Creative Developments
(Cosmetics) Limited
Although a natural
material may be animal, vegetable or mineral, in cosmetics it is assumed to
mean ingredients of botanical origin. To be truly natural it must be extracted
from the relevant part of the plant without undergoing any significant chemical
change. In Europe these are defined as extractives and their physically
modified derivatives such as tinctures, concretes, absolutes, essential oils,
oleoresins, terpenes, terpene-free fractions, distillates, residues, etc.,
obtained from the parent plant. These now appear on ingredient lists as the
Latin name of the parent plant according to the Linne’ system whereby the genus
and species name of the plant appear but the type of extract is not defined,
e.g. Prunus dulcis. In the U.S.A. cosmetic ingredients directly derived from
plants that have not undergone significant chemical modification are listed by
the CTFA as extracts, juices, waters, distillates, powders, oils, waxes, gels,
saps, tars, gums, unsaponifiables, proteins, starches and resins. For more than
twenty years these have appeared on American cosmetic ingredient lists as the
common name for the plant followed by the type of preparation, e.g. Sweet
Almond Oil. As a step towards harmonising the two systems the CTFA report that
an acceptable combination would be to insert the Linne’ system name in
parenthesis between the common plant name and the type of preparation, e.g.
Sweet Almond (Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis) Oil. In this way different preparations
such as meal, extract, protein, seed extract and oil are identified whereas
under the EU system they all become one. Note also, as in this example, the
Linneaen name adopted under the two systems is not necessarily identical!
Natural oils may be
used for their skin feel and emolliency and ground nut shells and kernels as
abrasives in skin exfoliants but many natural ingredients are used because of
the marketing claims that may be made. Such claims have often been of the
“according to folklore” variety but under the 6th Amendment claims for efficacy
will have to be substantiated. If relying on folklore then a significant body
of evidence will be required and the concentration of material used in the
final product must equate to that used in folk medicine. Folklore may point the
way but claims will have more substance if the supplier has performed a proper
evaluation under recognised protocols to prove efficacy. Thus an extract from
the Bearberry plant, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, is known in folklore to act as a
skin whitening agent. Creations Couleurs have prepared an extract of the plant
and demonstrated. its action in inhibiting melanin production in human
melanocytes by reducing tyrosinase activity The results show it to be more
effective than either kojic acid or L-ascorbic acid and to be more effective as
an antioxidant than hydroquinone. The combination of these properties and test
results will support the use of the extract in skin whitening products.
Passionfruit
(Passiflora Incarnata) Extract, Blackcurrant (Ribes Nigrum) Extract and
Grapeleaf (Vitus Vinefera) Extracts are traditionally claimed to improve skin
tone and elasticity. A composite mixture, AE Complex produced and evaluated by
Solabia, is shown to inhibit elastase activity. Under certain circumstances
such as pregnancy, exposure to UV radiation and through natural ageing
processes this enzyme is responsible for breaking down elastin in the skin so
inhibiting its action will improve skin tone. Citrus extracts have long been used
as skin cleansing agents, their alpha hydroxy acid content is now known to be
the reason that they have this traditional use. However not all traditional
uses are substantiated by modern research; in a paper1 given at the
19th IFSCC Congress2 the antioxidant activity of some natural
extracts were evaluated with the following results:
Henna (Lawsonia
Inermis) 17.7 ± 0.9
Calendula (Calendulae
Officinalis) 5.2 ± 0.6
Palan-Palan (Nicotiana
Glauca) 3.6 ± 0.2
Ginkgo (Ginkgo Biloba)
2.8
± 0.1
Hammamelis (Hammamelis
Virginiana) 0.7 ± 0.1
Aloe Vera no
significant antioxidant activity
Cucumber (Cucumis
Sativus) no significant antioxidant activity.
The figures are
expressed as the antioxidant capacity of the material which is determined by a
chemiluminescence method using Luminol and an LKB Wallac1250 Luminometer and
Trolox as the reference material.
