Search Results (28)

Cinnamic acid and its natural derivatives were primarily used in cosmetics as fragrance materials as well as skin and hair conditioners. Nowadays, not only natural but also synthetic cinnamic acid derivatives are used as active ingredients of cosmetic formulations. They still serve as fragrance ingredients but also as active ingredients supporting the treatment of selected dermatoses such as acne vulgaris, atopic dermatitis, and hyperpigmentation. They are also commonly used in anti-aging cosmetic formulations. On the other hand, several cinnamic acid derivatives used as fragrances in cosmetic products are classified as potential allergens which can cause contact dermatitis. The main mechanisms of action proved for various cinnamic acid derivatives include antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antimelanogenic properties. Most commonly used cinnamic acid derivatives in cosmetics products are hydroxy acids such as ferulic acid, caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, and sinapic acid. Chemical synthesis led to several modified acids, esters, and amides, which also showed the potential to be used in cosmetic formulations. Full article

The Polish market of cosmetics is highly rich in different types of hair care preparations. A great number of Polish and foreign cosmetic companies and brands mean that finding care products ideal for a given person should be trouble-free. Unfortunately, a wide selection is both an advantage and a problem when a customer is doubtful about how a given cosmetic can work and what an individual’s hair really needs. Reading the composition of cosmetics, the potential user can recognize the needs of their skin or hair, which affects taking more conscious care and choosing the right cosmetics with more attention. This article assesses which ingredients and types of ingredients are present in the largest number of preparations and in the highest positions in the composition. This is a comparison of ingredients present in the largest amounts between four groups of hair cosmetics: care products with washing properties (shampoos), care products without washing properties (conditioners), preparations that are aqueous solutions (water cosmetics), and preparations that are not aqueous solutions (waterless cosmetics). It was revealed that the vast majority of all high-ranking ingredients are substances responsible for the functionality of hair cosmetics: surfactants, rheology regulators, substances responsible for foaming properties, emulsifiers, and solvents. The huge number of substances that can be used in hair products imposes the fact that the ingredients of the highest rank will be substances with many applications and, at the same time, are those that form the base of the cosmetic. Full article

Human hair is characterized by significant diversity, which is dictated by the individual genetic makeup. It is estimated that up to 70% of the world’s population has textured hair, with a significant proportion also living in areas with high exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR). This highlights the unique requirements for textured hair care products that can protect hair shafts from the harmful effects of the environment whilst enhancing the natural features of the fibre. In this study, we investigated the UV-protective effects of hair conditioner formulated from active ingredients, mangiferin, ferulic acid and naringin. The analysis of UV-irradiated straight and textured hair was performed by measurements of hair thickness and darkness, the uptake of the fluorescent dye, spectral absorbance of keratin extracts, ATR-FTIR and SEM. We found that textured hair was more sensitive to UVR-induced changes than straight hair, with the primary molecular targets represented by chemical groups in keratins. Pre-treatment of the hair with conditioner had protective effects against structural damage and oxidative stress caused by UVR. These data indicate the importance of the personalized approach to hair research and the formulation of hair care products tailored to the individual demands of textured hair types. Full article

Polyglutamic acid (PGA), a biopolymer comprising repeating units of glutamic acid, has garnered significant attention owing to its versatile applications. In recent years, microbial production processes have emerged as promising methods for the large-scale synthesis of PGA, offering advantages such as sustainability, efficiency, and tailored molecular properties. Beyond its industrial applications, PGA exhibits unique properties that render it an attractive candidate for use in the cosmetic industry. The biocompatibility, water solubility, and film-forming characteristics of PGA make it an ideal ingredient for cosmetic formulations. This article explores the extensive potential cosmetic applications of PGA, highlighting its multifaceted role in skincare, haircare, and various beauty products. From moisturizing formulations to depigmentating agents and sunscreen products, PGA offers a wide array of benefits. Its ability to deeply hydrate the skin and hair makes it an ideal ingredient for moisturizers, conditioners, and hydrating masks. Moreover, PGA’s depigmentating properties contribute to the reduction in hyperpigmentation and uneven skin tone, enhancing the overall complexion. As the demand for sustainable and bio-derived cosmetic ingredients escalates, comprehending the microbial production and cosmetic benefits of PGA becomes crucial for driving innovation in the cosmetic sector. Full article

