Development of newly multifunction cosmetic raw materials and its applications

Moisturizing the skin is one of the most important functions of skincare cosmetics, because water plays a significant role in keeping the skin healthy. There are various humectants including polyol (glycerin and 1,3-butylene glycol), water-soluble polymers, and botanical extracts. It is well known that the increased amount of polyol in lotion for obtaining high moisturizing effect gives a sticky feeling to the skin. Therefore, a few humectants that can give high moisturizing effect without a sticky feeling for lotion formula is available. On the other hand, oil-based lipstick is well known to have a difficulty to contain a large amount of hydrophilic humectants, because the humectants is unable to be mixed well into oil-based lipsticks and give the lips a peculiar taste. There are newly developed humectants, polyoxyethylene/polyoxypropylene dimethyl ether (EPDME) that can solve these problems describable above. EPDME is a random copolymer of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide. EPDME gives a low sticky feeling with a high moisturizing effect when it is used in lotion. As a remarkable character, EPDME can show not only a preventing effect on rough and dry skin, but also a improving effect upon the use for 1-4 weeks. EPDME can show a synergistic effect with glycerin on preventing to rough and dry skin. Since EPDME can be dissolved in oil-based formulation and used as an ingredient of lipsticks, EPDME can give a moisturizing effect that allows lip to be healthy condition. EPDME can also give no peculiar taste even upon the use of a large amount. EPDME is a useful cosmetic ingredient that can show a good skin care effect in both water-based formula and oil-based formula. EPDME of which polarity can be controllable is expected to be used for various cosmetic applications in near future.