Cosmetics

Mineral-based sunscreens have gained popularity due to their excellent ability to scatter ultraviolet (UV) rays without causing photo-induced skin irritation from chemical-based sunscreens. Of the 18 U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved active ingredients for sunscreen drug products, only two are mineral based. Zinc oxide remains stable at high temperature and in neutral pH, covers a broad spectrum of UV radiation, and is even mildly antibacterial. Three over-the-counter zine oxide sunscreens were purchased and analyzed using Partica LA-960V2 Laser Diffraction Particle Size Analyzer. A standard 15 mL fraction cell accessory fitted with a magnetic stir bar was chosen for this experiment.

In the final step of the formulation process, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries have to control their products to check if the compounds' distribution in the final product, or in its application form, i.e. dispersed on a skin for an intracutaneous product, are homogenous and stable in order to guarantee the product's efficacy. In this paper, we present why confocal Raman microscopy is an excellent tool for product characterization after formulation.

Iron oxides are magnetic black materials. The methicone treatment adds a degree of “slip” to the particles allowing for better color saturation although they still remain magnetic.

This Application Note outlines three different kinds of spectroscopic tools being used for the characterization of sunscreens, and discusses the obtained results. These include Fluorescence spectroscopy for photoactivity, Particle Size analysis for composition and Raman microscopy for formulation investigation.

Many cosmetic products include particulate material or emulsions. Some examples of cosmetic products consisting of or including particulates include facial powders, moisturizers, and lipstick. The particle size distribution of these components effects appearance, stability, and protection.

Confocal Raman Spectroscopy is an important analytical tool in various fields and it has shown high efficiency for specific applications in the cosmetic and/or pharmaceutical fields. Its non-invasive behavior, and its high molecular sensitivity make it one of the preferred label-free analytical techniques to characterize materials such as skin and cosmetic products.

This study utilizes the PSA300 automated image analysis system to quantify the size and shape of various ointments and creams.

Biological tissues contain chromophores that absorb light, as well as fluorophores that absorb and reemit light (fluorescence effect). Light absorption depends on the chromophores’ content and their distribution within the organic matter.

The fluorescence spectra of intrinsic protein fluorophores have been studied extensively and used in investigating biological events.

The development and evaluation of UVA (320–400 nm) sunscreens is important because UVA sunlight can penetrate deep into human skin and cause severe internal damage, as well as erythema and photoaging.

Confocal Raman spectroscopy is beginning to be recognized as a high potential technique for the non invasive study of biological tissues and human skin under in vivo conditions. Raman spectroscopy can be applied to obtain information regarding the molecular composition of the skin down to several hundred micrometers below the skin surface.