Nano- and Micro-emulsions with Natural Oil Blend
31
Presented by: Deeleep Rout
Active delivery in to targeted dermal layers via nano- and micro-emulsions has been known[1] and several products employing these technologies exist in the market. Melanin reduction in the keratinocytes; improving skin elasticity and Nail health are few applications, which could be achieved using these emulsion systems. For the sake of clarity, nano-emulsions are kinetically stable and contains droplets in the range of 10-1000 nm, whereas microemulsions are thermodynamically stable systems with various morphologies, oil in water, bi-continuous and water in oil with dispersed phase domain sizes range from 5-100 nm. While emulsions are more commonly used in cosmetic products, microemulsions are comparatively scarce, primarily due to high concentration of emulsifiers, lack of wide temperature stability as well as sensitivity to active ingredient incorporation [2]. Several approaches, such as use of emulsifier mixtures, increasing oil molecular weight, were attempted to address the temperature stability issue with reasonable success.
Oil plays a very significant role in cosmetic products, starting with providing hydration benefits via occlusion, active delivery via interaction with skin lipids, improving skin barrier properties. Plant vegetable oils remain the most commonly used natural oils, but are of higher viscosity ( > 40 mPa.S) rendering the product heavy or greasy, low spreadability, low skin absorbing etc.. In Almora Botanica, we developed several natural oil blends to address few above-stated problems, by using oils with a widely varying physicochemical characteristics (e.g., electrical permittivity, 1.8 to 5)[3]. Some of the objectives of the natural oil blend were to have the lowest viscosity possible (2-5 mPa.S); high phyto-active solubility; sub-zero freezing point, high spreadability on skin.
With these developed oil blends, we have also identified appropriate emulsifiers to create microemulsions and nanoemulsions[4]. Microemulsion phase behaviour studies indicated wide temperature stability, especially with blends containing oils with diverse electrical permittivity.
Some of these systems were used to develop Skin Care products, needing to deliver actives in to targeted dermal layers (e.g., Serum for Age spots and Pigmentation) and Serum for Fine Lines and Cuticle oil. We also studied their efficacy on reduction of melanin concentration in Episkin skin models (Table 1) as well as gene expression studies in a T-skin model (Table 2). These studies further re-inforced the fact that nano-and micro-emulsion systems indeed are powerful vehicles for active delivery and for efficacious Skin care products. Besides, clinical studies also suggest significant benefits on wrinkles and fine lines, Skin Brightening, Skin elasticity, Skin Hydration, Nail plate thickness improvement, reduction of ridges of nail plates etc..
Treatment % Melanin Reduction
Serum (O/W Nano-emulsion). 25.2
Placebo (O/W Nano-emulsion without actives). 17.6
Kojic Acid (Positive Control). 8.2
Table 1: Melanin Reduction in a Reconstructed Human Pigmented Epidermis (Episkin France) after 9 days of treatment. Serum: O/W nano-emulsion; Kojic Acid: Positive Control and Placebo: O/W nano-emulsion without key actives.
Extracellular Matrix. Proteinases of Collagen & Elastin. Ageing. Inflammatory
TIMP (+0.73). MMP3 (-2.72). S100A9 (-1.11). TNFRSF1A (-0.51)
MMP9 (-1.75). S100A8 (-0.66)
FOS (+1.87)
Table 2: Up- and Down-regulation of key genes in a T-Skin model. The numbers in the parantheses indicate the maginitude of changes due to o/w nanoemulsion, compared to Retinol (positive control).
References:
[1] CMRR Nastiti, T Ponto, E Abd, JE Grice, HAE Benson, MS Roberts, Topical nano and microemulsions for skin delivery, Pharmaceutics 2017, 9, 37. Doi.10.3390/pharmaceutics 9040037
[2] Mintel GNPD search shows only 20 products for Microemulsion within Beauty and Personal Care super category, in contrast to 8831 Emulsion products.
[3] Non-aqueous cosmetic composition, Patent No. 202031038030, D K Rout, NK Patel
[4] A nanoemulsion composition for skin care Application, Patent No. 17495822, D K Rout, NK Patel and SR Varade.
Oil plays a very significant role in cosmetic products, starting with providing hydration benefits via occlusion, active delivery via interaction with skin lipids, improving skin barrier properties. Plant vegetable oils remain the most commonly used natural oils, but are of higher viscosity ( > 40 mPa.S) rendering the product heavy or greasy, low spreadability, low skin absorbing etc.. In Almora Botanica, we developed several natural oil blends to address few above-stated problems, by using oils with a widely varying physicochemical characteristics (e.g., electrical permittivity, 1.8 to 5)[3]. Some of the objectives of the natural oil blend were to have the lowest viscosity possible (2-5 mPa.S); high phyto-active solubility; sub-zero freezing point, high spreadability on skin.
With these developed oil blends, we have also identified appropriate emulsifiers to create microemulsions and nanoemulsions[4]. Microemulsion phase behaviour studies indicated wide temperature stability, especially with blends containing oils with diverse electrical permittivity.
Some of these systems were used to develop Skin Care products, needing to deliver actives in to targeted dermal layers (e.g., Serum for Age spots and Pigmentation) and Serum for Fine Lines and Cuticle oil. We also studied their efficacy on reduction of melanin concentration in Episkin skin models (Table 1) as well as gene expression studies in a T-skin model (Table 2). These studies further re-inforced the fact that nano-and micro-emulsion systems indeed are powerful vehicles for active delivery and for efficacious Skin care products. Besides, clinical studies also suggest significant benefits on wrinkles and fine lines, Skin Brightening, Skin elasticity, Skin Hydration, Nail plate thickness improvement, reduction of ridges of nail plates etc..
Treatment % Melanin Reduction
Serum (O/W Nano-emulsion). 25.2
Placebo (O/W Nano-emulsion without actives). 17.6
Kojic Acid (Positive Control). 8.2
Table 1: Melanin Reduction in a Reconstructed Human Pigmented Epidermis (Episkin France) after 9 days of treatment. Serum: O/W nano-emulsion; Kojic Acid: Positive Control and Placebo: O/W nano-emulsion without key actives.
Extracellular Matrix. Proteinases of Collagen & Elastin. Ageing. Inflammatory
TIMP (+0.73). MMP3 (-2.72). S100A9 (-1.11). TNFRSF1A (-0.51)
MMP9 (-1.75). S100A8 (-0.66)
FOS (+1.87)
Table 2: Up- and Down-regulation of key genes in a T-Skin model. The numbers in the parantheses indicate the maginitude of changes due to o/w nanoemulsion, compared to Retinol (positive control).
References:
[1] CMRR Nastiti, T Ponto, E Abd, JE Grice, HAE Benson, MS Roberts, Topical nano and microemulsions for skin delivery, Pharmaceutics 2017, 9, 37. Doi.10.3390/pharmaceutics 9040037
[2] Mintel GNPD search shows only 20 products for Microemulsion within Beauty and Personal Care super category, in contrast to 8831 Emulsion products.
[3] Non-aqueous cosmetic composition, Patent No. 202031038030, D K Rout, NK Patel
[4] A nanoemulsion composition for skin care Application, Patent No. 17495822, D K Rout, NK Patel and SR Varade.