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Assessing Use of Gold Nanoparticles

Gold nanoparticles have a wealth of pharmaceutical and medical uses. Notably, the ability of these nanoparticles to absorb light and turn this light into heat has put them at the center of ongoing cancer studies exploring their efficacy in destroying malignant cells.

Shiseido Partners for Research on Hair Regenerative Technology

Through a framework agreement for a technical partnership, Shiseido is working on this development with Canadian bio-venture company RepliCel.

Literature Review—Terahertz Repair, Notch Signaling and Hydrangea

Following is a sampling of recent scientific literature as assembled by Rachel Grabenhofer, editor of Cosmetics & Toiletries, which was found to have potential impact on personal care.

Spin-coated Layers for Nano Film Strength

Daeyeon Lee, PhD, and Jacob Prosser, along with fellow researchers from the University of Pennsylvania, were investigating the manipulation of nanoparticle films through spin-coating conditions when they discovered a method to prevent cracks in films for solar cell coatings, and possibly for cosmetics.

Technology Transfer—Silencing RNA for Cosmetic Effects

RNA interference (RNAi) is a gene-silencing technique that inhibits gene expression by causing the intracellular degradation of mRNA molecules. Since first reported in 1998, RNAi has sparked a revolution in molecular biology and has been employed in a myriad of biological contexts for the systematic evaluation of gene function.

Coty Teams with Australian Tech Company for Device Manufacture

The beauty companies will look on offering new products based on Coty's Philosophy skin care brand and OBJ Limited's e-Skin system.

Literature Review—Oxidation, Microdevices and Butterfly Pigments

Cosmetics R&D is constantly inspired by peripheral fields. This new “Literature Review” column therefore gives readers an overview of emerging technologies with potential for use in personal care. It will rotate monthly with the regular “In Sight” column.

Boots Utilizes X-Rite Colorimeter to Provide Custom Consumer Shade Matching

Boots UK has teamed up with X-Rite to offer a shade matching service in 668 U.K. stores. The No7 Match Made Service uses a handheld X-Rite (parent company of Pantone) spectrocolorimeter to identify the color of a customer's skin, then precisely targets the closest matches among 17 colors of No7 foundations across a number of formats.

Eccrine Sweat Glands Identified Key in Wound Healing

Researchers from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor have reported that eccrine sweat glands may play a role in wound healing. The researchers believe this understanding could lead to improved wound treatments.

Past Impressions

As the year winds down and we settle in for our long winter’s nap, or summer fun, depending on your latitude, I think it’s important to reflect on where you’ve been to know where you’re going. Happy holidays to all!

Maurice Elphick, PhD

Sea Cucumber Peptides to Affect Collagen

Sea cucumbers, considered a delicacy in East and Southeast Asia, may not be pleasing to the eye but could be pleasing to the complexion. These slippery creatures belong to the animal group of echinoderms, which possess an adaptive feature called mutable connective tissue. While investigating this phenomenon, Maurice Elphick, PhD, and his research team from Queen Mary University of London’s School of Biological and Chemical Sciences not only identified the genes that encode the peptides to make this tissue stiffen and soften, but also have hypothesized that one of these peptides may be used in anti-aging skin care

Cosmogizmoceuticals: The Physics and Chemistry of Looking Better

This article presents skin optics and strategies to design cosmetics that more closely match normal human skin. Topics covered include the spectral reflectance of hemoglobin chromophores, spatial variations and color texture, and optical scattering and translucence. In addition, interference coatings are considered, as are examples of the interplay between home-use devices and agents that affect aging skin.

Peptide Microarray to Advance Product Development

Pepchipomics is a new project supported by the FP7 of the European Union aimed at synthesizing and reading high-density peptide microarrays, resulting in a new high-throughput platform that integrates peptide synthesis, detection and analysis at an unprecedented scale.

Ei Licenses Sphingolipid Technology for Moisturization and Barrier Function Improvement

Topical drug manufacturer Ei has signed agreements with European-based professors and technologists to license a sphingolipid technology that improves barrier function and moisture retention when applied topically. Following is a Cosmetics & Toiletries exclusive interview with the company's lead researcher, Charley Gray, PhD.

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One Month Until Cosmetics & Toiletries Announces Winners for R&D Awards—Asia

The winners of Cosmetics & Toiletries' 2012 R&D Awards—Asia will be announced during the awards ceremony at in-cosmetics Asia on Nov. 7, 2012.

Protein Precursors Identified in Sea Cucumber With Possible Anti-aging Application

Scientists at Queen Mary, University of London have identified the protein precursors behind the peptides that cause muscle contraction or relaxation of echinoderms, which could potentially lead to anti-aging applications.

Francesca Giampieri, center, is a doctoral student at the Università Politecnica delle Marche’s department of odontostomatologic and specialized clinical sciences. She conducted the research with fellow students Luca Mazzoni, left, and José Miguel Alvarez Suarez, right.

In Sight—UVA Protection Through Strawberry Anthocyanins

Scientists at the Università Politecnica delle Marche, The University of Barcelona, the University of Salamanca and the University of Granada have produced an extract of strawberry to quantify the ability of the fruit to protect the skin.

Technology Transfer—Just Click It: New Chemical Reactions for Cosmetic Applications

Cosmetics & Toiletries is pleased to revive its former “Technology Transfer” column with new columnists Steven Isaacman, PhD, and Michael Isaacman. The authors’ diverse expertise in physical organic and polymer chemistry will provide a perspective of emerging technologies from academia and beyond, to explore their practical application in the personal care industry. This column follows the Cosmetics & Toiletries mission to combine insightful overviews of relevant cutting-edge thinking with content focused on practical applications in cosmetic science.