This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advancements in the design and synthesis of biologically active quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs). The covered scope extends beyond commonly reviewed antimicrobial derivatives to include synthetic agents with antifungal, anticancer, and antiviral properties. Additionally, this review highlights examples of quaternary ammonium compounds exhibiting activity against protozoa and herbicidal effects, as well as analgesic and anesthetic derivatives. The article also embraces the quaternary-ammonium-containing cholinesterase inhibitors and muscle relaxants. QACs, marked by their inherent permanent charge, also find widespread usage across diverse domains such as fabric softeners, hair conditioners, detergents, and disinfectants. The effectiveness of QACs hinges greatly on finding the right equilibrium between hydrophilicity and lipophilicity. The ideal length of the alkyl chain varies according to the unique structure of each QAC and its biological settings. It is expected that this review will provide comprehensive data for medicinal and industrial chemists to design and develop novel QAC-based products. Full article

The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential role of burdock and black radish powders in emulsion-type hair conditioners. The studied plant powders were obtained by low-temperature drying. This method allows plants to retain many valuable nutrients, including vitamins or phytosterols, which have a positive effect on the condition of hair and skin. For the selected plant powders, the content of vitamin C and total polyphenolic content, as well as the degree of reduction of DPPH free radicals, were determined. Burdock and black radish powders proved to contain polyphenolic compounds and exhibited antioxidant activity, which is particularly evident in burdock powder. The plant material under study was also proven to contain vitamin C. The following stage of this study involved designing the formulations and preparing seven hair conditioner emulsions containing different plant-based powders at various concentrations. In the next step, the cosmetic prototypes were evaluated for their physicochemical and functional properties. The hair conditioners were found to have satisfactory functional characteristics, including dynamic viscosity, yield stress, and consistency. Colorimetric analysis showed that an increase in the concentration of burdock and black radish powders obtained by low-temperature drying in hair conditioners resulted in a more saturated color compared to the reference sample. The test results indicated that an increase in the concentration of the plant-derived powders contributes to an increase in the intensity of the yellow color of the samples. Full article

The research was carried out on a hair conditioner containing the following rice derivatives individually: rice germ oil, rice germ oil GX-N, and riceterol esters. To evaluate the protective efficacy of the three active ingredients chosen, the following techniques were used: FT-IR, SEM, stress–strain test, and polarized light microscopy analysis. The tests were carried out on natural Caucasian hair. The methodologies were found to be suitable for the evaluation and led to interesting results: the selected ingredients showed good properties in improving the hair. The conditioners containing the active ingredients restored the properties of the hair even when subjected to stress such as irradiation. In this case, the most effective was the rice germ oil GX-N. Full article

Cosmetic residues have been found in water resources, especially trace elements of precursors, couplers, and pigments of hair dyes, which are indiscriminately disposed of in the sewage system. These contaminants are persistent, bioactive, and bioaccumulative, and may pose risks to living beings. Thus, the present study assessed the ecotoxicity of two types of effluents generated in beauty salons after the hair dyeing process. The toxicity of effluent derived from capillary washing with water, shampoo, and conditioner (complete effluent—CE) and effluent not associated with these products (dye effluent—DE) was evaluated by tests carried out with the aquatic organisms Artemia salina, Daphnia similis, and Danio rerio. The bioindicators were exposed to pure samples and different dilutions of both effluents. The results showed toxicity in D. similis (CE₅₀ of 3.43% and 0.54% for CE and DE, respectively); A. salina (LC₅₀ 8.327% and 3.874% for CE and DE, respectively); and D. rerio (LC₅₀ of 4.25–4.59% and 7.33–8.18% for CE and DE, respectively). Given these results, we can infer that hair dyes, even at low concentrations, have a high toxic potential for aquatic biota, as they induced deleterious effects in all tested bioindicators. Full article

