IFSCC Focus: High Throughput Formulating, Next Generation Lipstick, NMF and More

By: Rachel Grabenhofer, Cosmetics & Toiletries

Posted: October 19, 2010

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The first full day of presentations opened with a keynote lecture by Elizabeth A. Jares-Erijman, Partner Group of the Max Planck Society and the University of Buenos Aires, on nanotechnology. She described how quantum dots can be engineered to accelerate protein self-assembly or degradation. While her research is primarily in the medical field, it suggests application in advanced skin care.

Similar to Lochhead’s extreme condition makeup, Naoko Kida of POLA described research into how skin temperature can impact its functioning. Findings suggest that the activation of the TRPV4 gene is reduced as the temperature is reduced, and TRPV4 activation induces keratinocyte differentiation, in turn promoting the formation of tight junctions in the skin and advancing barrier function. Kida suggests this could be used for the development of products that encourage healthy skin, even in cold weather, via the maturation of tight junctions in the skin. Masae Iida, also of POLA, wrapped up the first day’s session with her work related to skin radiance. She described a laminated, quasi-stratum corneum (SC) powder inspired by the structure of pearls to create a powder that imparts radiance to skin regardless of its condition.

The second day opened with a keynote lecture by Satoshi Amano of Shiseido Research Center. He described how the basement membrane (BM) at the dermal-epidermal junction plays important roles in maintaining healthy skin but becomes damaged after UV exposure. Using skin equivalents, the researchers found that matrix metalloproteinase and plasmin cause BM damage, and that its reconstruction is enhanced by inhibiting proteinases and increasing synthesis of BM components. The second day also featured work by Toshihiko Hibino, also of Shiseido, et al., on characterizing and regulating the mechanisms of bleomycin hydrolase (BH) as an enzyme to generate the skin’s natural moisturizing factor (NMF). Researchers purified the aminopeptidase based on its citrulline-cleavage activity and identified it as a neutral cysteine protease, BH. They found that BH activity was significantly down-regulated in corneocytes extracted from the skin of women in their 60s, compared with women in their 40s.

Researchers suggested that BH may be a new target for the treatment of dry skin as well as skin diseases, such as atopic dermatitis. This paper received the IFSCC’s Basic Research Award during the closing ceremony and gala. Co-authors included Mariko Egawa, Junko Nomura and Toshii Iida, all of Shiseido; Yayoi Kamata of Shiseido and Kitasato University; Mami Yamamoto of Shiseido and Tokyo Medical University; Kazuhiko Ishihara of Kitasato University; Ryoji Tsuboi of Tokyo Medical University; and Atsushi Takeda of Sagami Women’s University.

Also during the second day, Atsuko Ebato of Kao Corp. presented dihydroxyindole as a new natural hair dye. He explained, “Melanin is a natural black pigment existing in human hair but the pigment cannot be used directly as a dyestuff for hair coloring because it is too large to penetrate into hair.” He described how melanin is generated through a biological process and that intermediate melanin precursors within this process can be used because they are smaller. He showed how this material colors gray hair without the use of peroxide. Tomoko Ikeda, also of Shiseido, then presented on the development of lipstick to provide luster, adequate moisture and long-lasting color to the lips without secondary staining; i.e., transfer-resistant. This work was based on a phase-separation mechanism that yields the formation of liquid crystals with a high refractive-index oil.