Extracts from the
roots of the South American plant Krameria triandra Ruiz have long been used by
Peruvian people for the treatment of mouth and throat disorders. The plant is
included in many Pharmacopoeias and is recommended for the treatment of
inflammatory process of mouth and throat. This has been shown3 to be
mainly due to its antibacterial activity against Gram positive bacteria and in
particular against Propionibacterium acnes. Escin, the active saponin extracted
from the seeds of Aesculus hippocastanum is widely used for its therapeutic
effects as an anti-edema and vasoprotecting agent and recently its complex with
b-sitosterol and phospholipid has been demonstrated to exert a strong topical
anti-inflammatory action in the croton oil test. In a carefully conducted study3,
the anti-acne effect of a formulation containing standardised extract from Krameria
triandra Ruiz (0.5%), escin-b-sitosterol Phytosome (1%) and lauric acid (0.2%)
were investigated. Clinical trails on twenty selected subjects showed a
significant reduction of the sebum production in the cheeks and chin areas and
a significant reduction in Propionibacterium acnes, Streptococcus pyogenes and
Staphylococcus aureus when compared with a placebo.
In modern skin care
the formulator and user are looking for more benefit than simple moisturising
and a feel-good factor. Sun protection, free radical scavenging,
anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity are all benefits which will improve
skin protection and delay the onset of visible ageing and such benefits are
often conferred by natural materials. A poster presentation4 at the
19th IFSCC Congress investigated the inhibitory activity of 100 plant extracts
on tyrosinase activity and DOPA auto oxidation. The results of this mammoth
study showed that plant extracts such as Morus alba and Glycyrrhiza glabra
exhibited inhibitory activity (>50%) against tyrosinase at a concentration
of 333mg/ ml. and plant extracts including Morus alba and Bupleurum falcatum
showed inhibitory activity (>50%) at 500 mg/ml against DOPA autooxidation.
Many other extracts were shown to be effective and a second poster5
prepared by the same team described the antioxidative properties and free
radical scavenging efficacy of 100 plant extracts, concluding that Eugenia
caryophyllata, Alpinia offiicinarum, Rhus verniciflua, Curcuma longa, Rheum
palmatvm and Evodia officinalis were potential sources of antioxidant, but only
one plant, Cornus officinalis, showed significant free radical scavenging
properties. In a study published by A&E Connock6 Coffee Oil was
tested in-vivo for its sun screening properties and shown to provide a natural
SPF value of approximately 3. J-J Ettiene studied the anti-inflammatory and
antioxidant properties of some well known essential oils and absolutes7
and found that chamomile, rose, lavender and marjoram were effective free
radical scavengers with anti-inflammatory activity. These studies are excellent
examples of the supporting information that is now becoming available to
cosmetic chemists. They also illustrate the basic essential of using the active
material at a concentration sufficient to give the claimed effect.
Usage levels of
natural ingredients are important if claims are made. In traditional medicine
the plant extract could well be an infusion reduced to maximise concentration;
using 0.50% of a 20% extract will not support a claim for effect. It is also
often difficult to assess the strength of extracts as supplied; some suppliers
base their claim on the weight of fresh herb used, others on dry material and
others on final solids content. For the purpose of ingredient listing it is
also important to know all other constituents present; it is often surprising
to find a number of preservatives in an extract that also contains 25% or more
propylene glycol. At least European suppliers are now providing such
information but it is still difficult to convince many from the U.S.A. that it
is a legal necessity.
The search for new
sources of oils that have cosmetic application continues and although for the
most part they are used as part of the oil phase to affect skin feel or add an
exotic name to the label some are proving to have additional benefits.
Blackcurrant (Ribes Nigrum) Oil is used in cases of dry, flaky skin and in
post-sunburn products. It is known to be a rich source of the polyunsaturated
fatty acid, stearidonic acid which the human body is unable to synthesise and
has to obtain through ingestion. It is also known that under the stimulation of
UVB radiation, cell enzymes release strongly inflammatory leukotriene B4 and
prostaglandin E2. Work at Croda Chemicals8 shows however, that topical
application of lipids rich in stearidonic acid reduces the release of
prostaglandin E2 by 4- 50% with a corresponding reduction in inflammatory
response. In searching for alternative natural sources of stearidonic acid
Croda has identified Echium plantagineum, a member of the Boraginaceae family,
and has found that the oil from seeds cultivated in the Northern hemisphere
yield 12% stearidonic acid whilst those grown in New Zealand contain 15%
compared to 2% in black currant seed oil.
