In this 2020 round-up, we’re featuring the biggest cosmetic science stories of the year including research on the skin microbiome, natural discoveries and the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
In this 2020 round-up, we’re featuring the biggest cosmetic science stories of the year including research on the skin microbiome, natural discoveries and the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
While the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak saw a surge in demand for essential oils with claims of antiviral and antibacterial effects, the industry has warned that there are no sufficient evidence of its efficacy against the virus.
Japanese OEM manufacturer of aromas and fragrances, Alfa-Point, said demand for its tea tree and eucalyptus-based essential oils were growing.
Ryuichi Sugawara, president of Alfa-Point, told CosmeticsDesign-Asia in April that sales of its essential oils grew more than 35% year-on-year.
“Since the situation of coronavirus has not yet returned to normal, there is a possibility that it [sales] will grow further in the future.”
In October, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causing the COVID-19 outbreak was found to survive on human skin for as long as nine hours, although it can be inactivated by ethanol within 15 seconds.
Contact transmission through human skin is considered a significant risk factor in the spread of SARS-CoV-2.
While there had been other reports studying the stability of SARS-CoV-2 on various surfaces from slaughterhouses, food manufacturing facilities, and even meat, but none had been studied on human skin.
Application of pathogenic and infectious agents to live human subjects is dangerous and not clinically feasible, hence researchers from Japan developed a model to evaluate the stability of the pathogen, using human skin obtained from forensic autopsy specimens ay Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine
Preservatives have long been vilified as a ‘harmful’ ingredient, but a deeper understanding of hygiene and contamination brought about by the novel coronavirus outbreak was thought to be able to validate their usage.
In May, Shinji Yamasaki told CosmeticsDesign-Asia that he was carefully optimistic that more consumers will emerge from the other side of the crisis more “enlightened” about the extent bacteria, viruses and fungi are in our daily lives.
“Most people do not fully comprehend to what extent bacteria, viruses and fungi are present. It's not a very pleasant thing to talk about but it covers all of our surfaces, including our own bodies,” said the founder and CEO of Singapore-based skin care brand Re:erth.
Yamasaki believed that a majority of people were not aware of the seriousness of contamination before the pandemic.
In January, a shampoo containing Inula helenium (IH) and Caesalpinia Sappan (CS) extracts were found to promote hair growth in people with androgenetic alopecia.
Androgenetic alopecia is a common type of hair loss and current available treatments include FDA-approved drugs, like minoxidil and finasteride to promote hair growth. However, they come with adverse drug reactions, such as skin irritation, sexual dysfunction, and circulatory disorders.
Researchers from South Korea tested a scalp shampoo containing IH and CS extracts on people suffering from hair loss, and found it significantly increase total hair count, showing a promising remedy for preventing hair loss and promote hair growth.
The research was published in the journal, Cosmetics.
In April, South Korean cosmetics research and manufacture company Cosmax announced the development of a new sun care product that utilised microbial materials that survived a trip to space.
The hero the ingredient of the sunscreen is Solarbiome, which contained two microbes studied by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as part of its astrobiology research.
A 2000 study published by NASA recorded that the Bacillus subtilis spores and Deinococcus radiodurans cells managed to endure planetary ejection and was resistance to ultraviolet (UV) rays.
Both were able to endure over a hundred days on the surface of the International Space Station (ISS), surviving UV radiation and temperatures as high as 100 degrees.
In July, the Nakdonggang National Institute of Biological Resources (NNIBR) and Jeju National University conducted a joint study confirming that Viola verecunda extract is as effective at protecting against hair loss as conventional treatments such as minoxidil.
NNIBR is a research institute established under South Korea’s the Ministry of Environment and specialises in research of freshwater organisms.
The centre collaborated with Jeju National University (JNU) to study the Viola verecunda plant, which is found locally in the Gyeonggi, Gangwon, and Jeju provinces.
According to NNIBR, Viola verecunda is a species of violet that grows in the wet, mountainous areas of Northeast Asia.
In September, a research study by Japanese cosmetics powerhouse Shiseido determined that sensitive skin has a less diverse biodiversity compared to less sensitive skin.
The maker of SHISIEDO, Anessa and Clé de Peau Beauté said it had been working to develop technology that can balance the microbiome, which it considers key to healthy skin.
Driven by new technological innovations, the company claimed that it had established a method to obtain stable results on the skin microbiome and conduct new research on the topic.
This particular research focused on the relation on skin microbiome diversity and skin sensitivity, an increasingly important concern among beauty consumers.
The founder of a skin care start-up believes that understanding the skin microbiome may play a more important role than genetics when it comes to personalising skin care.
Dr Oliver Worsley told CosmeticsDesign-Asia in August that the skin microbiome is “more important than we give it credit for”.
In the early 2000s, Worsley was involved in research into the human genome, a project which highlighted the limitations of using DNA.
“We quite quickly realised after that it didn't bring as many breakthroughs in understanding medicine than we thought it would do. We thought understanding your genome would give all the answers we need in medicine, but actually that wasn't the case,” he said.
In February, researchers at Kao Corporation developed a method to predict odour intensity, a skill previously dependent on the experience of perfumers.
The development of the technology was the result of a project by the firm’s Sensory Science Research Laboratory, which compiled a database of 314 commonly used fragrance ingredients.
The database of olfaction characteristics allowed the scientists to develop a method that can predict the odour intensity based on the concentration of perfumery raw materials (PRMs) present in a gas sample.
Data was obtained from an evaluation testing performed by 18 perfumers and researchers, who scored the intensity of samples emitted from a fragrance diluter with different gas concentrations.
A new research letter by Singapore-based dermatologist released in October proposed the best way to design protective face masks that will prevent maskne.
Maskne, a term coined during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, is a variant of acne mechanica, previously associated with headgear or personal protective equipment (PPE).
According to this research letter by dermatologist Dr Teo Wan Lin, maskne is clinically defined as “onset of acne within six weeks of start of regular face mask wear or exacerbation of acne over the masked area, distinct pattern referred to as the Ozone”
The paper excluded differential diagnoses including perioral dermatitis, seborrheic dermatitis, pityosporum folliculitis, acne rosacea.
