The best way to do this is to use a combination of oils and waxes which will both sit on top of the skin forming an occlusive barrier while also hydrating those top most layers. A product like a lotion is really the place to add special ingredients which may improve skin barrier function. The only way to really know would be to submit it for testing. Most small makers don't have the financial means to do this so we take our ingredient and formulating knowledge and build a product based on what we know. 

So there you have it. The skin is an amazing giant organ which keeps good things (like our organs and fluids) in and bad things (bacteria, yeast, fungi, etc.) out! Treat it well and you two should have a long and prosperous life together.

TED talk link all about the skin.

I also referred to the Reader's Digest Guide to Skin Care by Susan C. Taylor, M.D. and Victoria Holloway Barbosa, M.D.

Additionally I popped over to a blog called the Chemists Corner for information on the penetration of ingredients. https://chemistscorner.com/penetration-of-cosmetic-ingredients/

* Regarding my comment on eczema and psoriasis, if you are having trouble with skin conditions please seek professional medical advice, I am not trained in human medicine and do not make any claims or diagnoses with what I write.

~Yours in scientific musings

'Smithy

Ingredient Highlight- Olive Oil

With all the awesome and skin loving ingredients in our soap studio I thought it would be great to start highlighting the important properties of them to help explain why we choose to use certain ones in our products.

To kick this off I wanted to write about a very common one, in fact, you probably have it in your kitchen pantry it's so common.

OLIVE OIL  - (Olea europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil)- This is a liquid oil that ranges in color from yellow to green in color.

History: The olive tree dates back to between 5,000-6,000 years ago the actual location of origin varies by what story you read. It was discovered anywhere from Southern Asia to  Israel and spread to Europe and Northern Africa from there.  It has been used for centuries for everything from religious ceremonies to healing and cleansing. A plant that has survived this long through so many different climates, wars, rulers and plagues certainly deserves a nod.

Olive Oil in skin care: It is high in oleic acid and is a good skin cell regenerator. It is traditionally included within soap, cream, balm, body butter, herbal infusion and hair care formulations. Olive Oil attracts external moisture to the skin and still permits the skin to properly release sweat, shed dead skin and release sebum. It is a good oil for inclusion in massage oil formulations and it helps to sooth inflamed skin. Olive oil has a pH of around 5.5 which is very close to the skin’s natural pH.

Recommended skin types: all

Bubble on my friends
~ Your Soapsmith

Preservatives Part III- Parabens

Let's talk about parabens.  

First a little history:  Parabens are a family of synthetic preservatives widely used in cosmetics around the world since the 1920's because of their efficacy, low risk of irritation, and stability.  This family includes butylparaben, ethylparaben, methylparaben and propylparaben, with the last two being the most commonly used. All of these parabens are effective against a broad spectrum of microorganisms, including most fungi and most bacteria.  They prevent growth of other possible contaminants such as yeast and mold.  They are used in quantities of 0.1 to 0.5 percent of total formulation, and it is estimated that 30 percent or less of the total amount of paraben used (0.03 to 0.15 percent) may penetrate the skin.

In 2004, the safety of parabens and preservatives became and issue.  This was the result of a UK study that focused on the use of paraben-containing deodarants.  It evaluated if long term use of parabens was biocumulative and thus somehow related to breast cancer.  Since then, cosmetic chemists who are familiar with the skin-penetration activity of parabens maintain that accumulation of parabens from topical application is not possible because once parabens enter the skin, they form metabolites that are incapable of mimiking estrogen. Other studies indicate that after entering the skin, parabens are metabolized in para-hydroxbenzoic acid with only a small percentage remaining as the original paraben.

The most recently conducted studies seem to invalidate the claim of potential breast cancer risk when using cosmetics with parabens. Studies have shown that parabens are 1,000 to 1,000,000 times LESS estrogenic than estradiol, the major estrogenic compound in the body. Lets put this into perspective a little bit more. Phytoestrogens, substances from plants that have estrogen-like qualities including soybeans, clover, strawberries, sage, red clover, pumpkin, and rosehips (among others), and are considered to have natural estrogenic effects 1,000 to 1,000,000 times STRONGER than parabens. 

According to the American Cancer Society:
Other studies have found some form of parabens in the urine of about 99% of US adults. This would suggest that people are getting parabens from more than one source. But so far, studies have not shown any direct link between parabens and any health problems, including breast cancer. There are also many other compounds in the environment that mimic naturally-produced estrogen.

The bottom line is that larger studies are needed to find out what effect, if any, parabens might have on breast cancer risk.

http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/CancerCauses/OtherCarcinogens/AtHome/antiperspirants-and-breast-cancer-risk

I recently heard someone comment that parabens have been banned in the European Union.  Upon further researching this comment I found it to be another bit of mis-information which is floating around.

It's a shame that parabens get such a bad rep off of a study which was done and ruled inconclusive.  This family of preservatives has been around and studied for 91 years!  That's quite a track record for something which is perceived as being so very dangerous.

In conclusion, are parabens bad and will they kill you? No, but if you feel that they are a threat at least do your own research and come to your own conclusions instead of jumping onto the bandwagon of mis-information which is driving around out there.  
 

