FEATURE ARTICLES

Cosmetic preservation has become one of the key challenges in the industry today, triggering a great interest for alternative preservation systems that are widely antimicrobial, dermatologically and toxicologically safe and that have ‘consumer friendly’ INCI names, such as botanical names. By Dr Barbara Olioso MRSC - The Green Chemist Consultancy, UK.

The safety of personal care and cosmetic products is at the top of every manufacturer’s list of priorities, and a high level of safety would not be possible without the use of preservative ingredients which eliminate the growth of organisms within aqueous formulations.

Choosing the right emulsifier remains a decision formulation chemists face at the onset of each project. The natural origin, global regulatory acceptance, functionality, robustness and compatibility with skin structures are all parameters that need to be carefully analysed when selecting an emulsifier.

Consumers that claim to have sensitive skin are on the increase. Added to this is the growing interest in and awareness of personal care ingredients among global populations.

in-cosmetics Korea began only two years ago, but in that time has already positioned itself as an important date in the calendar for the Asian cosmetics industry

Within the European Union (EU) cosmetic products are regulated not only according to the corresponding cosmetic regulation but also to general chemical legislations. Therefore, it is of high importance to consider all the regulations applying to your products before exporting from Asia to countries within the EU.

Crude waxes are often by-products of the manufacturing process of raw materials, especially from the food industry. The most well-known crude wax is beeswax which is a high-volume by-product from honey production.

When the word wax is mentioned, what first comes to mind is beeswax, one of the world’s most ancient cosmetic ingredients. Beeswax has being used in herbal ointments for thousands of years to create a protective film on the skin and to deliver phyto-actives and fragrant material. By Dr Barbara Olioso - The Green Chemist Consultancy, UK.

Waxes and butters can provide personal care formulations with a wide range of benefits. From thickening, hair styling, and moisturising, to exfoliation and gloss enhancement.

Scientists have known about the existence of infrared radiation (IR) as long as they have known about the existence of ultraviolet (UV). Links between UV light and sunburn were reported since the 1920s and the first sunscreen containing a UV-filtering agent was commercialised by Eugene Schueller (the French founder of L’Oréal) in 1936. Contrary to IR radiation that was associated with skin damage and premature ageing only recently.

Skin homeostasis changes with ageing. The most important cellular mechanisms for skin ageing are stem cell exhaustion, genomic instability, mitochondrial dysfunction with oxidative stress and senescence.

Sinerga’s Dolcevia® (INCI: Stevioside) is a natural pure glycoside extracted from the dry leaves of the well-known Stevia rebaudianaplant.

Women aged 18-44 are generally the prime target for hair colourant brands. As the population is ageing, brands need to increasingly focus on older adults to develop their portfolio.

All cosmetic products placed on the European Union (EU) market must comply with the EU Cosmetic Regulation (EC) No. 1223/2009, a legislation which has been in force since July 2013.

Growth in non-animal testing on new cosmetic products or ingredients is a response to developing science and the increasing public pressure to find alternatives to the traditional animal testing methods.

Colour cosmetics, sustainability, natural ingredients and innovation & science were the focal point of this year’s successful in-cosmetics Global event, as international personal care manufacturers congregated in London to identify the trends and novel ingredients that will help them create inspiring new products.

The major cosmetic trends of naturals, facial masks and colour cosmetics are driving substantial growth within the beauty and personal care market across APAC – and these will be under the spotlight for the first time at in-cosmetics Asia 2017 from 31 October – 2 November.

The eye contour is one of the most popular targets for anti-ageing treatments. There are three symptoms to address for an eye contour treatment: crow’s feet wrinkles, dark circles and puffy eyes.

Formation of fine wrinkles during the photo-ageing of skin is caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by exposure of the skin to ultraviolet (UV) light. Therefore, it is very important to quickly scavenge the ROS generated in skin. Applying a radical scavenger such as an antioxidant to skin is effective for the prevention of wrinkles

Environmental factors such as UV radiation or pollution contribute to the production of highly reactive molecules involved in extrinsic skin ageing. The increase of these free radicals in cells enhances oxidative stress leading to protein oxidation.