You are here: Home / Information / Cosmetic Chemist Jargon – Acronyms of the Industry

Cosmetic Chemist Jargon – Acronyms of the Industry

Posted by on April 20, 2011 · 18 Comments 

Every industry has acronyms which are supposed to make communication easier. Unfortunately, for an industry newcomer, it seems like a foreign language.

The following of cosmetic industry acronyms should help you decipher the cosmetic jargon. All the acronyms we could imagine are listed with their meanings. If you can think of any we missed, please leave a comment and we’ll add it to the list.

ACD Allergic contact dermatitis
ACGIH American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists
ACS American Chemical Society
AHA Alpha hydroxy acid
ALES Ammonium Laureth Sulfate
ALS Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate
AMP Aminomethyl propanol
APD Antiperspirant Deordorant
ASTM American Standards of Testing Materials
BHA Butylhydroxyanisole
BHT Butylhydroxytoluene
BOGO Buy One Get One
CAS Chemical Abstract Service
CD Cyclodextrin
CERCLA Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act
CFC Chloroflurocarbon
CFR Code of Federal Regulation
CI Color Index
CIR Cosmetic Ingredient Review
CMC Critical micelle concentration
COLIPA European Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association
CTFA Cosmetics Toiletries & Fragrance Association
CTPA Cosmetic Toiletries and Perfume Association
DBMSA Dibenzaldehyde monosorbitol acetate
DEA Diethanolamine
DHA Dihydoxy acetone
DME Dimethyl ether
DMSO Dimethyl sulfoxide
DOT Department of Transportation
DOT Department of Transportation
EDTA Ethylene Diamine Tetraacetic Acid
EU European Union
EWG Environmental Working Group
FCAT Forearm controlled application technique
FCC Food Chemicals Codex
FD&C Food, Drug & Cosmetic
FDA Food & Drug Administration
FPLA Fair Packaging and Labeling Act
FTC Federal Trade Commision
FTIR Fourrier Transfer Infra Red
GC Gas chromatograph
GMP Good Manufacturing Procedures
HDPE High Density poly ethylene
HEC Hydroxyethyl Cellulose
HLB Hydrophobe/Lipophobe Balance
HMS Homosalate
HPLC High Performance Liquid Chromatography
HPMC Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulouse
HUT Home Use Test
ICD Irritant contact dermatitis
ICMAD Independent Cosmetic Manufacturers and Distributors
IFSCC International Federation of Societies of Cosmetic Chemists
INCI International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients
IR Infrared
IUPAC International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry
JCIA Japanese Cosmetic Industry Association
LD-50 Lethal Dose 50%
LDH Lactate Dehydrogenase
LDPE Low density poly ethylene
MA Maleic anhydride.
MEA Methylethylamine
MED Minimal erythemal dose
MHW Ministry of Health and Welfare
MSDS Material Safety Data Sheet
NAD National Advertising Division
NDA New Drug Application
NF National Formulary
NFPA National Fire Protection Association
NIH National Institute of Health
NMF Natural Moisturizing Factor
NMR Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
OH Hydroxyl Group
OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Administration
OTC Over The Counter (drug)
OW Oil in water (emulsion)
PABA Para amino benzoic acid
PCA Pyrollidone carboxylic acid
PCD Product category designation
PCPC Personal Care Products Councle
PEG Polyethylene Glycol
PEL Permissible Exposure Limit
PET Polyethylene Teraphthalate
PG Propylene Glycol
PIT Phase inversion temperature
PPG Polypropylene Glycol
PVC Polyvinyl Chloride
PVM Polyvinyl Methylether
PVP Polyvinyl Pyrollidone
QA Quality Assurance
QC Quality Control
REACH Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemical Substances
RIPT Repeat Insult Patch Test
RTECS Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances
SARA Search and Rescue Aid
SCC Society of Cosmetic Chemists
SCS Society of Cosmetic Scientists
SLES Sodium Laureth Sulfate
SLS Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
SPF Sun Protection Factor
TEA Triethanolamine
TLV Threshold Limit Value
TSCA Toxic Substances Control Act
USP United States Pharmacopeia
UV Ultraviolet
UVA Ultra violet A
UVB Ultra violet B
UVC Ultra violet C
VA Vinyl Acetate
VOC Volitile Organic Compound
VP Vinyl Pyrollidone
WO Water in Oil (emulsion)
WOW Water in oil in water (emulsion)
Print FriendlyPrint Friendly
Be Sociable, Share!

