how these techniques are adding robust
and objective measurement data to
complete subjective visual methods.
Anthony Rawlings, Procter & Gamble,
explained how confocal raman spectroscopy (CRS) was utilized to compare
the use of one commercially-available
moisturizer with two others that were
known to only alleviate dry skin. The
total stratum corneum (SC) water content values obtained by CRS were compared with values obtained via capacitance measurement (corneometer). To
facilitate the method, the P&G team
had to validate the use of CRS to measure SC thickness by direct comparison
with optical coherence tomography
(OCT) at a variety of body sites.
According to the speaker, CRS offers
significant advantages over electrical
absolutely necessary. Alternatively,
researchers should use cow eyes from
slaughterhouses to conduct hazard
assessments or Hen’s Egg Test
Chorioallantoic Membrane (HET-CAM)
tests. Other test methods detailed by
Dr. Castell included the Local Lymph
Node Assay, which he called a reduction
and refinement in animal testing, the
Buehler Test and the Magnusson and
Kligman Guinea Pig Maximization Test
to measure skin sensitization. Despite
many advances made in animal testing
alternatives, Dr. Castell noted that
there is still no validated test method
for inhalation and oral routes.
Of course, animals and their by-products are widely used in cosmetic formulation. Luigi Rigano, L. Rigano R&D
Laboratories, explained how he
while bioengineering characteristics
were improved.
I TFSCC Conference Set for Oct. 7-9 in Melbourne
HE 25TH CONGRESS of the International Federation Societies of Cosmetic Chemists
(IFSCC) just concluded in Barcelona, but plans are already well underway for the
next IFSCC Conference, which will be held in Melbourne, Oct. 7-9 at the
Melbourne Convention Exhibition Centre.
The theme of the conference is "A Corroboree of Science & Beauty." Deadline for
abstract submission is Dec. 31, 2008. Deadline for notification of abstract acceptance
is Jan. 31, 2009. Deadline for scientific manuscript submission is May 31, 2009.
The abstract submission process is explained in detail on the website at
www.ifscc2009.com.au.
For those looking even further ahead, the 26th IFSCC Congress is scheduled for
Sept. 20-23, 2010 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The theme of the event is: "Innovation
& Responsibility: Cosmetics Forever."
Deadline for abstracts submission is Nov. 2, 2009. More info: info@ifscc2010.com.
Exhibitor info: Jorge Donati, exhibition committee coordinator, exhibi-
tion@ifscc2010.com. More info: www.ifscc2010.com
And finally, the 21st IFSCC Conference is scheduled for Bangkok, Thailand, Nov. 1-
3, 2011. The conference theme is: "Innovative Integration of Natural & Technology.
More info: scct@ifscc2011.com
measures, allowing more sensitive
measurements and a step-change in
information about stratum corneum
water content.
Animal Testing Alternatives
Day 2 of the Congress opened with a
keynote lecture by José Vincente
Castell of the University of Valencia,
Spain, who reported on the latest
advances in test methods. While he
acknowledged that at the moment there
are no approved replacements for the
Draize eye irritation test, he urged the
audience to resort to Draize only when
obtained novel retinol-like actives from
parrot feathers. His team isolated and
extracted a mixture of polyenals, called
psittacofulvins, and found that they
have antioxidant properties and can
influence cell proliferation. Using crotonic aldehyde as a starting material,
his team synthesized congeners called
parrodienes, before focusing its study
on the 8 C atoms member of the family
that the group termed “Parrotine.” In an
anti-wrinkle study carried out on 12
volunteers over four weeks, a formula
containing 0.28% Parrotine resulted in
a visible decrease in wrinkle depth,
Skin Differences/Novel Materials
Stéphane Diridollou of L’Oréal discovered that micro relief, sebum excretion
and skin dryness, as well as some skin
structures are different based on ethnicity. In a study of nearly 400 women,
L’Oréal researchers discovered that
micro relief, sebum excretion and skin
dryness, as well as some skin structures, vary by ethnic group. In addition,
age effects are influenced by ethnicity,
suggesting anatomical or physiological
property differences in skin of people of
different origins. More specifically,
Chinese were found to produce less
sebum, while African-Americans had
drier skin as they aged. In addition,
winter had a more pronounced effect on
skin dryness among Caucasian women,
than for other three groups tested
(African Americans, Chinese and
Mexican).
Regardless of skin color, all of today’s
consumers want effective products. To
help formulators create them, raw
material suppliers have developed a
wide range of novel ingredients.
Delphine Rival of BASF explained how
a Hibiscus abelmoschus seed extract
acts as a protective active ingredient of
FGF-2, a growth factor that ensures
dermal fibroblast proliferation and
enables them to synthesize matrix molecules that are essential to skin integrity. BASF researchers discovered that
the extract protected FGF-2 via its
intrinsic heparan sulphate-like effect
and via a stimulation of sulphated gly-cosaminoglycan synthesis, which is a
natural, protective molecule for FGF-2.
A clinical study confirmed that the
extract-based product significantly
reduced wrinkles, while skin density
and texture were improved, especially
in older subjects.
Another natural active, Platycarya
strobilacea extract (PSE), has applications as a anti-wrinkle cosmetic, according to Young Heui Kim of Bioland. In
vitro tests demonstrated that the material had free radical scavenging activity,
elastase inhibitory activity, expressed
MMP-1 and synthesized type I collagen
in normal human fibroblast cells. In
clinical tests, the material showed good
