Research

Research Summary Phenoxyethanol, or 2-phenoxyethanol, has a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity and has been widely used as a preservative in cosmetic products for decades. It is effective against various Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, as well as yeasts, and has only a weak inhibitory effect on resident skin flora. According to the European Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety, phenoxyethanol is safe for all consumers – including children of all ages – when used as a preservative in cosmetic products at a maximum concentration of 1%.Adverse systemic effects have been observed in toxicological studies on animals, but only when the levels...

Research Summary Aging of skin is an intricate biological process consisting of two types. While intrinsic or chronological aging is an inevitable process, photoaging involves the premature aging of skin due to cumulative exposure to ultraviolet radiation. Chronological and photoaging both have clinically differentiable manifestations. Various natural and synthetic retinoids have been explored for the treatment of aging, and many of them have shown histological and clinical improvement. However, most studies have been conducted on patients presenting with photoaged skin.Among the retinoids, tretinoin is possibly the most potent and certainly the most widely investigated retinoid for photoaging therapy. Although retinoids...

Research Summary Ten percent polysorbate 85, a nonionic surfactant, was applied to the upper arm of 15 healthy individuals under occlusive dressing daily for four days. The other arm was similarly treated with the ointment base (white petrolatum USP) to provide a control area. At the end of the treatment, macroscopic observations indicated minor erythema in 11 cases, while no visible changes were noted on the surfactant-treated areas of 4 individuals or on any of the control areas.No definite histologic changes were observed through microscopic evaluations. However, the results of biochemical assays were more definitive. The content of the epidermal...

Research Summary Bioactive peptides have gained significant attention in the cosmetic industry due to their potential in enhancing skin health and beauty. These small protein fragments exhibit various biological activities, such as antioxidant, anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties, making them ideal ingredients for cosmetic formulations. Bioactive peptides are classified into four categories: signal, carrier, neurotransmitter-inhibitory, and enzyme-inhibitory peptides.This review provides insight into the application of bioactive peptides in cosmetics and their mechanisms of action, such as downregulating pro-inflammatory cytokines, scavenging radicals, and inhibiting collagen, tyrosinase, and elastase synthesis. Abundant natural origins, such as animals, plants, and marine sources, have been...