FEATURE ARTICLES

Inspired by nature and designed from its environment-friendly philosophy, Brasca introduces Olifeel TD 7525, a patented innovative soft touch oil with an interesting and unique sensorial profile. The present study submits a summary of performed tests to assess the skin penetration ability.

The history of colloidal oatmeal goes back to ancient times when various skin disorders were treated effectively with the common oat (Avena sativa).1 Treatment with colloidal oatmeal for sunburn, poison ivy, eczema and psoriasis has been well documented in the literature.2,3 In 2003, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved colloidal oatmeal as a skin protectant.4

Skin care is the major topic for the personal care market. People demand to remain young, with better looks as they age, such as smaller pores, fewer wrinkles, and less sagging, and to moderate skin disorders, such as irritation, dryness, redness, dandruff etc. The former target is mainly known as anti-ageing. The main target is to remodel and rescue our skin from intrinsic and extrinsic damage.

According to James Lovelock,1 the physicochemical and biological processes of our planet, if linked together in an intricate way, are easily understandable and capable of self regulation to maintain the best rules for living.

Each cosmetic product marketed requires a challenge test (CT), regulated by the European Regulation 1223/2009. According to this regulation, CT is not required for two categories: low microbiological risk products (e.g. product with alcohol above 20%, products with organic solvents, high/low-pH product), and single use or no air contact products.1

Preservation is a vital part of any personal care formulation. We require preservatives to protect our products from the effects of bacterial, yeast and fungal growth. Selecting the correct system to perform this task is not a simple process – many factors will need to be considered before the correct choice can be made.

Preservation has always been under the spot light; even more so is preservation of natural products.

Marinova, an Australian biotechnology company, developed two speciality cosmetic ingredients from marine algae. Maritech Bright is a Fucus vesiculosus derived extract (pictured) comprising both fucoidan and polyphloroglucinol, and Maritech Reverse is a high purity fucoidan from Undaria pinnatifida. Fucoidan is a sulphated, fucose rich polysaccharide with multiple bioactivities. Polyphloroglucinols are unique marine algal derived polyphenols with profound antioxidant activity.

Enlarged pores and shininess are no longer an exclusive problem of teenagers. In fact it is a great concern among adults from different ages and all around the world. A marine biotechnological ingredient has proved to be an effective candidate to control sebum production and reduce pore size.

We recognise that customers of the personal care and cosmetics industries may have an innate negative reaction to the concept of responsible pesticide/ herbicide use, as well as solvent extraction methods. Indeed, even benign chemistries such as parabens and silicones are more frequently referred to as inherently ‘bad’ and ‘unnatural’.

Fragrance is a crucial element of most beauty and personal care products. In what is an incredibly crowded and competitive marketplace, providing the very best sensory experience possible for a customer can very often make a real difference to a product’s market share. As such, the fragrance market continues to grow and develop, especially as new trends and scents influence western consumers from new markets.

The human sense of smell has been underestimated for a long time. However, recent research shows that it is closely connected to emotions, memories, approach and avoidance, and also evaluative judgment. Therefore, the scent of a product can have a significant impact on consumers’ product experience, its liking, the evaluative judgment of the products’ qualities, and the products’ purchase intention.

With a theme of ‘Fragrance Matters’ the 2014 Fragrance Forum, the 4th annual event of its kind, was again held at the Royal Society in London.

Fragrance is one of the most important aspects of personal care products, providing a huge degree of sensory input and in many cases creating the clearest point of differentiation between one product and its competitors.

Process validation for cosmetic products is a requirement under GMP so that manufacturers can prove control of critical aspects of their operations.

Ultrasound is a well-used method for particle size reduction in dispersions and emulsions across many industries and applications. While the use of ultrasound in the processing of personal care formulations does happen, it is currently not very common.

Plants have been the source of medicinal and cosmetic ingredients since time immemorial. Their uses have been documented in many societies and Asian countries have had an advantage so far as the traditional information has been documented both in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicines.

This paper outlines the investigation of multi cosmetic uses related to a patented cosmetic ingredient, INCI Name: Shikimic Acid. It is a pure product of vegetable origin, derived from Illicium verum (star anise). Its efficacy was mainly demonstrated in deodorisation applications. However, it is also indicated for its anti-acne, anti-dandruff, and exfoliating activity.

The effects of light on skin are due to various degrees of absorption of electromagnetic radiation. The visible light spectrum has a 400 nm to 760 nm wavelength. The lighttissue interaction effects are due to absorption and excitation of photons. Once the light reaches the skin, part of it is absorbed, part is reflected or scattered, and part is further transmitted. The structures of the tissue that absorb the photons are known as chromophores that have different wavelengths of absorption.

The hair care market in Asia is expected to do well in the coming years thanks to improving economies and increasing interest in expanding hair care regimes. However, with more elaborate hair care regimes and use of dyes and styling tools comes an increasing need to protect the hair fibres from damage.