SCC Annual Meeting Provides Insights for the Future

By: Katie Anderson (Schaefer), Cosmetics & Toiletries magazine

Posted: January 6, 2012

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Alan Nakatani, PhD, of the Dow Chemical Company then spoke about a cationic body wash containing a novel opacifier designed for improved flexibility. He noted that the structure of formulas incorporating opacifiers, such as shampoos and body washes, are often difficult to characterize by standard microscopy or optical scanning. Nakatani’s work therefore used ultra small angle neutron scattering, which revealed a dynamic cluster structure controlling the appearance of formulations. This understanding enabled his team to interpret interactions between the surfactants, salt and cationic polymers to improve the stability and compatibility of the cationic polymer.

The last speaker of Session C was Christopher Heisig, PhD, of Steris Corp., who presented on formulating hand hygiene products for health care workers. He noted, “Hands are the main tool in the health care industry,” and suggested encouraging compliance in hand hygiene by giving health care workers products that do not damage their skin. Heisig observed an increase in the use of amphoteric surfactants due to their mildness and proposed the use of emollients and humectants as skin conditioning agents. He cautioned, however, that glycerin must be balanced with other chemicals to prevent it from complicating glove removal; mineral oil and petrolatum are almost never used due to their incompatibility with natural rubber latex or synthetic polyisoprene gloves.

Scalp and skin biology: The next day opened with Session D, covering scalp and skin biology. Craig Bonda of Hallstar gave the keynote lecture on photostabilizing the UV-sensitive anti-aging ingredients retinol (ROH), retinyl palmitate (RP) and trans-resveratrol. Bonda and his team developed o/w skin care formulations that included 0.1% ROH with 0–5% ethylhexyl methoxycrylene (EHMC), 0.5% trans-resveratrol with 0–4% of the photostabilizer EHMC or 0.25% RP with 0–4% EHMC. The formulas were irradiated with 5 minimal erythemal dose (MED), and the thermal and oxidative effects were determined with HPLC after incubation at 37°C in the dark. In the formulas with the higher concentrations of EHMC, 99% ROH, 90% of trans-resveratrol and 100% RP were recovered after irradiation and incubation. When the same formulas were formulated with 0% EHMC and irradiated, only 26% ROH, 37% RP and 45% trans-resveratrol were recovered.

Paul Mouser, PhD, from Ashland examined hair follicle aging next, noting that oxidative stress is the leading cause. His team developed three extracts—pea, flax and fava—to address hair follicle aging. Pea extract was found to decrease oxidative stress in the follicle, and fava extract decreased oxidative stress as well as increased keratin production. Flax extract was found to maintain melanin content in hair.

Estelle Loing, PhD, of Unipex Innovations spoke about red clover and acetyl tetrapeptide-3 to modulate hair and eyelash alopecia. The complex was found to reduce hair loss by improving anchoring of the hair bulb and reducing both 5-α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) formation, which regulates hair growth, and local micro-inflammation. Red clover extract specifically was found to decrease the activity of 5-α-reductase on testosterone, which in turn reduces the formation of DHT.