A Foaming Cleanser and Other Topics

By: Charles Fox, Independent Consultant

Posted: December 23, 2005, from the April 2004 issue of Cosmetics & Toiletries.

Skin and Skin Care
Isoflavonoids in skin care: Beiersdorf discloses the use of isoflavonoids to fight skin aging and acne.1 The invention concerns cosmetic and dermatological preparations that contain isoflavonoids and cyclodextrins. Cyclodextrins are added in order to increase the solubility of the isoflavonoids in the preparations that are applied against skin aging and acne. An example is shown in Formula 1.

Friction in cosmetic creams: In a recent U.S. patent, Unilever describes low pH, high skin friction cosmetic creams. Disclosed is a high skin friction cosmetic composition that can provide the consumer-desired sensory properties of traditional vanishing creams, including: low pH stability; solid asymmetrical particles; and an anionic emulsifier with pKa values of less than about. The composition preferably includes an acidic skin benefit agent as well. Also disclosed is a method of controlling or preventing an oily skin appearance and/or feel, especially in the facial area by applying the composition to the skin. An example of such a cream is shown in Formula 2.

Antioxidant effect of Capparis spinosa: Bonina et al. studied the in vitro antioxidant and in vivo photoprotective effects of a lyophilized extract of Capparis spinosa L. buds. The lyophilized extract of Capparis spinosa L. (LECS) was obtained by methanolic extraction from the flowering buds of this plant. For the in vitro experiments, LECS was tested employing three different models:

• Bleaching of the stable 1,1-diphenyl- 2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH test);

• Peroxidation induced by the water-soluble radical initiator 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane) hydrochloride, of mixed  dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine/linoleic acid unilamellar vesicles (LUVs) (LP-LUV test); and

• UV-induced peroxidation of phosphatidylcholine multilamellar vesicles (UV-IP test).

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