Human hair fibres are mainly comprised of proteins (>90%) and lipids (1–9%), which are characterised as exogenous or endogenous, depending on whether they originate from sebaceous glands or hair matrix cells, respectively. Exogenous lipids consist of free fatty acids (FFAs), triglycerides, cholesterol (CH), wax esters, and squalene. Endogenous hair lipids comprise FFAs, CH, ceramides, glycosylceramides, cholesterol sulfate, and 18-methyleicosanoic acid. Lipids were demonstrated to be fundamental against damage and maintenance of healthy hair. Several studies have evaluated the effects of hair lipid content and have shown how hair properties were altered when lipids were removed by solvent extraction. The effect of surfactants on hair lipids is difficult to determine, as the complex structure of the cell membrane complex makes it difficult to determine where surfactants act. Shampoos and conditioners contain surfactants that remove lipids during routine cleansing of hair. However, shampooing does not completely remove all free lipids from the surface layers. The effect of surfactants on the alteration and removal of structural lipids is poorly developed, and there is no consensus on the results. Further research on the lipid composition of the hair could provide information on the penetration pathways of surfactants to improve effectiveness and limit possible damage. Full article

With the high impetus in global digitization, online shopping (OS) is anticipated to increase further in the near future. Contrary to this anticipation, however, recent studies have emphasized a certain amount of drop in a considerable number of online purchasing transactions in 2022. One of the reasons might be customer dissatisfaction. To analyze online customer reviews, manual sentiment analysis was conducted to detect which quality criteria cause the dissatisfaction of online shoppers. The quality parameters are categorized into product, delivery service, and aftersales service quality (SQ). These main quality criteria are then divided into sub-factors. Eight health category products, including personal care products, wellness products, and household cleaners, were ranked to the importance of the sub-quality parameters using the multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) method. In this study, a new hybrid MCDM method was also proposed, which combines the triangular fuzzy logarithm methodology of additive weights (F-LMAW) and the Fermatean fuzzy weighted aggregated sum product assessment method (FF-WASPAS). The study reveals that the most important criteria were products’ performance, as well as their side effects, pay-back, and change possibility, while the products’ reasonable price was the least important criterion. Aftersales service was more significant than delivery service. Furthermore, moisturizing creams and medical pillows were the most popular products bought in OS compared with hair conditioners and washing liquids. The study’s multifold contributions and managerial implications were elaborately discussed. Full article

Hair is constantly exposed to various adverse external stimuli, such as mechanical or thermal factors, that may cause damage or cause it to lose its shine and smooth appearance. These undesirable effects can be minimized by using hair conditioners, which repair the hair and restore the smooth effect desired by the consumer. Some of the currently used conditioning agents present low biodegradability and high toxicity to aquatic organisms. Consumers are also becoming more aware of environmental issues and shifting their preferences toward natural-based products. Therefore, developing novel, sustainable, natural-based derivatives that can act as conditioning agents in hair care products and thus compete with the traditional systems obtained from non-renewable sources is highly appealing. This paper presents the key physicochemical aspects of the hair conditioning process, including hair structure and degradation, and reviews some of the new alternative conditioning agents obtained from natural resources. Full article

In this communication, we describe the first analytical method for the determination of free histidine in hair care products (shampoos and conditioners). Cation-exchange chromatography combined with postcolumn derivatization and fluorimetric detection enabled the accurate (recovery: 83.5–114.8%) and precise (2.4–5.6% RSD) determination of free histidine without matrix interferences at concentration levels down to 1.5 mg kg⁻¹. Real commercially available samples were found to contain the amino acid at levels ranging between 70 and 535 mg kg⁻¹. Full article

