FEATURE ARTICLES

The purpose of this series of articles is to briefly review the theory and practice of distillation of essential oils. Although many producers use some form of distillation to extract essential oils, very few thoroughly understand the theory behind the practice that lays the basis for the practices they utilise.

It is critical for formulators to understand the synergies and interactions of the materials that are used to deliver safe and effective sun protection in order to comply with the continuously changing requirements of the industry.

in-cosmetics will analyse solar beauty and social commerce as part of its free Marketing Trends programme at this year’s Barcelona event.

Launching new cosmetic products with innovative active ingredients requires science and evidence: science to under stand underlying principles, to build theories with predictive power in order to birth the breakthrough idea that will create the cutting-edge product.

During the product development phase of cosmetics, a whole set of evaluation procedures is applied in order to check the effective result of the various trials in comparison with the requirements of the hypothesised characteristics. Some of them are essentially instrumental (e.g. pH, viscosity, density) microbiological or belong to the bioengineering evaluations.

Recently, there has been growing interest in sunscreen performance. This interest includes not only making more efficient formulations but also more effective formulations.

One of the goals of science is to understand the unknown. The function of science, quite simply, is to make life easier. Breakthroughs in emulsion technology do just that.

The oceans and seas are a great place to find natural actives and functional materials for personal care products. They are the last great untapped resource. Despite covering more than 70% of the Earth’s surface, only a tiny proportion of their full potential is being used in personal care.1

Cosmetic scientists are developing new ways to identify new natural sources, which enable innovative compounds with excellent cosmetic properties such as firming, restructuring, moisturising or antiwrinkles.

Modern formulation development depends on innovative ingredients, new marketing approaches, shaping new trends and developing clinical studies that prove and support the benefits of cosmetic formulations to the end users.

Worldwide, consumers spent US$2 billion a week last year on skin and sun care products. That is 29% more than five years ago, according to Euromonitor International.

In just over a year from now, the new European Regulation on cosmetic products (full name: ‘Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2009 on cosmetic products’)1 will come into force

Although the safety of cosmetic products in Europe is closely controlled by European legislation, the emerging question is how safe for the consumer are they really?

The prefix ‘nano’ is one of those terms that polarises opinion. Advocates of nanoscale materials point to their many advantages and applications, while on the opposite side are those who feel that nanotechnology per se carries unknown risks to human health and should be avoided at all costs.

The need for innovative and biodegradable controlled delivery systems, as nanoparticulates, has been and is still today a necessity for continuously ameliorating the efficacy of drug and cosmetic products.

Infinitec Barcelona and Biomar Microbial Technologies have combined their expertise to set up a cosmetic blue technology discovery platform. Floating on the surface of the ocean without shade and not getting sunburnt, or being immersed in a high salt environment without losing moisture are some of the achievements of marine microorganisms that could be translated into very attractive cosmetic ingredients.

This paper is intended to introduce a new type of biodegradable suspension-aid known as microfibrous cellulose or MFC. MFC is produced by the fermentation of the bacterium, Acetobacter xylinum.

By Nica Lewis, Mintel, UK - Whitening skincare is a key segment of the Asian beauty market. The claim is well established in facial skin care, with one in four new products offering whitening benefits, but it is increasingly appearing in body care too.

When considering hair, moisture is a double-edged sword. Everyone strives to achieve healthy looking, moisturised hair; shiny and strong. Dry hair, on the other hand, is associated with damage and brittleness.

The various skin hues all over the continents are due to mechanism variations linked to skin types. It should be noted that whatever the typology is, skins all have an identical number of melanocytes, but the difference remains in the synthesis and diffusion towards the keratinocytes.