Bringing reinforcements to the skin is the industry’s latest prime objective. Your search terms on our website tell us so. From healing, urea, barrier booster, detox and SPF, to humectant, body butters, pollution and multifunctional skin repair, the indicators are clear. This brings film-formers to mind.
A skin care “topcoat” is how a recent Glossier blog1 describes film-formers. Here, Gerri Molina, head of research and innovation for the company, explains how film-formers mimic the natural barrier, keeping “good stuff (hydration) in and bad stuff (acne-causing bacteria, pollution and the elements) out.” They also keep actives close to the skin to work longer, the blog reports.
It’s not news to most readers that film-formers go beyond skin care. Sunscreens use them for waterproofing, adherence and deposition to skin. Color cosmetics employ them for lasting effects while gels, mousses and mascaras utilize them to prevent formulas from breaking down or flaking off, Molina reports. More recently, they have been leveraged to deter dirt and pollutants from sticking to skin.
The current issue explores film-formers and related reinforcements to detoxify and secure skin. On Page 48, Dolecková and Hergesell examine the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of film-forming polysaccharides including hyaluronic acid and its derivatives. Films and other approaches to durable, transfer-resistant makeup are described by Dobos on Page 56. To rally skin’s innate defenses, Havas, et al., on Page 32, test an Inula helenium extract for effects including anti-pollution, hydration and radiance.
On security detail, Moddaresi, on Page 24, outlines the measures EU and UK regulators have put into place to ensure product safety, particularly regarding endocrine disruptors. She further explores how communicating these measures to consumers could shift the parlance from clean to safe cosmetics. Meredith also looks to consumer safety in relation to greenwashing, endocrine disruptors and PFAs in her EU/UK Regulatory Update on Page 18. Finally, industry experts weigh in on Page 14 with insights on purifying and rebalancing skin.
We hope this issue reinforces your product development work and secures C&T as a go-to resource to provide the answers you seek.
References
- https://intothegloss.com/2021/04/film-forming-skincare
Rachel L. Grabenhofer Managing Scientific Editor
