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| Cosmetic product |
What is mean by Cosmetics?
Cosmetics are care aubstances used to enhance the appearance or the odour of human body. They are generally mixtures of chemical compounds, some being derived from natural sources (such as coconut oil) and many being synthetics.
OR
Cosmetics are sunstances, 'intended to be applied to the human body for cleansing, beautifying, promoting, attractiveness, or altering the appearance without affecting the body's structure or functions.
Cosmetics Raw Materials:
There are many different types of raw materials required for manufacturing cosmetic product. So, here we will discuss about the one by one raw materials-
A) Emulsifiers:
Emulsifiers are used in creams and lotions to mix water with oils. Since water and oil do not mix but stay separated, an additional agent is necessary to form a homogenous mixture keeping water and oil together.
1) Borax:
Borax or sodium borate is a naturally occurring alkaline mineral first discovered over 4000 years ago. Borax alone will not emulsify. It must be used in conjunction with Bees wax. Together, the electricity from the friction of the two causes the reaction and yields an emulsion.2) Beer Wax:
The honey bee secretes bees wax to build the walls of the honeycomb and when secreted the wax is a transparent colourless liquid, which turns into a semi-solid substance on contact with the atmosphere. Bees wax is used in cosmetics and skin care products as a thickening agent, emulsifiers and humectant and has soothing and softening properties and helps the skin to retain moisture.3) Carbomer:
The function of a carbomer is to act as an emulsion stabilizer and to adjust viscosity and can therefore, also be classified as a thickening agent. Carbomer is a synthetic compound comprised of a cross-linked polymer of acrylic acid with a high molecular weight.4) Emulaifying Wax. NF:
It is used to bind water together in creams, lotions etc. It is a white waxy solid with a few fatty alcohol odour. It has characteristics of cetyl alcohol combined with the viscosity building effect of stearyl alcohol as an effective thickner and helps form extremely stable emulsions in either water in oil or oil in water preparation.a) Cetaryl alcohol :
It is a blend of high quality cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol meeting NF specifications.
b) PEG-20 stearate:
This synthetic compound is family of the polyethylene glycol group and is made from ethylene oxide when the polymers are mixed with various other molecules produce a wide variety of products. PEG is a water soluble lubricant from petroleum and / or mineral sources.
c) Cetyl alcohol:
It is an emulsifying wax made by combining fatty alcohols derived from vegetable sources. It may be naturally derived from coconut fatty alcohol or made artificially. It is used as an emollient, emulsifier, thickner, and carrying agent for other ingredients.
d) Propylene glycol:
In cosmetic industry propylene glycol is used in small amounts to keep products from melting or freezing in extreme temperatures and assists the active ingredients in a product to pentrate the skin. It can also be used as anti-freeze and anti-rust inhibitors for cars.
e) Polysorbate 80:
It is a non-ionic surfactant and emulsifier derived from sorbitol which comes from fruit and barries. Polysorbate 80 is highly viscose water soluble yellowish liquid used as a dispersing agent, mixes oil and water, stabilizer and lubricates.
f) Lecithin :
It is a mixture containing phosphoilipid as the major component and widely found in animals and plants. It is used as a natural emulsifier.
B) Liquid components in cosmetic products:
Oils and lipids belongs to the most important ingredients in cosmetic products. If selectively applied they help to regenerate damaged skin.a) Vegetable oils:
Oils contain fat-soluble vitamins or pro-vitamins as e.g beta-carotene and vitamin A in carrot and avocado oil. Vitamin E in almost every vegetable oil and in wheat germ oil even upto 0.5%. For the older skin phytosterols have a specific skin caring effect.
b) Selection criteria:
Higher unsaturated oils like sunflower, Soyabeen, safflower and wheat germ oils release linoleic acid, which prevents scaly skin as it is integrated into the barrier substance ceramide. Almond and apricot stone oil are frequently used for the young skin while macadamia nut oil is typical oil for the mature and dehydrated skin.
c) Bees wax:
Lipid like bee-products like bees wax and propolis have lipophilic properties as well. Due to it's flavone content, propolis shows anti-microbial, anti-oxidative and frequently even anti-inflammatory effects. Shea butter is an example for a solid vegetable was which is a frequent component in today's skin care creams.
C) Humectants:
A Humectants is a hygroscopic substance used to keep things moist. They are used in many products, including food, cosmetics, medicines and pesticides.
* When used as a food additive, a humectant has the effect of keeping the foodstuff moist.
* In pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, humectants can be used in topical dosage forms to increase the solubility of a chemical compounds active ingredient(s), increasing the active ingredient's ability to penetrate skin, and/ or it's activity time.
* Humectants are sometimes used as a component of antistatic coating for plastics.
* Humectants are common ingredients in a wide range of cosmetic and personal care products that make moisturization claims.
* Humectants used in cosmetics include triethylene glycol, tripropylene glycol, propylene glycol and PPGs.
* A humectants called nano lipid gels allow skin to retain moisture, but also possess antifungal properties.
* Humectants have been added to skin moisturizing products to treat Xerosis.
* The humectant glycerol is added to soaps for the cleansing of wounds.
D) Colours (dyes and pigments)
Colourants (organic or inorganic) are available in dry form or liquid form dispersed in castor oil.
a) Dyes have found a wide variety of uses in the cosmetics industry. The hair dyes or lipsticks or nail polish, shampoo everywhere there is wide use of dyes.
b) Pigments: In the category of decorative cosmetics, the majority of colours are pigments. It is the inorganic pigments that are popular with cosmetics but are subject to purity levels of heavy metals. The range of inorganic pigments used in cosmetics is generally made up of various chemical types.
E) Preservative:
Preservatives are antimicrobial ingredients added to product formulations to maintain the microbiological safety of the products by inhibiting the growth of and reducing the amount of microbial contaminants.
Cosmetics and beauty products are made up of ingredients that are biodegradable, and this means that microbes can easily break them down and become contaminated by bacteria and fungi. This causes a product to become unpleasant and unsafe for consumers with an added antimicrobial.
All these factors contribute to the fact that cosmetic products need preservation to prevent microbial growth and spoiling of the cosmetic product and also infection to the skin.
F) Antioxidants:
Antioxidants are very useful active ingredients for the manufacturing of cosmetics. Generally antioxidants interrupt oxidation reactions and prevent the effects of oxygen radicals (e.g. peroxides) both processes known to damage the integrity and function of various natural substances.
So, this are the raw materials required for the manufacturing of the cosmetics.
