This is a translation of my German blogpost Hinter den Beauty-Kulissen… ProTec Ingredia GmbH Proudly Presents: Ein Beauty-Kreuzworträtsel. Enjoy!
In cooperation with ProTec Ingredia // Are you ready for a beauty quiz? For the last three years, cosmetic ingredients distributor ProTec Ingredia and I have been looking behind the scenes of the beauty industry. This is our 36th installment – I can hardly believe it! – and to celebrate the 3-year anniversary of this article series I decided to do something special. Here is a beauty crossword which is revisiting some of the most exciting moments of the last three years. Have fun!
Previously on Behind the Beauty Scenes: I’ve developed a monthly beauty serial story in cooperation with ProTec Ingredia GmbH. Our journey is leading us to the heart of the cosmetics industry – because without raw and active ingredients there wouldn’t be any beauty products. My cosmetic adventure started in October 2019 with a visit to an algae farmer in Brittany. Other episodes dealt with how beauty innovations are developed, highlighting some of the challenges associated with the manufacturing of cosmetic ingredients (how do you get the interesting properties of moss into a cream jar?) or finding out more about the field of cosmetic application technology. During a walk around the Research & Development facility of Codif I saw what true 360° sustainability means and learned more about the exciting new technologies that help measure the effects of active ingredients with the help of skin models. I also interviewed several key players from the cosmetic ingredients industry, like this private label manufacturer who told me how he selects the ingredients for his products and spoke with Study & Research Manager Dr. Franziska Wandrey from Mibelle Biochemistry about her interesting job. You can find all previous episodes in English on this page here.
There are 14 questions to answer. If you want to enlarge the crossword simply click on the image above. Anyone who can answer ten of these questions correctly without looking up the answers is definitely a beauty pro. And if you manage to answer all the questions I will personally award you the beauty grade 1+ 🙂 . And now let’s begin!
- Small but powerful: What lyophilisation is, how filtration works and what the saponification value can tell us is something that this particular staff member at Mibelle Biochemistry’s lab knows in great detail. Perhaps he enjoys his work so much because he knows plant stem cells from his own experience. Who is it?
Hint: In Chapter 31 of our Beauty Soap this person is the main character. - Every year this show takes place in a different country – unless there is a global pandemic. For anyone from the cosmetics industry (and for me), this is an exciting and absolutely essential trade fair if you want to see the latest beauty trends, like beauty upcycling, or discover brand-new raw materials and active ingredients. What is the name of this global event?
Hint: In Chapter 33 of the Beauty Soap I reported on the trends that I discovered at the show. - Can sustainable cosmetics and biotechnology be on the same page? This is something that marine ingredients manufacturer Codif from Brittany is always thinking about. What is the term (without hyphen) that CEO Romuald Vallée has coined to describe the future of the cosmetics industry?
Hint: The interview with Romuald in Chapter 30 of the Beauty Soap is all about this new nature-inspired technology. - Skin identical ceramides, phospholipids, essential fatty acids – a weakened skin barrier loves the ingredients contained in the extract that is the answer to this question. What is the name of the oily extract with its supple texture?
Hint: Chapter 10 of the Beauty Soap focuses on the grain which forms the base of the ingredient we’re looking for. - Around 470 billion years ago plants colonised the earth. Mibelle Biochemistry was impressed by the incredible adaptability and resilience of these plants and developed an innovative technological process to manufacture a plant-based active ingredient. This ingredient improves the health of cell kernels in aged skin cells. What is the name of this ingredient (without special characters or punctuation)?
Hint: I’m explaining how this plant ends up in a cream jar in Chapter 7 of the Beauty Soap. - This information on the packaging of a cosmetic product has been mandatory since 1997. The data lists the official Latin plant names of ingredients such as ‘Magnolia Officinalis Bark Extract’ (magnolia rind extract). What is the international abbreviation for this listing of ingredients?
Hint: In Chapter 34 of the Beauty Soap you will learn that most – but not all – information you might want about a cosmetic product is included in this declaration. - This concept became a trend during the pandemic, as well as in skin care. It doesn’t just help to improve the skin barrier during the daily beauty routine but also boosts mental health. What is the name of this new beauty trend (two words, no spaces)?
Hint: Chapter 32 of the Beauty Soap talks about an extraordinary oat extract which is a perfect match for the trend we’re looking for. - Pinkish-purple pompons are drifting around a fantastical aquarium… The calcified algae we are looking for are the base for several cosmetic actives. What is the Latin plant name of these algae (two words, no spaces)?
Hint: In Chapter 9 of the Beauty Soap I am taking a walk around the Research & Development facility of Codif and learning more about these fluffy-looking algae. - Our modern high-performance agriculture is displacing many old and robust plant types and animals. A Swiss institution is fighting for more biodiversity, for example with its seed library. What is the name of this foundation?
Hint: The organisation we’re looking for is protecting the ‘Uttwiler Spätlauber’ apple you can read about in Chapter 15 of the Beauty Soap. - Skin models can prove the efficacy of active ingredients. This innovative technology uses tissue samples which have a structure that is very similar to human skin. And speaking of skin: What is the top-most skin layer called?
Hint: In Chapter 14 of my Beauty Soap I am learning more about skin models whilst visiting Codif. - The goal is conformity with the laws and regulatory frameworks that apply to cosmetics. Which department is dealing with the safety of cosmetic raw materials and active ingredients (two words without special characters)?
Hint: In Chapter 29 of the Beauty Soap I have written about the information contained in a Technical Data Sheet at Mibelle Biochemistry. - Observing nature, the spirit of discovery and curiosity but also partnerships with scientific and research institutes – all of this is valuable inspiration for the development of new active ingredients. What do you call a novelty – regardless of whether it is technological or intellectual?
Hint: Sometimes these new ideas turn up during lunchtime as you can read in Chapter 8 of the Beauty Soap. - An artistic project that combines corals, lace making, research and cosmetic ingredients: What is the name of this unusual art project (two words, no spaces)?
Hint: In Chapter 26 of the Beauty Soap, artist Jérémy Gobé shows how his textile sculptures help to regenerate coral reefs. - She is still flying in a few remote mountain valleys in Switzerland. During the cold season this special bee can warm herself up quickly thanks to her dark colour. Her fermented honey plays a leading role in an active ingredient which helps to regenerate the skin flora after washing. What is the name of this ingredient (no special characters)?
Hint: You can find out which valley this particular bee species lives in during my beauty tour through Switzerland in Chapter 35 of the Beauty Soap.
You can find the solution to the crossword here.
In the next installment of my beauty serial I am learning more about the secrets of a special coral alga. Stay tuned!
