DDS Liposomes for Cosmetic Delivery and Other Recent Literature Findings

By: Charles Fox, Independent Consultant

Posted: June 30, 2009, from the July 2009 issue of Cosmetics & Toiletries.

In this month’s survey of recent patent and literature research, the author describes money-making ideas in the personal care industry, ranging from regulating sebum with spheroids to transparent film UV protection, copolymer water repellents and an aqueous amino acid preservative.

Skin and Skin Care
Peptides for antiaging: The Research Foundation of the State University of New York disclosed peptides of fibronectin and vitronectin and variants thereof that have certain cosmetic activities, including growth factor-binding.¹ Also described are fragments of growth factors that bind to fibronectin and inhibit binding of full-length growth factors to the same. Compositions containing such fragments are useful in wound care, cancer treatment and cosmetic treatments for wrinkles or UV photodamage of skin. These fragments allow the growth factor to retain biological activity and can be used to complement the loss of fibronectin or vitronectin from cells. The identification of minimal domains of fibronectins to promote the survival of fibronectin-null cells is demonstrated.

Regulating sebum with spheroids: Unilever PLC introduced a skin care composition comprising spheroids and optional thickening agents, and a method for regulating sebum flow from sebocytes.² A spheroid and sebum mixture is created upon application and the resulting mixture leaves a pleasant, silky and powdery sensation. Thus, a skin care composition was prepared as shown in Fomula 1.

Hair and Hair Care
 Microemulsion shampoo formulation: Cognis IP Management GmbH launched a microemulsion-containing shampoo composition with improved hair care properties.³ This cosmetic preparation contains at least one surfactant selected from anionic, zwitterionic or amphoteric surfactants; a microemulsion; and at least one cationic polymer. An example is shown in Formula 2.

Frizz reduction with conditioning copolymers: Lion Corp. disclosed hair conditioners containing copolymers with methacrylic acid, dialkyldiallylammonium salt units and fatty acid polyglycerin esters.⁴ The disclosed hair rinses, hair treatments and hair conditioners also contain optional alditols and cationic surfactants, and suppress increased hair volume in high-moisture environments. A rinse-off hair conditioner containing a copolymer of acrylic acid-dimethyldiallylammonium chloride and acrylamidea, diglyceryl diisostearate, sorbitol, behenyltrimethylammonium chloride and additives was applied to a bleached and shampooed hair bundle. This composition was found to suppress an increase in maximum diameter of the hair bundle after 24 hr storage at 25°C with a relative humidity of 90%.