FEATURE ARTICLES

Over the last decade, our industry has undergone a dramatic metamorphosis. This change has been a result of consumer demand, government regulation and a realisation that we are stewards of our environment.

Due to ageing and external factors, the skin loses its thickness, it produces a reduced amount of structural components and, in general, its biomechanical properties deteriorate.

Global consumer demand for natural and organic cosmetics and personal care products continues to grow at double digit rates. Cosmetic chemists are challenged to find innovative, natural alternatives to synthetic and petroleum-based chemicals that have similar or better performance.

Today’s suncare market places several requirements and challenges on the formulators and their formulations. What are the needs of the end user? Who should be protected? Babies, children, women, men?

The desire for natural gums and thickeners to replace synthetic materials is becoming increasingly important in the formulation of natural products. These materials are used to increase viscosity, prevent phase separation, reduce the formation of crystals and their growth, and improve the delivery of products to the skin.

in-cosmetics Asia has announced its workshop programme for 2010. The additions to the educational line-up for 2010 will see two of the industry’s most revered experts – Jean-Jacques Bourgois and Prof.

Facial beauty, one of the hottest topics on the Asian skincare industry agenda, will take centre stage at the in-cosmetics Asia Conference, in Bangkok this November.

Open registration has been announced to the 2nd Skin Physiology International Meeting on 17-19 November 2010. Fall colours, leaves on the floor and a refreshing temperature.

It is often said that we know more about the surface of the moon than we do the ocean floor. This may be apocryphal, but it does at least suggest a truth about our historical relationship with the sea as it represents a barrier, both physically and psychologically, beyond which exists an alien world.

It is now becoming more generally recognised that skin pigmentation is controlled by two critical factors, the translucency of the stratum corneum and the colour of the underlying pigmentcontaining skin components.

The UK’s salon styling market is worth over £100 million and is the fastest growing category within the hair care sector. Styling products make up over 50% of the total salon market and around 20% of total retail hair care market.1

With over 40 years of experience in enzymatic hydrolysis techniques, Copalis has developed new cosmetic active peptides from innovative raw materials: plants that are not seaweeds but quite closely resemble them, and are called halophyte plants.

Our planet is blue. We humans are perched on a few lumps of rocks that jut out from an otherwise watery surface and yet we are only just starting to understand how the sub-aquatic ecosystem works.

Maintaining an organ with direct exposure to the environment is a remarkable achievement. Skin provides a renewable, self-repairing and defensive barrier to external influences. It is in a continual state of rejuvenation as the new skin cells make their way to the epidermis and also provides immune monitoring and pathogen defence via specialised cells.

In today’s competitive cosmetic market, one of the main challenges is to speed up product development while maintaining a high quality of work and adhering to the constantly changing regulations.

Ageing skin is characterised by visible signs such as altered pigmentation, wrinkles and loss of tone and elasticity. Thus far, two principal processes regulating skin ageing have been identified: one intrinsic dependent on genetic factors and one extrinsic determined by environmental factors such as exposure to sunlight, especially UV, and cigarette smoke or other external agents.

Through an adaptogen approach, a new active ingredient (AI) based on mushroom (Grifola frondosa Gray) extract, helps the skin to fight against stress and to maintain homeostasis.

The economic recession has affected many markets globally ranging from the construction industry and the automotive sector to textiles manufacturing and consumer product markets.

The UK Society of Cosmetic Scientists (SCS) has been organising their event SCS Formulate since 1999 and has developed the format to deliver a range of content ideally suited to the needs of formulators working in the personal care market.

The city of Buenos Aires will be hosting the 26th IFSCC Congress between 19 and 23 September 2010. Organised by the Argentine Association of Cosmetic Chemists (AAQC), the congress is regarded as the most important scientific and technical meeting of the international cosmetic world, and both the organising committee and the AAQC as a whole have been working hard to ensure a highly informative four days for every participant.