Esthetician Practice Chemistry and Product Ingredients 1 Flashcards
6 cards from real Esthetician Practice Exam practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Esthetician Practice Chemistry and Product Ingredients 1 flashcards as text
Which of the following best describes the mechanism of action of alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) on the skin?
Answer: They loosen the bonds between corneocytes, promoting exfoliation of dead skin cells
AHAs such as glycolic and lactic acid work by weakening the intercellular adhesion between corneocytes (dead skin cells) in the stratum corneum, facilitating their shedding and revealing smoother, brighter skin underneath.
What is the primary role of emollients in a skincare formulation?
Answer: To fill gaps between skin cells and smooth the skin's surface
Emollients such as squalane, shea butter, and fatty acids fill in the spaces between skin cells, creating a smoother surface texture and improving skin suppleness by preventing water from escaping.
Which preservative system is most commonly used in natural or 'clean beauty' formulations as an alternative to parabens?
Answer: Phenoxyethanol
Phenoxyethanol is a widely accepted preservative in natural and clean beauty formulations because it is considered safer and less controversial than parabens or formaldehyde-releasing preservatives, while still providing effective broad-spectrum antimicrobial protection.
Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) is valued in skincare primarily because it:
Answer: Inhibits the transfer of melanosomes from melanocytes to keratinocytes
Niacinamide reduces hyperpigmentation and uneven skin tone by interfering with the transfer of melanin-containing melanosomes from pigment-producing melanocytes to surrounding keratinocytes, without affecting melanin synthesis itself.
Which of the following ingredient categories functions as a humectant?
Answer: Glycerin
Glycerin is a classic humectant — it attracts and binds water molecules from the environment and deeper skin layers to the stratum corneum, helping to maintain skin hydration. Cetyl alcohol is an emollient, dimethicone is an occlusive, and titanium dioxide is a physical sunscreen.
A formulator wants to create an oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion. Which of the following emulsifiers would be most appropriate?
Answer: An emulsifier with a high HLB value (8–18)
HLB (Hydrophilic-Lipophilic Balance) values indicate an emulsifier's affinity for water versus oil. Emulsifiers with high HLB values (8–18) are more hydrophilic and stabilize oil-in-water emulsions, while low HLB emulsifiers (3–6) are better suited for water-in-oil emulsions.