What does urine have in common with beauty?

January 04. 2010, under Blogr with No Comments

Some make up products and lotions contain an ingredient called Urea. Urea is an organic compound commonly found in urine. From a chemical perspective it can be synthesized without using urine, but from a consumer’s perspective it’s pretty disgusting to think that my beauty products might contain piss. That’s why it’s so important to read the label.

Urea is also used in many other types of products:

A stabilizer in nitrocellulose explosives.

A component of animal feed, providing a relatively cheap source of nitrogen to promote growth.

A non-corroding alternative to rock salt for road de-icing, and the resurfacing of snowboarding halfpipes and terrain parks.

A flavor-enhancing additive for cigarettes.

A main ingredient in hair removers such as Nair or Veet.

A browning agent in factory-produced pretzels.

An ingredient in some hair conditioners, facial cleansers, bath oils, skin softeners, and lotions.

A reactant in some ready-to-use cold compresses for first-aid use, due to the endothermic reaction it creates when mixed with water.

A cloud seeding agent, along with other salts.

A flame-proofing agent, commonly used in dry chemical fire extinguisher charges such as the urea- potassium bicarbonate mixture and many more.

Be a smart shopper. Know what you’re buying.