Water-soluble UV Filters and Other Topics

By: Charles Fox, Independent Consultant

Posted: January 30, 2009, from the February 2009 issue of Cosmetics & Toiletries.

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Component A contains the Chinese medicinal materials as well as Eugenia caryophyllata (penetrant), cysteine (reducing agent), Angelica sinensis (a nutritional ingredient), a preservativea, and sodium sulfite (antioxidant) at 2–6%, 3–7.5%, 0.5–2%, 0.0015% and 0.5% by weight, respectively, with deionized water as balance. Component B contains ferrous sulfate (color developing agent) and a preservativea at 0.3–1% and 0.0015% by weight, respectively, with deionized water as balance.

The preparation method for component A requires mixing the Chinese medicinal materials, adding deionized water, heating to 45–60°C, maintaining the temperature for 24 hr, filtering, adding reducing agent, antiseptic and antioxidant to the filtrate, adding deionized water under stirring, cooling, and packaging. Component B is prepared by mixing ferrous sulfate and preservative, adding deionized water, heating to 40°C under stirring, maintaining the temperature for 20–30 min, cooling, and packaging.

The penetrant (Eugenia caryophyllata) and reducing agent (cysteine) can break the disulfide bond of hair keratin, allowing the internal area to expand so the Chinese medicinal coloring agent can penetrate more deeply. This black hair dye composition provides good dyeing fastness and convenient application.

Preventing hair dryness: Arimino Co., Ltd., discloses an emulsion composition that prevents dry hair.12 The composition is in a form that is easy to apply and consists of an oil component, a surfactant and water. It also contains 0.5–15% by weight of at least one polyhydric alcohol selected from the group consisting of glycerin, diglycerin and dipropylene glycol. The composition also contains 0.005–1% of a highly polymerized polyethylene glycol and 0.05–10% of lanolin and/or a lanolin derivative.

Permanent waving: L’Oréal discloses a method for permanent waving of hair or other keratinous fibers including a step of applying an oxidizing composition containing a cationic polymer thickener.¹³