Green Formulations: Not All Components Are Equal

By: A. Cristoni, G. Maramaldi and C. Artaria, Indena SpA

Posted: February 29, 2008, from the March 2008 issue of Cosmetics & Toiletries.

Nature has always been a generous source of wellness for mankind. Since ancient times, the healing properties of various plants have represented the first medicines and cosmetics. The study of tribal and native traditions has many times laid the foundation to successfully isolate new and effective cosmetic active ingredients.

Modern functional cosmetics represent valid alternatives to dermatological treatments for preventing the signs of aging, and the plant kingdom can provide many active compounds to counteract those signs, including: skin tone and elasticity loss, wrinkle formation capillary fragility and increased skin sensitivity.

However, natural ingredients require specific expertise not only in their research, but also in their analysis and formulation. The quality of botanical extracts, which needs to be standardized, is a crucial point for the quality of the final formulation, among others.

This is only an excerpt of the full article that appeared in Cosmetics & Toiletries, but you can purchase the full-text version.