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In vitro/vivo SPF Correlation and Repeatability According to Substrate

This work evaluates the impact of three different substrates on in vitro SPF measurements, and defines experimental conditions to improve their correlation with in vivo values. Evaluations of 32 products, shown here, led the authors to conclude that molded substrates improved repeatability and correlation with in vivo SPF values.

Detecting Estrogenic Endocrine Disruptors in Personal Care Products and Supplements

Endocrine disruptor chemicals (EDCs) are a class of chemicals that has raised alarm for being linked to a wide variety of detrimental effects on human and wildlife populations, e.g., cancers, precocious puberty and obesity. Thus, there is a need to test personal care products and supplements for EDCs, which can be accomplished using the validated bioassay described here.

Green Formulations: Not All Components Are Equal

In the consumer’s mind, a natural or green cosmetic is automatically safe; however, the safety, quality and efficacy of botanical ingredients used in formulations need to be carefully assessed. Stability is also an important issue. Current research is directing analyses of final formulations to evaluate not only their cosmetic raw materials, but also their active materials.

CeeTox Inches Closer to Validating Non-Animal Skin Allergy Assay

CeeTox has reported positive results from the recent phase of a PETA-funded validation study performed by the Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO)’s Applied BIO & Molecular Systems (ABS) team.

Mature and Immature Corneocyte Detection Force Distance Curves vs. Microfluorometry

Here, the author compares two methods to determine the maturity of corneocytes based on their cross-linking that could be used to evaluate the anti-aging effects of molecular agents. The first utilizes microfluorometry, while the second involves F-D curves generated via contact mode AFM. Both methods successfully detected differences in mature or immature corneocytes with 95% confidence.

Testing Tactics: REACH and In vitro Alternatives: Skin Irritation Testing

Welcome back to a continuing discussion regarding the new Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals (REACH) regulation and its impact on chemical testing. It is the purpose of this series of articles to provide an overview of these existing validated in vitro methods, as well as new methods that are being considered for validation.

C + K Devices Used in Space to Quantify Skin Aging

Skin measurement devices from Courage + Khazaka Devices have been used for the second time on the International Space Station (ISS) to verify skin aging in space

IBN Engineers Hair Follicle Model for Development of Anti-hair loss Actives

The Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN) has recently engineered a new hair follicle model that could help discover new drugs or active ingredients for hair regeneration.

Measuring Hair Strength, Part I: Stress-Strain Curves

This article is the first in a series that will address the approaches of measuring the “strength” of hair and quantifying the manner by which this property may be altered. Specifically, it will begin with the generation of stress-strain curves through the use of constant rate extension experiments.

Rapid Colorimetric Analysis of para-Phenylenediamine in Henna-based, Non-permanent Tattoo Color Mixtures

In some henna mixtures, para-phenylenediamine (PPD) has illegally been added and it is responsible for complications such as allergic contact dermatitis. While high-performance liquid chromatography has previously been used to detect PPD, a colorimetric method that is faster and portable, described here, has been developed. For product developers, this method can be used to evaluate henna plant extracts.

Researchers Add Nanoneedle to AFM Probe for Greater Corneocyte Detail

Researchers from the University of Bath has constructed a "nanoneedle" at the end of an atomic force microscopy (AFM) probe to study the stratum corneum (SC) in detail, which may lead to better skin treatments and a greater understanding of skin aging.

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Noninvasive Techniques for Anti-cellulite Product Efficacy Evaluation

Although cellulite is not considered a disease, it is a significant cosmetic problem for many post-adolescent women. Recent studies using new diagnostic techniques such as ultrasound imaging can define the cellulite-reducing efficacy of cosmetics. However, there is still a need to standardize and objectify the testing procedures and to find parameters to measure anti-cellulite efficacy.

In Sight—QOL Testing: Complementing Clinicals

Personal care efficacy tests are known to test the physical effects or toxicity of products, often omitting more abstract and possibly equally as important factors such as well-being.

Responsilbilities in Outsourcing Clinical Testing

It remains the responsibility of the manufacturer to substantiate the safety of both ingredients and finished cosmetic products prior to their being marketed.

The Air Up There: Skin VOCs

In 2001, Japanese researchers reported that after the age of 40, some individuals develop a malodor known as “aging odor,” attributed to the presence of unsaturated C9, 2-nonenal. George Preti, PhD, a member of Monell Chemical Senses Center and an adjunct professor of dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, was interested by this report and began to conduct research of his own.

UV Transmission Assessment: Influence of Temperature on Substrate Surface

This work evaluates the impact of temperature on test substrate surfaces during the application, spreading and drying steps of the in vitro method to measure ultraviolet (UV) transmission. The authors work in a range between 20°C and 35°C, and demonstrate that controlling temperature is a key test parameter that should be strictly controlled to ensure reliability.

Determining Korean Consumers’ Degree of Exposure to Lipstick and Face Creams

This study describes methods used in a Korean study to calculate consumer exposure to lipstick and face creams. The average amount applied daily was estimated and compared with data collected by weighing containers before and after use. The data collected was 1.8 to 1.6 times greater than the estimate, so although the survey represented real use patterns, the actual data was more accurate.

‘How Did THAT Get in There?’ Identifying Particulate Contamination in Products and Packaging

Particulate contamination and discoloration may occur in products due to foreign materials introduced via raw materials or during the manufacturing process. Agglomeration or reactions between ingredients and packaging components also are possible sources. The identification of contaminants and their origin, described here, is therefore critical so that future incidents can be prevented and safety or regulatory concerns can be addressed.