More about the author:  Perry received his B.S. in Chemistry from DePaul University. He has written and edited numerous articles and books, teaches SCC continuing education classes in cosmetic science, and is the primary author at ChemistsCorner.com a website dedicated to training current and future cosmetic scientists. Read more from this author

Related posts:

  1. Nation’s Cosmetic and Personal Care Industry Announces Safe Cosmetics Alliance
  2. The Cosmetic Industry is Under Attack
  3. Canada & the Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist

Filed under Information · Tagged with , , , , , , , ,

  • http://www.sterlingminerals.com/ Katherine

    Wow that is some list and extremely helpful even to those of us who are in the industry since not all of us deal with every entity listed above or is outside our area of expertise.

    It would be great if PCT could make sure this stays in a location for easy reference instead of getting pushed to the back as articles come in….just a suggestion~

    • Sarah

      Yes, wow! But did you really mean water in oil in water emulsion? Sorry, nerdy humor…

    • http://greenskincareblog.com/ Kristin Fraser Cotte

      we could link to the post in resources list Katherine. Seems to be a fitting spot for it…

      Great post Perry, I learned many new ones and great additions Philippe!

    • http://greenskincareblog.com/ Kristin Fraser Cotte

      done, just added the live link to Resources: http://personalcaretruth.com/resources/

  • Dene62

    I think SCCS is worthy of inclusion – the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (the independent panel of scientists that assesses the tox data on cosmetic ingredients – amongst other areas – for the EU Commission).

    Also – PAO – Period After Opening – the unpopular and difficult to establish EU requirement for cosmetics!

    Just to clarify the difference between the SCC and the SCS, for newcomers to the industry – they are the respective USA and UK equivalents of the industry body that represents individual scientists, both organisations being members of the IFSCC.

    • Rich Summers

      Possibly adding the previous incarnations of the SCCS as well, the SCCNFP ( Scientific committee on cosmetics and non food products ) and the SCCP ( Scientific committee on consumer products ) ?
      As both did the same job as the SCCS does currently, and there are still opinions abuot with both the acronyms on.

      • Rich Summers

        Oh, and IFRA might be worth a mention as well.

        • Philippe Papadimitriou

          In that case RIFM (Research Institute for Fragrance Materials) is important too.

      • Philippe Papadimitriou

        I believe the SCCS now replaces the SCCNFP, the SCCP but also the former SCC (Scientific Committee on Cosmetology).

  • Philippe Papadimitriou

    I would also add (all related):

    ECVAM (European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods)

    ICCVAM (Interagency Coordination Committee on the Validation of Alternative Methods)

    NICEATM (NTP (National Toxicology Program) Interagency Center for the Evaluation of Alternative Toxicological Methods)

    JaCVAM (Japanese Center for the Validation of Alternative Methods)

  • Philippe Papadimitriou

    And some others:

    SCHER (Scientific Committee on Health and Environmental Risks)

    SCENIHR (Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks)

    GLP (Good Laboratory Practice)

    GCP (Good Clinical Practice)

    OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development)

    PE, also Ph. Eur. (European Pharmacopoeia)

    EChA (European Chemicals Agency)

    CLP (Classification, Labelling and Packaging of Substances and Mixtures)

    GHS (Globally Harmonised System of classification and labelling of chemicals)

    MoE (Margin of Exposure)

    MoS (Margin of Safety)

    TEWL (TransEpidermal Water Loss)

    Wow..
    We work in a CW (complicated world)!

    • Perry Romanowski

      Great additions Philippe!

  • Rich Summers

    It does get a bit silly sometimes though. I recently got a newsletter with a head line of “IPCA gets MHRA OK for GMP API plant”. I wonder if some people do it on purpose…………

    • Sarah

      Sounds like a teen’s text message that I’m having trouble deciphering…

  • Perry Romanowski

    I just realized that PET does double duty. It also stands for Preservative Efficacy Test.

    • Bamboozledbylove

      or AET.. Antimocrobial effectiveness testing.. Perry I’m impressed at your undertaking. great list. there are probably as many TLA’s(three (or more) letter abbreviations) as there are people. I hear CapB a lot for cocamidopropyl betaine, LAE linear alkyl ethoxylates, GMS glyceryl mono stearate… the list goes on…. in adfinitum.. QED.. QS..

  • Decorus_eventus

    is there such an ingredient as ‘Morbicid Acid’?

    • Perry Romanowski

      It is not the name of a cosmetic ingredient.  It is however, an alternative name for formaldehyde.