More effective anti-aging ingredients and formulations are being developed every day. Cosmetic alternatives to dermatological procedures will be increasingly available for the average woman, and technical innovations to cosmeceuticals will allow skin care products to deliver active ingredients more effectively and with greater precision. Emerging genetic-based technology will enable the development of targeted products that […]

Male grooming is one of the fastest growing sectors in the cosmetic industry (23). There are significant differences between men’s and women’s skin; men’s skin tends to be less acidic, thicker, oilier, and hairier (24,25). By using products developed specifically for their skin type, men will achieve better results. Products being developed particularly for men […]

Active research continues in the area of delivery systems for cosmetic products. Particulate delivery systems such as liposomes, which are tiny, hollow lipid spheres, are used to carry active ingredients into the skin. However, smaller, more specialized transportation systems are being developed; these include nanoparticles, microcapsules, and millicapsules. Nanotechnology is making its way to the […]

Skin tone is an area of dissatisfaction for many women around the world. Clear, fair skin tones are the goal in Asia, and skin lighteners have been popular there for many years. However, they are now gaining popularity in the west as well. They can also be used to treat disorders of hyperpigmentation, such as […]

The genomics revolution has already begun to transform the pharmaceutical industry, and it is now making its mark on the cosmetic industry as well. At the heart of this revolution is the ability to generate and assemble massive amounts of DNA sequence information. We are now able to identify key genes in biological processes such […]

The growing demand for anti-aging products has led to the development of “medical mimics.” These are new cosmetic alternatives to costly dermatologic procedures and surgeries. “Facial relaxers” are gaining popularity as an alternative to Botox injection. Argireline, a synthetic peptide that has been touted to relax facial muscles by inhibiting the neurotransmitter catecholamine, has been […]

Nutraceuticals provide beauty benefits from the inside out; their goal is to enhance beauty by improving health. There are several dietary supplements that have been developed to promote skin health in particular. These supplements provide vitamins and nutrients especially involved in skin physiology. The challenge for the nutraceutical industry is to definitively measure the benefit […]

Lauren A. Thaman P&G Beauty, Sharon Woods Technical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, U. S.A. The cosmetic industry has changed dramatically over the past 20 years with the introduction of daily UV lotion in the late 1980s to fight future aging. No longer are women searching for hope in a jar but focusing on the latest over-the-counter […]

Ubiquinone’s antioxidant action in skin was confirmed in vitro by sophisticated ultra-weak photon emission (UPE) (169). Increased antioxidants result in decreased UPE. Elderly volar skin demonstrated 33% reduction in antioxidant activity when compared with young skin. This was corrected after one week of twice-daily topical application of 0.3% ubiquinone. After UVA irradiation, a decrease in […]