Evaluating Outside-in Skin Transparency and Other Literature Findings

By: Charles Fox, Independent Consultant

Posted: August 31, 2009, from the September 2009 issue of Cosmetics & Toiletries.

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Skin cleanser with two bead pluralities: The Dial Corp. introduced a liquid skin cleanser including beads with multiple color signals for the duration of washing and with adequate mechanical force.⁴ The composition includes a carrier and a plurality of beads that are entrained within the carrier. When user applies the composition and rubs their hands together, the force activates the beads and they impart perceivable tactility for a limited and predetermined duration corresponding to a minimum time period for adequate cleansing. In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, the composition further includes a second plurality of beads to impart a perceivable change in color for a predetermined duration equal to the duration of the tactility imparted by the first beads. An example is shown in Formula 1.

Siloxane skin compositions: High Desert Pharmaceuticals Inc. revealed compositions comprising siloxane as a skin lubricant.5 The method of lubricating human skin included the following steps, in no specific order: producing a gel composition from cross-linked siloxane-polyethers, the gel being further micronized in one or more low viscosity silicone fluids; applying an effective amount of the composition to a portion of the skin surface; and moving the portion within at least a part of an elastic and flexible skin contact article. A skin lubrication gel was prepared with 250 parts polyether siloxane cross-linkedc and 750 parts decamethylcyclopentasiloxaned. The preparation was mixed in a homogenizer at 8,000 psi pressure for 1 hr at 150°F.

FGF1 for skin repair: Advangen Inc. discloses skin repair compositions including oral drugs, food additives, dietary supplements, topical drugs, quasi-drugs and cosmetics that contain plant extracts and promoters of fibroblast growth factor-1 (FGF1) and/or FGF1-like substances, in addition to a method for screening skin repair substances.⁶

To screen for potential skin repair substances, cells are cultured with FGF1 receptors in a media containing the test substances, and the number of live cells are measured using proliferation indexes for screening. Alternatively, skin repair substances are screened by applying a test and control material to nonhuman mammalian stratum corneum insulted by tape stripping; the amount of transdermal water evaporation is then measured and compared.

In the disclosed work, a 70% ethanol extract of Oryza sativa javanica, Tradescantia spathacea, and Alocasia odora showed EC50 values of 0.056, 0.082, and 0.079% w/v, respectively, in the a proliferation of normal human dermal fibroblastse.