Nanotechnology in cosmetics
The use of nanotechnology to produce cosmetics began more than forty years ago when liposome technology was applied to moisturizing creams to add ’shimmer’ and increase the products’ solubility. Since that time, nanotechnology in cosmetics has been significantly extended and can now actually alter the physical properties of cosmetic products so that they become more effective.
Nanotechnology in cosmetics has been applied to numerous cosmetic products developed by industry leaders including L’Oreal, Revlon and Estee Lauder. And while these companies forsee no medical problems developing as a result, critics of the sub-microscopic processes like Friends of the Earth, complain loudly that products made from nanotechnology have not been adequately tested for safety.
Cosmetic products manufacturers have adopted nanotechnology in cosmetics because tiny bits of matter frequently show new and useful properties when reduced into nanometer-sized particles. Substances that conform to this include mineral-base pigments used in sunblock lotions where the smaller particles are more transparent and also more easily absorbed into the skin. Emulsifiers used in hair conditioners and makeup made with nanotechnology also benefit by becoming less oily.
It is apparent that nanotechnology in cosmetics represents a new frontier for manufacturers in this industry. For example, L’Oreal has now introduced cosmetics engineered with nanoparticles that produce brighter colors, iridescence and metallic-like effects. Other companies large and small are following suit.
Critics, and they are many, claim that nanoparticles might pass through the skin and enter the bloodstream to reach the lungs, brain, liver and other internal organs because some earlier research on carbon-based nanoparticles suggested that they might build up in human tissue. To date, there is no evidence that products developed with nanotechnology produce any adverse effects or medical risks. For now, however, both the Food & Drug Administration and European regulators have not seen fit to call for tighter regulations for cosmetic products. They have, nevertheless, decided that continued testing and evaluation are warranted.
Those in favor of nanotechnology in cosmetics fell that the products don’t present any health or safety issues and laud the increased effectiveness of products made with nanoparticles as not only penetrating deeper into the skin, but repairing skin damage more quickly. Right now, the majority of cosmetic products made with nanotechnology are sunscreens and ant-aging substances. These are fabricated with MPC polymers (called Lipidure) which provides excellent moisture absorption and retention capabilities.
Sunscreen products created with nanoparticles are extremely good at absorbing light, particularly in the UV range. The small particle size in these products allows them to spread more evenly over the skin, provide better coverage and are more economical since they require less and therefore last longer, They are also completely clear and transparent, unlike earlier compounds that were milky white. The new sunscreens have been so widely accepted by users, that they have captured more than sixty percent of the total market in Australia.
The future for nanotechnology in cosmetics looks extremely bright.
