Creative Developments (Cosmetics) Limited

Skin Care 1999

When considering current trends in skin care it is interesting to look at developments in the professional beauty field. This niche market is often used as a test bed prior to a major product launch into retail and it has the advantage that a professionally trained person may explain product concepts to the intending purchaser. The Professional Beauty Exhibition was held at Brighton at the end of February and skin care was a major part of it. Products to firm the bust and to treat cellulite were strongly represented. Aromatherapy applications remain popular with tea tree oil maintaining its lead in skin treatment products and tanning accelerators and artificial tanning lotions were obvious on many stands. Facial washes and scrubs containing physical exfoliants were being shown and a novel idea was the use of self-tanning towels. Solar protection products were strongly represented although one claiming SPF 2 seemed to be understating the problems of UV radiation.

The majority of products had the word natural somewhere on the label and botanical extracts, vitamins, marine-based materials, minerals and clays were frequently featured and collagen certainly has not lost any of its popularity in the beauty salon. Wheat proteins, free radical scavengers, anti-inflammatory agents, AHAs and various means of reducing wrinkles were all on show.

Assuming that the professional therapist is today using the type of product that will be on retail shelves tomorrow from where are the active ingredients originating? With the French influence in the professional field such a dominant force it is not surprising that many of the ingredients are also from France. Wheat Soramides from Soliance are described as the natural lipid fraction of Triticum vulgare (wheat) with a lipid profile similar to that of skin lipids. It is rich in linoleic and palmitic acids plus beta-sitosterol which is similar to the cholesterol present in skin in both constitution and function. Wheat Soramides are claimed to have many of the properties of type I and type II ceramides and are recommended for use in anti-wrinkle preparations, makeup and eye products.

Silab also uses wheat as a starting material for active ingredients and has introduced Tensine, a high molecular weight protein for a skin tightening and instant anti-wrinkle effect. Defensine is a free radical scavenger and Reductine is a blend of polysaccharides and proteins derived from Avena sativa (oat). Also from Silab, Raffermine is a hydrolysed soy protein used for its skin tightening effect and various Lupinus albus (Lupin) extracts are used for photoprotection and for stimulating cell metabolism. Flowers are increasingly popular starting points: Cytobiol Iris from Laboratoire Industriel de Biologie is based on an extract of Iris germanica in combination with zinc PCA and retinyl palmitate. This material is recommended for use in gel-type compositions for the treatment of oily skin and associated acne. Very full documentation is available from the suppliers and it shows that the ingredient has both a bacteriostatic and pro-catalase activity while supressing the degradation of fatty acids by catalase.

Secma Biotechnologies Marines has its collection and processing plant on the north Brittany coast and produces many active ingredients from marine algae including Phycolanine, a natural sun tan accelerator and Monostroma used in anti-ageing creams. The latter is said to stimulate the synthesis of glycosaminoglycans and proteoglycans thus improving the structure and firmness of skin. From the opposite side of the Atlantic Quiditat SR is a hydroglycolic extract from Rhodophyceae. Produced by Assessa of Rio de Janeiro it is suggested as a slow release mechanism for vectoring AHAs to the skin over time. The highly polar AHA molecules form hydrogen bonds with the sulfated polysaccharide content of the Quiditat. Published evidence shows that lactic acid is released over a six-hour period from a topical application and that stinging and erythema are considerably reduced. A similar mechanism is used to deliver hyaluronic acid and Aloe barbadensis (aloe vera) and the moisturising activity of these materials is enhanced by the water-binding capacity of the polysaccharides.

Returning to France; Solabia has recently published a complete dossier on a peptide extract of Corylus americana (hazelnut). It describes its extraction and enzymatic processing, its analytical characteristics including its amino acid profile, its cosmetic applications and supplies proof of efficacy. Trade named Nuteline it contains 2.55% amino acids of which glutamic acid, arganine and aspartic acid are the principal ingredients. It has anti-elastase activity and its areas of application include anti-ageing products and skin protection creams. Solabia has also published a guide to emulsions of plant, nut and fruit extracts specifically recommended for skin care applications. Under the general title of Beauty Milks are included such exotic sources as hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa) flowers, water (Nymphaea alba) lily flowers and ylang ylang (Cananga odorata) flowers.

