FEATURE ARTICLES

It became very clear when we embarked on this voyage of discovery for the toxicology of essential oils that there was a huge amount of data in the public domain but that there was very little in the way of consolidated information.

To say that competitive edge depends as much on market perceptions as it does on product performance is so obvious as to be almost trite.

A common feature of all gloss-effect pigments is a flake-like structure which enables directional reflection of incoming light and hence, gloss effects.1

This article examines complex effect pigments and innovative solutions for ethnic colour cosmetics. Formulating colour cosmetic products for ethnic groups is a challenging and interesting scientific pursuit.

For the last ten years or so, natural cosmetic preparations have proved a big hit with consumers – reason enough for product developers to be constantly looking for new plant-based actives.

Gemmotherapy is an offshoot of traditional homeopathy, whereby a homeopathic mother tincture (potency 1x) is prepared from the fresh sap, buds, seeds, etc. that the plant produces in the spring.

The conditioning efficacy, the hydro-balance performance and the gloss effects of a Cutina Shine (INCI: Dicocoyl pentaerythrityl distearyl citrate) formulation was compared with a lanolin containing formula and a market benchmark conditioner.

Exogenous causes, particularly chronic ultraviolet light exposure, are a common factor in pigment abnormalities such as melasma, solar lentigines (or age spots), freckling, mottled pigmentation, and ephelides.

Skin whitening actives such as alphaarbutin, kojic acid, and vitamin C have been available for a number of years, and novel compositions are continuously introduced.

Acne is the most common chronic inflammation of the skin affecting 75% to 95% of teenagers but can remain a severe skin problem also for adults.

All plant seeds that store triglycerides as future energy sources, such as safflower, sunflower, canola and cottonseed, sequester these oils in specialised organelles called oleosomes.

Dr Martha Tilaar, founder and owner of Martha Tilaar Group, is an entrepreneur who set up the company 39 years ago. Her aim was to become the leading cosmetic player in the Asian region of cosmetic products with a range based on natural, eastern style products, but processed via modern technology.

In the first of a series of articles documenting the Japanese cosmetics market, Kunio Shimada of the NOF Corporation offers a broad assessment of where this market is now and how it is likely develop following the economic crisis.

in-cosmetics has come a long way since it first opened its doors in 1990 in Birmingham with 900 visitors and 60 exhibitors. Now, two decades later it is recognised as the leading global business platform for the personal care industry and is celebrating its 20th anniversary in Paris in 2010 with the best show yet.

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.

Everyday our skin is subject to multiple aggressions: sun, cold, and bad weather, as well as other factors which damage the surface of our skin, causing dryness, chapping and rough skin.

It has always been a challenge to discover the toxicological profile of essential oils and despite some excellent reference works on the topic, there has never been a single reference that supplied all the required data.

The aim of the work described in this article was to investigate the effects of pre-dispersion on the ability of inorganic sunscreens to photostabilise organic UV filters.

The latest advances in a wide variety of market segments will be showcased at the in-cosmetics Asia exhibition in Singapore. A huge amount of emphasis will be placed on developments with naturals, and of much interest will be how significant steps forward have been taken with sunscreens and colours.

Asia is the world’s largest continent and it has yet to fill its true potential as shown by its achievement in being the fastest growing region in the global economy. The vast number of consumers and diversity of the different cultures, languages and traditions can present an array of challenges for cosmetic and toiletry businesses looking to expand in the region.