Role of Nanotechnology in Cosmeceuticals: A Review of Recent Advances

Abstract

Nanotechnology manifests the progression in the arena of research and development, by increasing the efficacy of the product through delivery of innovative solutions. To overcome certain drawbacks associated with the traditional products, application of nanotechnology is escalating in the area of cosmeceuticals. Cosmeceuticals are regarded as the fastest growing segment of the personal care industry and the use has risen drastically over the years. Nanocosmeceuticals used for skin, hair, nail, and lip care, for conditions like wrinkles, photoaging, hyperpigmentation, dandruff, and hair damage, have come into widespread use. Novel nanocarriers like liposomes, niosomes, nanoemulsions, microemulsion, solid lipid nanoparticles, nanostructured lipid carrier, and nanospheres have replaced the usage of conventional delivery system. These novel nanocarriers have advantages of enhanced skin penetration, controlled and sustained drug release, higher stability, site specific targeting, and high entrapment efficiency. However, nanotoxicological researches have indicated concern regarding the impact of increased use of nanoparticles in cosmeceuticals as there are possibilities of nanoparticles to penetrate through skin and cause health hazards. This review on nanotechnology used in cosmeceuticals highlights the various novel carriers used for the delivery of cosmeceuticals, their positive and negative aspects, marketed formulations, toxicity, and regulations of nanocosmeceuticals.

Gallic Acid‐Loaded Zein Nanoparticles by Electrospraying Process

“…It is defined as the control of matter at the atomic and molecular levels (Kargozar & Mozafari, ). Some fields where nanotechnology has been applied are the food industry, (Karimi, Sadeghi, & Kokini, ), food safety (Krishna et al., ), the cosmeceutical industry (Kaul, Gulati, Verma, Mukherjee, & Nagaich, ), water treatment (Mauter et al., ), and health (Tapia‐Hernández et al., ). Within nanotechnology, nanoencapsulation is a strategy in recent years for the protection of food ingredients and nutraceuticals (Assadpour & Jafari ; Liang et al., ).…”

<p>Nanocarriers for Stroke Therapy: Advances and Obstacles in Translating Animal Studies</p>

“…Overall, these features justify the research and development of nanoparticle carriers for diagnostics, therapeutics and other applications as well, such as for food, agriculture, sanitation and cosmetics. [14][15][16] In the context of neurological disease and targeting brain parenchyma via injection into systemic circulation, the ability to cross the BBB is an essential requirement. The BBB comprises all of the brain vasculature that is reinforced by tight junctions between endothelial cells, as well as by a luminal glycocalyx layer, the extravascular basal lamina and surrounding pericyte membrane, and astrocyte endfeet.…”

Dynamic mechanical analysis of novel cosmeceutical facial creams containing nano‐encapsulated natural plant and fruit extracts

“…An example of such product is a facial cosmetic cream, which additionally to the usual hydrating and antiwrinkle actions, present an effective action in acne treatment due to the inclusion of tea tree oil extract in its formulation. Thus, cosmeceuticals can be classified between pharmaceuticals and personal care products . The selected bioactive compounds are usually plant and fruit origin extracts and essential oils which are mainly known for their anti‐inflammatory and antibacterial activities.…”

“…Although the most common ingredients in cosmetics such as fragrances, preservatives, and dyes are responsible for many side effects, at the same time present important advantages over natural components such as cost, purity, compatibility, and quality control, which makes them more attractive in cosmetic industry . On the other side, the selected natural components usually are plant origin raw materials, such as herbal extracts and essential oils, that can offer the desired actions and can be characterized as safe and effective against microorganisms along with their proven beneficial properties . Nowadays, a plethora of cosmetic products with innovative natural ingredients and formulations have been fashioned to meet the demands…”

“…Thus, these products present better sensorial properties and are more stable than the conventional cosmetics. Nanoparticles are also suitable for both lipophilic and hydrophilic systems and are widely used in the preparation of antiwrinkle creams, moisturizing creams, skin whitening creams, hair‐repairing shampoos, conditioners, and hair serums …”