According to recent studies, efficacy remains one of the key criteria for assessing cosmetic products. Beyond the natural, organic or vegan characteristics, or even “Clean beauty”, on which everyone is fencing, this notion of effectiveness remains one of the central values. Very often this dimension of the products depends to a large extent on the nature of the so-called active ingredients that are added to the formulation. I’m one of those who prefer to use the term functional ingredient, but let’s admit it…
Generally, these ingredients are fairly well documented and their effectiveness, when well chosen, can generate positive results. However, the characteristics of these ingredients, particularly their solubility, can pose many problems for the formulator during implementation.
There is a technology available to overcome these difficulties and lead to a much simpler implementation. This technology can also improve the intrinsic efficacy of these ingredients. I’m talking about liposome technology.
This technology was developed nearly 40 years ago now, to the point where we have forgotten that it exists, or that it has become so commonplace that it is not worthy of attention. What a mistake…
Flowing from very early work on cell membranes and on the somewhat peculiar ingredients, phospholipids (those found in egg yolk), liposomes began to focus interest in the 1960s, after Bangham first described them.
Very soon, interest was focused on one particular characteristic of these preparations: their structure. Indeed, there is an important structural analogy to cell membranes. These are among the first works that will be inspired by biomimicry.
A little later, it will be discovered that they are analogous to skin lipids forming the skin barrier effect. From then on, many research teams will be interested …