Moving from France to Monaco, Exsymol is a company very active in bust firming, cosmetic slimming and cellulite treatment. New introductions to an already extensive range of organo-silicone and natural based products are a melanogenisis inhibitor based on aminophosphoric derivatives, a caffeine/methylsilanol mannuronate complex for cellulite treatment and a silanol compound derived from sea weed. Bordering France is Switzerland, home of Pentapharm Ltd. that is also a prolific supplier of active ingredients of natural or biological origin. It produces fully descriptive literature on the composition, application, efficacy, and other properties of the materials offered. It has recently launched ceramide 3 solubilised in hexyldecanol for easier formulating and improved penetration into the epidermis. Also from Pentapharm, Preregen is water-soluble combination of soybean (Glycine soja) protein and oxido-reductases that is anti-irritant and anti-ageing with enzymatic activity. Erythrulose is a skin tanning compound that works in conjunction with dihydroxyacetone to impart a deep, even and natural looking tan.

Bridging the Channel, Sederma of France is now part of Croda Oleochemicals of England and includes Keratoline, a protease that is used to exfoliate the skin prior to treatment with lipolytic agents in slimming products in a number of treatment actives. Also included are Coaxel and Plearimincyl, two lipolytic actives; Redulite, with diuretic properties, and Phytotonine; a mixture of plant extracts to improve micro-circulation. Staying in Britain Quest has found that it’s skin cooling and soothing material, Questice is also an inhibitor of mosquito activity. Other new materials from this supplier include Questex Ginger with anti-inflammatory and soothing properties and Soothex, a blend incorporating Boswelia serrata, a plant from India that yields frankincense, extracts of which are used to soothe and calm skin.

Also forming inter-country links; Henkel Care Chemicals has taken over the French company, Laboratoires Seriobiologiques. This company is well known for its biotechnological expertise and two new extracts derived from yeast are soluble b-glucan and b-glucan powder. They are used in cosmetics for the stimulation of cell proliferation and to improve skin condition. Mibelle AG of Switzerland is also active in glucan production and has applied a carboxymethylation process to b-glucan to produce a water-soluble product that is recommended for protecting the skin against UV-A radiation.

The base formula is an essential part of any cosmetic and there have been many recent introductions of new emollients, silicone compounds, exotic oils and emulsifiers. Gattefosse has recently launched Softcutols; multi-functional emollient esters that are claimed to act as solubilisers for sunscreens, essential oils and preservatives, to have film forming and moisturising properties on the skin and to improve the sensory profile of emulsion products. The same company produces many active ingredients of natural origin and has increased its Optivegetol line of optimised vegetable extracts. It includes antiseptic cinnamon, the free radical scavenger, green tea and the lipolytic guarana. Sophim has used olive (Olea europaea) oil as the starting point for Olive Ceresters with an assigned INCI name of decyl olivate. This material consists of 70 – 80% liquid wax esters with the balance being tri-, di- and monoglycerides. It is described as emollient without being greasy, is non-comedogenic, is odourless and being an ester, is not affected by rancidity. The detailed product information pack includes extensive human patch testing results and some suggested application formulations. Olive oil is also used as the basis for cosmetic emollients and emulsifiers from B&T Srl. and for PEG-10 Olive glycerides from Cosmetochem AG. whilst Optima Chemicals Ltd supplies olive oil unsaponifiables.