Resources:
Milady's skincare and cosmetic ingredients dictionary, 3rd Edition By: Natalia Michalun and M. Varinia Michalun


www.cancer.org


http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/cosmetics/cosing/index.cfm?fuseaction=search.details_v2&id=28137

Stay bubbly my friends

~Your Soapsmith

Preservatives Part II "Natural preservatives"

Edit: I originally wrote this post in 2011. Since then many "natural" preservatives have hit the market. I use quotations around the word natural because it is not a regulated word and pretty much anyone can claim "natural". That is for a different post on a different day though. The common thread regarding natural preservatives is that you need to use multiple of them in order for the preservative to actually be able to combat gram positive and negative bacterias as well as mold. This seems silly to me when there are perfectly good synthetics out there that do the job just spectacularly. I am placing a link to a cosmetic chemists web site, she explains this perfectly and even has a neat chart of the wide variety of both natural and synthetic preservatives currently available to smaller businesses. At the end of the day though, the only way to know if the product you have made or are using is properly preserved is if it has been tested. Here is her site: http://makingskincare.com/preservatives/ <<< She is one smart cookie ;)

....and my original post begins here, it's still a good read, I just wanted to update about the new preservatives floating around the industry. Enjoy!

Don't be fooled by ingredients that sound too good to be true.

According to The Green Beauty Guide there is one completely natural preservative.  It is: Suprapein.  The book also states that, Lemon peel oil, grapefruit seed extract, vitamin C and vitamin E can prevent oxidation which is true but makes no sense being squashed into a paragraph about preservatives and is VERY misleading. 

The ingredients for Suprapein are: Origanum Vulgare Leaf Extract, Thyme Extract, Cinnamomum Zeylanicum Bark Extract, Rosemary Leaf Extract, Lavender Flower Extract, Lemon Peel Extract, Peppermint Leaf Extract, Golden Seal Root Extract, Olive Leaf Extract.

I am still looking for an MSDS sheet on this, in the meantime I did find a study done on this ingredient but it was unfortunately done by the company who formulated it.  Of course they find this product to be an effective replacement to and synthetic preservative but their patent is still pending.  When I find more information and reliable studies I will post the results here.

Let's look at the ingredient names which the green beauty guide so slyly put into the chapter on preservatives as these are commonly mistaken for actual preservatives.

Grape fruit seed extract- ingredients: grapefruit seed extract and glycerin.  Normally used as an antioxidant to help prevent rancidity in lotion and lotion bars.  This means that it will delay the breakdown of the oils.  It will not protect against bacteria, mold or yeast.  This is NOT a preservative.

Vitamin E oil- again this slows the oxidation process of oils which delays rancidity.  It is also a good anti-oxidant but is not a preservative.

Vitamin C- Same, it will delay oxidation but will not protect against bacteria, mold or yeast, not a preservative.

Rosemary Oleoresin Extract AKA- ROE- This is also commonly mistaken as a preservative but it is not.  It is an antioxidant.  Pregnant women are recommended to avoid using rosemary due to its abortion inducing properties. Even nursing mothers should avoid its use without consulting a physician.  Also, intake of rosemary oil extract in large doses have been found to cause seizures in otherwise healthy people. Regarding the last sentence we remind you that anything taken in large doses (even water) can be dangerous.

Let's look at the last item in green beauty guide's list: Lemon peel oil.  This ingredient like many essential oils have natural anti-microbial and anti-bacterial properties which will help to delay rancidity of the product however in order to keep a product absolutely safe a lab tested and approved preservative is always needed.

Now, why is a preservative needed if essential oils and base oils have natural anti-bacterial and anti-microbial qualities?  The answer is this: if the product you have purchased comes in a little tub, i.e. you dip your fingers into it you are always going to be introducing new bacterias, molds and not to mention air-borne yeast into your product, there is no guarantee that the oils can fight these off, in fact we don't know what bacterias and microbes they can battle against, but I will bet you that they would lose a fight against Staph or even worse MRSA (and even more resistant form of staph if you can believe it!).  If your product comes in a pump container it most likely contains water, a lovely breeding ground for all sorts of nasties and remember we can't see microbes with our naked eye and may not know they are there.

Resources:

Milady's skincare and cosmetic ingredients dictionary, 3rd Edition By: Natalia Michalun and M. Varinia Michalun


The green beauty guide By: Julie Gabriel


www.lotioncrafter.com (for the MSDS sheets and ingredients)



Stay bubbly my friends

~Your Soapsmith

A word (or two) about preservatives Part I

Well what began as one innocent blog entry has turned into a three part series because as I went through my books and other resources I found that there was a lot of information and wanted to paint a whole picture for the reader.  Please enjoy my little preservative series.

This is something we are often asked about regarding our lotions and scrubs.  In a word, yes we use preservatives because we are a responsible company who wishes to do no harm to our wonderful customers.  Now let's explore why we consider it responsible and safe to use preservatives.  While we are at it, let's explore different types on the market as well as "natural" versus synthetic.

We will discuss some commonly used preservatives which can be found in products produced by smaller companies such as Soapsmiths.