Black (Salix Nigra )
Willow is known as a source of salicylates and salicylic acid, a b-hydroxy
acid, is currently receiving much attention because of its skin exfoliating and
cell renewal properties. Research by Brooks Laboratories compared the cosmetic
efficacy of Willow bark Extract and the extract in liposomal form against a 10%
solution of salicylic acid in butylene glycol. Both forms of the extracts were
shown to be more effective against staphylococcus aureus and Propionibacterium
acnes than the acid and were slightly more efficacious at promoting cell
renewal while toxicity studies showed the extracts to be considerably less
irritating to both eyes and skin9
Many of the natural
ingredients described come from China, Korea and the Asean region; Alchemy
International specialise in providing herbs from the Orient and currently
offers 40 extracts selected for their usage according to the Chinese Materia
Medica and known ethnobotanical use. East-West Herbs of Kingham, Oxon supplies
herbal materials selected for their use in traditional Chinese medicine10
and Campo Research of Singapore offers an extensive range of herbal extracts
and naturally derived materials. A&E Connock has extended its range of oils
from Africa with Ngali (Canarium Spp) Nut Oil which is high in oleic and
linoleic acids and Ootanga Oil. Ootanga oil is used by the people of Northern
Namibia to add sheen and lustre to hair, to soften and smooth skin and as a
baby oil. The Ootanga is a species of water melon that grows wild in arid
regions of Namibia; its fatty acid profile shows 16.5% oleic acid and 63%
linoleic with 45ppm of b-carotene. Australia is also a rich source of essential
oils and botanical materials; Blue Cypress (Callitrus intratropica) Oil has
been used by the Aboriginal people of Australia to help soothe and heal skin
irritations and Blue Cypress Holdings are able to offer a full safety
toxicological profile and support its use as a natural antiseptic while Medi
Herb, also of Australia, supplies a number of herbal extracts with full
supporting documentation. Finally, and partially under the stimulus of the 6th
Amendment and its demand for proof of efficacy, natural materials in Western
cosmetics are being increasingly selected for their ethnobotanical usefulness
rather than for the attractive appearance of the plant on the label; I hope
this article helps fellow formulators find the evidence
1. Evaluation
of the potential use of natural materials as free radical scavengers in anti
age cosmetics. Diego G. Fano. 19th IFSCC Congress, Sydney, Australia 1996
2. 19th
IFSCC Congress, Sydney, Australia 1996
3. Natural
products in the management of acne. Bombardelli E et al 19th IFSCC Congress,
Sydney, Australia 1996
4. Biological
screening of 100 plant extracts for cosmetic use (II) Inhibitory activities of tyrosinase
and DOPA auto oxidation. Chang Hyun Seok l et al, 19th IFSCC Congress, Sydney,
Australia 1996
5. Biological
screening of 100 plant extracts for cosmetic use (1) Anti oxidative activity
and free radical scavenging activity Jeong Ha et al. 19th IFSCC Congress,
Sydney, Australia 1996
6. To
evaluate the efficacy of Coffee Oil as a Sunscreen Product. A&E Connock
Ltd.
7. Anti-inflammatory
Activity of some Classical Essential Oils through their Antioxidant and
Anti-elsatase Properties. Etienne Jean-Jacques; 19th IFSCC Congress, Sydney,
Australia 1996
8. Moderation
of Ultraviolet Induced Inflammation in skin by (n-3) and (n-6) Lipids; Coupland
K., Packer C.E., 19th IFSCC Congress, Sydney, Australia 1996
9. An
Extract of Salix nigra: an Efficacious, Safe Remedy for Problem Skin. S.
Bennet, The Active Ingredients Conference, Paris, 13-14 November.
10. Applications of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Cosmetics and Toiletries, Dr Shouming Zhong,. The Active Ingredients Conference, Paris, 13-14 November.