Olive oil must be one of the oldest sources of oil known to Western civilisation but natural oils suitable for cosmetics are constantly being discovered. Often the oil is already in use by the indigenous population for cooking, lighting or heating and sometimes it has a history of skin care use. A&E Connock introduced oils from the baobab (Andansonia digitata), the oysternut (Telfairia pedata) and of wild borage (Trichodesma zeylanicum) from Africa that all had a basis for skin care in folk history. The same company is now offering cohune (Orbignya cohune) oil from Guatemala, and shikonin (Lithospermum erythrorhizon) seed oil and artemisia seed oil from China. Cohune oil is a non-drying emollient oil that is said to be superior to coconut oil in skin-feel. The tree is a palm that grows abundantly in lowland forest. The nuts are gathered by the local people with the oil being cold-pressed. This is a conservation project that uses natural sustainable resources to support the native population of the Maya Biosphere Reserve. Shikonin oil is cold-pressed from the seed of both wild and cultivated plants and typically contains 13.3% g-linolenic acid, 30.2% a-linolenic and 21.2% linoleic acid, making it an interesting alternative to evening primrose and borage oils. Artemisia seed oil is also cold-pressed and comes from a plant growing wild in the Chinese desert. Its tocopherol content is 0.28% and it contains 77.7% linoleic acid which is similar to the fatty acid profile of safflower oil.

Many producers of natural-based ingredients enrich the active content. Karlshamns has increased the natural content of cinnamate esters in shea (Butyrospermum parkii) butter to 17% and of phytosterols to 0.3% by further processing of the unsaponifiable fraction. Similar processing of canola oil has increased the tocopherol content to 0.4% resulting in an oil of good oxidative stability. Supplied under the Lipex trade name ,published data on Shea-U shows that when used in combination with octyl methoxycinnamate an enhancement in SPF of 34% may be attained. Croda Oleochemicals has added a plant seed lipid containing stearidonic acid (PUFA), with proven anti-inflammatory properties in topical applications to its range of super-refined oils. In-vivo efficacy studies demonstrate the anti-wrinkle effects of this oil when applied in cream base.

Enhancing SPF is seen as a means of reducing the level of potentially irritating organic sunscreens or of potentially whitening inorganic oxides. This may be achieved by the addition of materials that absorb UV-radiation and also by improving the application of the product. Cetyl dimethicone is available as Abil Wax 9801 and 9840 from Th. Goldschmidt and published information shows that adding 0.25% of Abil Wax 9840 to a w/o emulsion containing both octyl methoxycinnamate and titanium dioxide dramatically increases SPF. Abil 9801 is best used when only one type of filter is present. The increase in SPF is due to better dispersion of the active and to the improved spreading characteristics of the product. There is also an increase in water-resistance.

Silicone compounds are a class of cosmetic ingredients that has shown phenomenal growth over the past decade, both in the quantities used and the diversity of the materials available. Recent introductions include Bis-phenylpropyl dimethicone from A&E Connock, a number of micronised silicone emulsions and alkyl/alkoxy modified silicones from Basildon Chemicals and various alkyl dimethicones and polydimethicone copolyols from OSi Specialties while the latest offerings from Dow Corning are a silicone elastomer blend and a powder silicone.

With the growing popularity of w/o emulsions new w/o emulsifiers are of growing interest. The PEG-30 dipolyhydroxystearate produced as Arlacel P165 by Uniqema (formerly ICI Surfactants) and Isolan PDI, diisostearoyl polyglyceryl-3 diisostearate, from Th Goldschmidt are both excellent w/o emulsifiers enabling the production of high internal phase emulsions. Being non-ionic they are very flexible, they are effective at relatively low levels and require no secondary emulsion stabilisers. In either case the consistency of the emulsion may be regulated by altering the internal phase volume or by the addition of beeswax or hydrogenated castor oil.

Finally muds, masques and scrubs were once the exclusive preserve of the beauty salon but are now among the fastest growing class of retail skin care products. There are many natural exfoliants and the list is constantly growing as more seeds, nuts, kernels and husks are ground to a powder. Suspending such materials in products that flow is not easy but two recent publications by BF Goodrich and A&E Connock help the formulator understand the problems and simplify selection of both the particulate and the rheological additive.