FEATURE ARTICLES

Preservatives are chemical compounds added to products to prevent the growth of microorganisms. They are intended to be added to clean products to prevent contamination by consumers while in use.

In this instalment, Kunio Shimada discusses the academic levels of Japanese cosmetics researchers and their major study topics.

Stem cell therapies are currently being trialled for a range of conditions including spinal cord injuries, Crohn’s disease, osteoarthritis, diabetes, acute myocardial infarction and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Following the introduction of the national colorectal cancer screening programme, a study has been undertaken by the University Hospital of Coventry and Warwickshire to assess public awareness and perceptions of the initiative.

This is the final section of the article on essential oils. The new consolidated regulation of the european parliament and of the council on cosmetic products (recast) 2008/0035 (COD) 10 November 2009 places a huge burden on formulators and toxicologists to ensure the safety of cosmetic products placed on the market which goes far beyond the old safety assessments.

Marketing personal care products in the United States often involves interaction with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA regulates a wide array of consumer goods including food, beverages, health supplements, drugs, biologics, medical devices, veterinary drugs, cosmetics, radiation emitting products, and more recently, tobacco.

Preservatives ensure product safety and quality and therefore play an important role in every personal care formulation. This article addresses the challenge of choosing the right preservative system and gives some guidance for decision makers.

Seppic has made significant strides forward in the fight against ageing through development of two active ingredients named TimeCode and SurviCode. For the first time, the ageing genetic print has been defined and the “youth capital” code of the cells decoded.

The plague of a generation, stress is everywhere in our hectic lives. We have all used the term “stress” to define what we feel (acceleration of the heartbeat, increased perspiration, etc.) in unsettling or unexpected situations.

Shea butter has recently become a very popular ingredient in cosmetics and personal care applications due to its good emolliency and moisturising properties. The high content of unsaponifiable lipids, especially triterpene cinnamates, contributes to skin healing and restoration by anti-inflammatory action.

In a country where an estimated 30% of the population exist below the poverty line, it is indeed surprising to note that the Philippine cosmetics industry registers an average 7.7% growth rate a year, and hit sales of over US$2 billion in 2008.

Suppliers of technical products and services often assume their customers have the knowledge and skills to take their sample and product data sheet and turn them into a finished cosmetic product. It seems this is not the case.

The skin provides the first and most efficient defence of the body against water loss and external aggressions.

Over time, cells show a decrease in their replicative and metabolic capacity, resulting in a reduction in their number of duplications achieving a state of proliferation arrest. This phenomenon of loss of replicative capacity is known as cellular senescence.

New legal regulations and growing competition in the market of cosmetic products demand more and more tests in the field of bioengineering. R&D departments are looking out for bioengineering methods which are non-invasive, objective, sensitive and reproducible.

The Personal Care and Homecare Ingredients (PCHi) trade show is China’s dedicated trade event for ingredient suppliers to engage manufacturers of cosmetics, personal care and homecare goods to meet their growing production demands.

The 7th Natural Products Expo Asia was held at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre towards the end of 2009. The aim of this industry trade show was to provide updated information and the market trends of the cosmetics industry for both Asian and foreign investors and exhibitors.

Sun and sunbed exposure remains the largest sun care sub-category accounting for over three quarters of launches this period (Q1 and Q2 of 2009). After-sun accounted for 14% of the market and self-tanning remains the least active segment with 11% of product launches.

With the crowds queuing for what seemed like half a mile down the walkway of the epic Singapore Expo centre, the first morning of in-cosmetics Asia carried good omens for a productive few days and also proof of an industry in good health.

Plants have always been the main source of medicinal ingredients for humans, providing a wide range of valuable biologically active substances. Even nowadays, active ingredients of plant origin are widely used, not only in the pharmaceutical industry, but also for cosmetic and nutritional applications.