Technology; once a luxury for the wealthy, now a necessity for this very interconnected information-at-your fingertips society we live in. As technology advanced, it’s physical characteristics shrunk, and we now have nano-sized gadgets thanks to the power of nanotechnology. Nanotechnology is am emerging field which had been evaluating the potential benefits of nanostructures to the world around us.
Applications of nanotechnology are now crossing into the cosmetics research and development arena.
In cosmetology, the main advantages of nanostructures are:
Increased time of action and the bioavailability of the active ingredient;
Making lipophilic active ingredients more water soluble;
Increased effectiveness;
Facilitated application;
Reduced adverse effects and toxicity (BARIL,2012).
The cosmetics industries have developed various products aimed at providing a variety of benefits, such as hydration, nutrition and glow, among others. One option for increasing these products’ effectiveness and facilitating their incorporation into cosmetic formulation, reducing toxicity, stabilizing the active ingredients, among other things, is using the active ingredients in the form of nanoparticles, as in the following examples.
Citrus Aurantium Amara Fruit Extract (and) Diosgenin Argininate (and) Dihydromyricetin (and) Caffeine (and) Escin (and) Oryza Sativa Bran Oil – Lipophilic nanoparticles for treating cellulite that act by stimulating skin microcirculation and thermogenesis. They have a strong lipolytic action in addition to an antioxidant one.
Cymbopogon Flexuosus Oil (and) Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil (and) Eugenia Caryophyllus Leaf Oil – A blend of Essential Oils encapsulated in lipophilic nanoparticles to repair damaged, opaque-looking, off-white and brittle nails. It has an antifungal, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and analgesic action.
Lavandula Officinalis Flower Oil (and) Cymbopogon Martini (Palmarosa) Oil (and) Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil (and) Butyrospermum Parkii Butter – A blend of Essential Oils rich in fatty acids encapsulated in slow-release nanoparticles. It tones, conditions, is an antiseptic, repairs, controls oiliness and stimulates growth. In addition it ultra-hydrates hair, giving it elasticity and softness.
Polyquaternium-7 (and) Sericin (and) Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride (and) Cetrimonium Chloride (and) Behentrimonium Chloride – Sericin nanoparticles that cleave to the hair’s surface, promoting cuticle sealing and protein mass replcement. It has a high affinity for other proteins and is able to bind to the skin and hair’s keratin, forming a resistant, hydrating and protecting film with good barrier properties.
Lauric Acid (and) Myristic Acid (and) Punica Granatum Seed Oil (and) Resveratrol (and) Sorbitan Oleate – Nanoparticles with a high antioxidant potential that works in preventing photoaging, possessing regenerating and hydrating properties, improving elasticity and skin strength and glow.
Reference Article from in-cosmetics