EWG says testing finds asbestos in talc

Tests carried out by the Scientific Analytical Institute in the US are said to have detected the notorious carcinogen asbestos in talc-based cosmetics.

The tests have been reported on by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), which says that the tests found 21 different cosmetic products covering various categories were found to have traces of the carcinogen in the formulas. 

The positive test results were demonstrated in three of a total of 21 cosmetic products, which included two eye shadow palettes and one toy make-up kit aimed at children. 

The EWG says it alerted both parents and consumers about the potential hazard in the products, which were removed from both Amazon and eBay.

A report of the findings has also been published in the Environmental Health Insights, a peer-reviewed scientific journal. 

Presently the Occupational Safety and Health Administration warns there is no safe level of exposure to asbestos, which is linked to several types of cancers, but most commonly mesothelioma and the scarring lung disease asbestosis. 

Kraton highlights its range of polymeric modifiers for oils: Ellamera™

Netherlands-based cosmetic and personal ingredients solutions provider Kraton is currently platforming its newly launched comprehensive range of polymeric modifiers for oils. 

This indispensable new tool for formulators is called Ellamera™  and has been created specifically to provide a tailored polymer range to suit the needs of the health and beauty market. 

According to the development team, Ellamera™ has been created to deliver a range of functions that include: 

•  Film formation
• Easy and uniform spreading
• Excellent suspension properties
• Water repellency
• Compatibility with a wide range of emollients

The complete range includes Ellamera™ RAD-Thick, Ellamera™ BI-THIN and Ellamera™ TER-SET, which are all soluble in low polarity carriers and oils, together with Ellamera™ PER-SUST, which is soluble in medium to high polarity carriers and oils. 

Each solution has been designed with different characteristics to tailor formulations to very specific needs that come about from complex requirements for a complete range of cosmetic and personal care products. 

RAD-THICK provides thickening, film formation and water repellency; BI-THIN provides viscosity, uniform spreading, film formation and water repellency; TER-SET provides structuring/cohesion and binding, whale PER-SUST provides structuring/cohesion and film formulation.

This type of flexibility makes the range compatible with a broad range of cosmetic formulations for the colour cosmetic, skincare, haircare and suncare markets, providing sensorial, natural, sustainable and enhanced colour attributes. 

Research highlights importance of food allergy warnings for infant skincare

Scientists at the Clinic of Children’s Diseases in Lithuania say that a range of skin products marketed for children should carry allergy warnings. 

According to the research, a range of skincare formulations marketed at children and infants should carry warning labels because they may contain traces of common food allergens such as almond, wheat and soy. 

The findings were published in the peer-reviewed Contact Dermatitis journals and aimed at discovering the prevalence of food allergens in a wide range of children’s skincare products. 

The study reviewed a total of 276 products sold in Lithuania, including creams, oils, wet wipes, shampoos and baby powder. 

All of the products were scanned for the presence of allergen food ingredients, with the findings showing that almost 40% contained at least one allergen. 

The research also discovered that products pertaining to be natural or ecological had a higher likelihood of containing food allergens.

While the researchers stressed that over 90% of the products tested were manufactured outside of Lithuania, they also concluded that food allergens were prevalent in children’s personal care products. 

Sytheon secures patent on skin ingredient

Sytheon’s research and development team say it has obtained a new US patent for Synoxyl AZ (Acetyl Zingerone) as a skin pigmentation treatment. 

The compound is already known for its non-sacrificial antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-ageing properties, but the company’s latest research now focuses on its skin lightening attributes. 

US Patent 10.828.241 specifies that the compound’s skin lightening and even toning composition can be used on normal or hyperpigmented as part of skincare formulations targeting these conditions. 

The development team says that the new application for the ingredient means it can be used to enhance skin lightening, even-out skin’s natural colour tones or treat areas of skin darkening or hyperpigmentation, resulting from the sun or other environmental hazards. 

Additionally, it can also treat medical conditions such as acne that cause scar-induced hyperpigmentation, as well as skin ageing-relating conditions such as age spots, liver spots and freckles. 

The development team also claims that AZ can be combined with Synovea HR to enhance the effective treatment and control of skin pigmentation due to non-overlapping mechanistic pathways. 

Amorepacific and Kaist join forces on anti-ageing technology

In South Korea, Amorepacific’s research and development team is working together with the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) on a project to reverse the ageing of skin cells. 

The collaborative effort had developed an original technology that is said to reverse the ageing process in human dermal fibroblasts.

The results of the project have been published in the online edition of the international scientific journal PNAS, on November 23rd.

The researchers were focused on the fact that as skin cells age the speed of regeneration slows, making the skin thinner and more susceptible to wrinkles, as well as conditions such as dryness, itching and other problems.

During the research the two teams developed a signalling network model for ageing skin cells, that included simulations to analyse the model, ultimately discovering a core f that reverses ageing in old cells and converts them into younger cells. 

The scientists believe this finding is meaningful because it points to the ability to reverse the biological phenomenon of ageing skin cells, something that was previously considered to be irreversible.

“The joint research enabled us to build an ageing signal network model and an artificial model for aged skin, with which we saw the potential to reverse the ageing process in the skin,” Park Won-seok, Director of Research & Innovation Center at Amorepacific R&D Center said, 

“Amorepacific will continue to build on our studies on dermatology and bio sector to slow down or improve the progress of ageing that was previously thought impossible. We will continue to put in our utmost efforts to safeguard the health of our customers worldwide.” 

Amorepacific says it is now developing cosmetics that reduce wrinkles by extracting a core ingredient in Camellia japonica seed extracts to control ageing in human skin. 

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