The purpose of cosmetic products is to enhance or correct the appearance of the skin (decorative) and to preserve skin and hair integrity (care). In both of these application areas, oils and fats (O&F) are compulsory ingredients whose properties rank from acting to preserve and restore the integrity of the stratum corneum, to building the galenic or texture of a formula.
By definition, O&F are organic compounds, which exhibit various chemical structures, are anhydrous, not soluble in water, and soluble in non polar organic solvents. They naturally occur in nature, in the animal or vegetable kingdom, under a solid (fat) or liquid (oil) state.1 In the cosmetic industry, we could extend this definition to two additional origins: mineral (e.g. components derived from petroleum) and synthetic (such as esters or some hydrocarbon oils). In order to review the major natural oils and fats used into cosmetics, to define groups according to their melting point would be an arbitrary but easy approach. In fact, this physical parameter would allow drawing three big families, based on the aspect of the component at room temperature: oils for liquid, waxes for solid, and ‘in between’: soft solid such as butters.
Oils
As mentioned above, this class of components is liquid at room temperature. From a chemical point of view, this group gathers naturally occurring esters of glycerol (triacylglycerols) on one side, and other esters obtained by chemical processes on the other side.
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