The discharge of cosmetic wastewater into the wastewater treatment systems has become an environmental concern due to high concentrations of nutrients. The current study explored the phytoremediation potential of Desmodesmus multivariabilis, under mixotrophic growth, to remove total organic carbon (TOC), sulfur (TS), nitrogen (TN), and phosphorus (TP) from cosmetic wastewater (CWW). The CWW was prepared using samples supplied by a local cosmetic production company (two dyes, two hair relaxers, as well as two shampoos and conditioners). The bioremediation potential of D. multivariabilis was tested under four different conditions: raw CWW with 0% CO₂ in the aeration stream (i.e., atmospheric air); pre-treated CWW with 0% CO₂, 2.5% CO₂, and 5% CO₂. Control experiments were run in parallel. Under mixotrophic growth, the microalga performed best at 5% CO₂ in the pre-treated CWW where TOC, TN, TP, and TS removal of >88%, >98%, >95%, and >90% were measured, respectively. The corresponding biomass (dry weight) was >203 mg/L. Relaxers promoted growth most prominently; however, it was observed that there was significant nutrient removal even in the absence of growth in all experiments. The growth followed Liebig’s Law, displaying three distinct phases (CO₂ concentration, CO₂ mass transfer, and nutrient limited growth). The results demonstrated the potential for the successful bioremediation of cosmetic wastewater by D. multivariabilis. Full article

Technology and environmental innovations always have a growing emphasis and have affected various industries. Since the cosmetics industry is highly competitive and consumers always desire innovations in products, the cosmetics industry tends to launch new products to satisfy customer desires without exception. Recently, in the area of cosmeceuticals, the application of nanotechnology has been attempting to increase; however, it seems to be tackling certain disadvantages compared to traditional products. Cosmeceuticals based on nanotechnology offer the benefits of product differentiation, improved bioavailability, and prolonged effects of active ingredients. These are widely used as a regulated delivery medium for cosmeceuticals, such as shampoo, nail enamels, lotions, hair serums, and conditioners. Their wide application is attributed to their intrinsic properties, such as rapid penetration, stability, hydrating power, and texture. The ability of the nanoemulsion system to form small- and large-surface nanoparticles enable the bioactive components to be transported into the skin more effectively. Furthermore, natural cosmetics are a general term that refers to all preparations for external conditioning and beautifying of the body from ingredients produced by or found in nature. The purpose of this review is to understand the nature of natural cosmetics which incorporate nanotechnology for better encapsulation and a better drug delivery system. The importance of innovations in the cosmetic industry is also discussed. Full article

The application of cosmetics is indispensable in our current society. In recent years, with an increasing awareness of the long-term health benefits of naturally sourced ingredients, plant-based cosmetic products have gained increasing attention. Lilium belongs to the Liliaceae family, which is one of the main plant families used in cosmetics for skin care treatment. A large number of studies have shown that Lilium plants are rich in components such as phenolic acids, flavonoids, and polysaccharides, with high potential for cosmetic applications. However, the application of lilies in cosmetics has not been systematically reported. This knowledge gap can easily lead to the neglect of its application in cosmetics because lilies are most familiar as ornamental plants. Integrating academic papers and patent publications, we analyzed the potential cosmetic application ingredients in lily, as well as their applications in cosmetics and related efficacy. Patent analysis showed that applications for lily-related cosmetic patents are mainly concentrated in East Asia, including China, Korea, and Japan. The application of lilies involves all aspects of cosmetics, such as sunscreens, facial cleansers, facial masks, conditioners, and so on. Its functions are also rich and diverse, including antiaging, radiation protective, whitening, moisturizing, freckle removal, acne treatment, and hair regeneration promotion. In addition, lilies are compatible with the application of other herbs. Moreover, with a change in people’s consumption concepts and the consideration of long-term health benefits, lily-based food and medicine innovation with health care and beautification effects may be a promising direction. Full article