The Chemistry of Love(47)

This was the only thing he could have asked me about (besides Ben Solo) that would have made me not shut up. “Neurocosmetics.”

He nodded. “I’ve read a bit about it, but I’m not very familiar with the concept.”

Honestly, that wasn’t surprising. In some ways, Minx was leading the industry with its commitment to organic, nontoxic, and environmentally conscious makeup, but in others, it didn’t seem to be paying attention to trends at all.

“The types of ingredients that are used in neurocosmetics are focusing on the fact that nerve endings in our skin are sensitive to certain kinds of stimuli. Those nerves and neuron cells in the skin are, obviously, connected to our brain. We know that there are heightened feelings that can mess with the skin.”

“Like when I say something that embarrasses you, how your cheeks turn pink?”

It was literally happening right now. My face was getting hotter. I was just going to pretend that I was fine. “I was thinking more along the lines of how when you’re stressed, it can cause breakouts or a rash. So currently, there are scientists looking at things like frankincense extract. It has beta-endorphins to ease your stress, help regulate cortisol, and it also is an anti-inflammatory and can restore collagen.”

Now he looked interested. “So it’s mood enhancing and has antiaging properties?”

“Yes, it tackles both that brain/skin connection and makes a user younger-looking at the same time. Then you could add something like lemongrass as the scent because it’s been shown to reduce anxiety. We do some aromatherapy with our products now, but we could be doing a lot more.”

Whoops. I realized a second too late that I was talking about Minx like I still worked there.

He made the same mistake when he asked, “So why aren’t we doing that?”

“That’s an excellent question, Marco. I don’t know the answer. I tried pitching it to my boss many times, but he said something about weird crystal-carrying hippies dancing in the moonlight with cats and shot me down.”

Marco took out his phone and started typing. He put his phone back in his pocket. “Just making a note,” he said.

“I think it’s the future of cosmetics. And not just the way it is now—how we try to use ingredients that positively affect the nervous system. But as you mentioned, like with the way skin blushes when you’re embarrassed, what if we could use the nervous system’s reactions to affect the makeup a user is wearing?”

“That could certainly have some interesting applications. I hope that’s something you’ve been working on.”

The truth was, I hadn’t. It was something I’d been waiting on permission for at work when I could have been doing more in my home lab. Why was I always standing aside instead of going after the thing that I wanted? I didn’t need Jerry to tell me it was okay before moving forward with experimenting in a field that fascinated me.

Catalina laughed loudly at something that had happened in the game, and I couldn’t help but smile. I’d always enjoyed her sense of humor. I wished I could be more like her—at ease in any social situation, with any person. Not like myself, consumed with my own awkwardness and lack of social skills.

We were basically friends because she had adopted me.

“She seems like a happy person,” Marco commented.

“Definitely. Until she’s not. But you won’t even know it’s happening. She’s the kind of person who would stab you while still wearing a smile. If you piss her off, you’ll never see it coming. I’ve told her she needs a neon sign on her forehead with her current feelings. Like some kind of face mood ring.”

A face mood ring. There was a jolt and then a buzzing sound in my head. Like I’d been struck by lightning. Marco said something to me, but his voice was too far away, and I tuned him out. That was it. The neurocosmetics application I’d been looking for.

A lipstick that would show the user’s mood. There were lipsticks that changed solely from outside temperatures. Mine would change with temperature, but it would also respond to the user’s nervous system. I began to run the problem through my head. The obvious first issue was that the thermotropic liquid crystals that made a mood ring change colors were toxic to skin. Could I put some kind of barrier around it? But that wouldn’t work—people would forget and touch their lips or eat something and swallow those crystals, and that wouldn’t be good.

What if there was a way to use the crystals and make them not harmful?

I remembered reading a study years ago that I hadn’t thought much about since—it had been about using thermochromic polymer materials to eliminate the toxicity and carcinogenic properties of the liquid crystals. I grabbed my phone and did a search and found the study quickly. I read the abstract. I did another search and found an additional study on certain thermotropic crystals that were not toxic to mammalian cells.

This was it. I started creating formulations in my head. I needed a computer. And my lab.

I stood up. “I have to go.”

Marco also got to his feet. “Anna? What’s going on? You totally spaced out there for a minute.”

“I know, I’m sorry. I just had a really great idea. If I can make it work . . . I think it could change everything in our industry.”

His eyes widened. “That sounds big.”

It was then that I remembered Craig telling me that if I had a big idea, I should come to him. Should I tell him? Would this be a reason to talk to him?