1. Germaben II- Ingredients: Propylene Glycol, Diazolidinyl Urea, Methylparaben, Propylparaben
I know you see the word "paraben"  we will discuss this in another blog post.  This preservative is ideal for both oil and water emulsions.  It is a complete antimicrobial preservative system which has broad spectrum coverage.  The two parabens listed help to make it effective against bacterias as well as yeast and mold.  According to the material safety data sheet (MSDS) while this product can cause irritation to eyes and skin at full strength (this is NEVER the case when used in formulations) studies indicate that there are no known chronic health hazards.

2. Phenonip- Ingredients: Phenoxyethanol (and) Methylparaben (and) Ethylparaben (and) Butylparaben (and) Propylparaben (and) Isobutylparaben.
Much like Germaben in what is will protect against.  This preservative will work in both water and oil based emulsions.  It is a broad spectrum antimicrobial and also effective against yeast and mold.

3. Optiphen Plus- Ingredients: Phenoxyethanol (and) Caprylyl Glycol (and) Sorbic Acid
ISP's second globally approved preservative in the Optiphen family developed as an alternative for personal care formulations requiring a paraben and formaldehyde-free preservative system, particularly within lower pH systems. Optiphen Plus performs best in formulations below 6.0 pH, but is also proven effective at pH levels above 6.0.  From personal experience I know that this preservative performs better in oil based emulsions.  Also it has pH restraints which must be taken into consideration.

4. NataPres- Ingredients: Glycerin, leuconostoc/radish root ferment filtrate, lonicera japonica (honey-suckle) flower extract, lonicera caprifolium (honeysuckle) extract, populus tremuloides bark extract, glucono-lactone.  This is a newer preservative to hit the market and you will probably start hearing about it and seeing it more in the future.  We could not find it's MSDS sheet but will keep looking as that is a good source which will measure this preservative and challenge as the previous ones have been.  

A reliable vendor did an independent test in their lab and published their findings, here they are:
NataPres™ it turns out is just another ineffective natural preservative riding the wave of consumer demand.  We tested out NataPres™ in our lab and the intital results were promising.  It passed early testing, but eventually failed.  When Ryan called the NataPres™ manufacturers with our failed results they revealed that NataPres™ needed to be used in conjunction with an anti-fungal agent to create a properly preserved emulsion.
Ryan asked if their lab results with NataPres™ were similiar to ours and found that indeed they had found in their testing that it failed against fungus.

Don't be fooled by ingredients that sound too good to be true.



Resources:

 http://essentialu.typepad.com/my_weblog/2010/12/review-of-natapres-preservative.html (review of the NataPres preservative)

Milady's skincare and cosmetic ingredients dictionary, 3rd Edition By: Natalia Michalun and M. Varinia Michalun


The green beauty guide By: Julie Gabriel


www.lotioncrafter.com (for the MSDS sheets and ingredients)


www.chemistrystore.com (for the MSDS sheets and ingredients)

Stay bubbly my friends

~Your Soapsmith

Natural vs. Synthetic

Now that we have defined what organic really means scientifically, lets explore natural vs. synthetic and try to better understand what that means to us as consumers.

It's unfortunate that the word synthetic has such a negative connotation in today's world, there are many natural substances which are harmful and we would never think to use (snake venom and poison ivy for example), but the second someone sees or hears synthetic it is automatically bad and will cause some awful ailment.

Let's look at this more closely.  Synthetic ingredients can be just as effective and may have certain advantages over ingredients derived naturally from plants. Why?  Because they are formulated in a controlled and sterile environment and often times studies for months, even years and decades after they have been created.  They are tweaked and improved upon as new science comes to light.  Also synthetic ingredients are often times inspired by something that was originally natural and then improved upon in a laboratory.

For instance hyaluronic acid is an ingredient used to bind moisture in formulations, the natural version of this substance was originally derived from rooster combs. While a great ingredient its synthetic counterpart is more stable with more water binding properties and predictable when used in formulations not to mention the roosters are much happier to keep their combs.  If we as consumers all only wanted natural ingredients our environment could be seriously affected adversely.  Whole races of animals would be wiped off the planet, forests would be completely gone, etc.  Let the scientists take the natural ingredients and work with them to produce the synthetic cousin so we can keep this blue marble spinning.

Are all natural ingredients bad?  Of course not, there are many that are great, the important thing to understand is to be able to find the balance between the worlds of natural and synthetic.  Some natural resources cause a negative environmental impact and should not be considered, synthetic ingredients really shine in this department.  Both have positive and negative drawbacks and both need to be researched with an open mind in order to make informed decisions. 

So the next time you are shopping for your new bath and body product, remember to read the ingredient list with an open mind, if you don't recognize an ingredient don't automatically think that it is bad, I encourage you to look it up, sometimes the long scary names are merely the INCI names or "International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients" which simply means the scientific name which is recognized world wide. 

We believe in education our already intelligent consumers with the correct information and not some marketing mumbo jumbo which has become the norm in society these days.  We encourage you to ask us questions about our products and ingredients, we are always happy to answer and help you to make the right decision for your skin and lifestyle.

 Stay bubbly my friends
~ Your Soapsmith