FEATURE ARTICLES

Humans are constantly exposed to harmful foreign chemicals and materials from exogenous and endogenous sources. As a result, defence mechanisms have evolved to protect against toxin overload.1 Cells are under constant threat from metabolic waste products and xenobiotics. The formation of phase I and phase II metabolism mobilises and excretes these mainly lipophilic toxins.

After a difficult year for some cosmetics companies in 2009, much hope had been placed on in-cosmetics 2010 at Porte de Versailles, Paris, to deliver reasons for renewed optimism.

Wrinkles, lack of firmness or sagginess are the most visible signs of skin ageing. A variety of environmental, hormonal, and genetic factors results in skin elasticity loss. Mature skin becomes less elastic and less able to resist any deformation, leading to many of the visible manifestations of ageing.1

Most people today accept without question the importance of vitamins and minerals to health and that extreme deficiency can lead to serious diseases such as scurvy.

Phormiskin Bioprotech G is a skin rejuvenator. This biotechnological concentrate of original life stimulates the synthesis of thioredoxin in the dermal and epidermal cells, delays skin senescence and improves skin radiance, freshness and homogeneity.

The potential for cosmetic formulations to induce skin irritation is an important consideration for cosmetics producers. Irritation potential may be predicted by in vitro systems, provided they are sufficiently complex to mimic the skin barrier in vivo.

From the figures released following Biofach and Vivaness exhibitions, the trend towards organic and ecologically sustainable consumption is obviously uninterrupted.

Having initially focused on transforming trade within the food and fashion industries, and with UK sales topping £800 million in 2009, Fairtrade‘s doors have now opened to a whole new sector.

Organic Beauty first became established in western markets such as the UK, US and France but it is currently sweeping the rest of the world, picking up momentum across Asia.

This study focuses on studying different properties of Lubrizol’s range of short to medium flow crosslinked polyacrylate rheology modifiers and their effect on the sensory of the end products.

The saponins are found in many plants, but first got their name from the soapwort plant or Saponaria officinalis, the roots of which were traditionally used as a natural soap.

Dermatopoietin-Plus is a mixture of two peptides which act synergistically to renew the dermal skin structure and reduce hair loss. One component is recombinant interleukin-1 alpha, an epidermal cytokine, which is expressed by keratinocytes on a constitutive basis.

In this issue we continue to explore the active raw materials that have been found in the fascinating world of plant chemistry.

Dr Alain Khaiat is one of the most respected experts working in personal care today. During his 30 years in the industry, he has been vice president of the R&D departments for Revlon, Yves Rocher and, most recently, Johnson & Johnson.

With an export market worth in excess of e4.5 billion,1 France is Europe’s largest exporter of cosmetics and toiletries and arguably its most competitive. Supplying ingredients to its manufacturers is therefore no doubt a challenging proposition.

A novel safe and easy-to-formulate tripeptide solution helps to fight visible signs of skin ageing by stimulating hyaluronan (HA) synthesis and expression of the proteoglycans, decorin and lumican.

While it is well documented that UVB waves can burn the epidermis, less visibly damaging UVA waves can reach the dermis and hypodermis layers of skin, accumulate over time, and have been shown to accelerate skin ageing, suppress the immune response and increase the risk of developing skin cancer.1

Constant exposure of the skin to various types of mechanical and environmental stresses such as reactive oxidative species, air pollutants and, particularly, ultraviolet radiations, namely UVA, UVB and UVC, can cause damage by activating a complex cascade of biochemical mechanisms, especially via the generation of free radicals

FormulaCare i-2010 was held in Manila on 17 and 18 March. This unique and new style of exhibition was the forerunner of a novel technology transfer designed to assist formulators in the ASEAN region and judging by the comments of the visitors, it has achieved its objective.

A highly pure hexylresorcinol (>99% purity), designed for topical application, is shown to be a safe and effective skin lightener as demonstrated by in vitro and human clinical studies. Melanin inhibitory activity of hexylresorcinol is demonstrated to be due to the inhibition of various points in the melanogenesis pathway. Skin protective property of hexylresorcinol is shown to be due to its stimulatory effects on glutathione, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase.