CLIP/CETL Fellowship Report 2006/7: Assessing Current Industry Practices and Educational Needs in Order to Facilitate Students Transition to Work and Increase Employability.

BSc (Hons) Cosmetic Science was developed at LCF in 2000, aiming to provide the Cosmetic industry with graduates ready to work in its R&D departments. In addition to being the only BSc of the University, it was the only graduate course in the UK devoted solely to the Cosmetic industry. Within the last couple of years, the course team started feeling that this unique subject area needs some re-positioning, not only because it now faces competition from other universities, but also because the industry it serves has changed since 2000. Despite plenty of evidence of the changing face of the industry, we were not able to find any systematic analysis of how the change affects jobs, especially the knowledge and skills profile now required from young graduates. The course re-validation was imminent and I felt that it was my responsibility, as a subject leader, to get hold of the facts, which would help us move the BSc course forward. In addition to undergraduate provision, LCF has an intention to develop a post-graduate (PG) course in this area. With no model courses in the UK, a rapidly changing industry and no market research data, it would be a risky enterprise. Hence, my second aim was to collect and analyse some facts and opinions regarding this possible new PG development

Optimisation of the Wax and Oil Phases in a Conventional Lipstick Using Mixture Design

Lipstick is essentially a mixture of oils, waxes and pastes. The type and ratio of ingredients in the lipstick base determine the type and intensity of interactions, which directly affect the quality of lipstick. Fundamentally, a lipstick must have sufficient stick strength to withstand the force during application, but it should also have appropriate ‘pay off’ characteristics. The traditional empirical approach may be inefficient in the development of lipsticks, because of the number of formulation variables and the two competing requirements. The results of this study have revealed the quantitative relationship between the hardness of a lipstick (expressed as its breaking and softening point) and its ‘glide’ performance. The use of the Mixture Design approach has made it possible to effectively select the samples with the best overall characteristics, on the basis of limited but focused experimental work

Instrumental and sensory characterisation of oleogels for cosmetic use

Oleogels are semisolid systems consisting of an oleogelator (gelling agent) and a lipophilic liquid phase. Despite having some distinct advantages (e.g. absence of preservatives or surfactants), the use of oleogels in cosmetic products is still sporadic. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of different types of oleogelators on instrumental and sensory properties of oleogels made with common emollient types: hydrocarbon, synthetic ester and natural oil

Sustainability of cosmetic products: a focus on packaging

An invited talk given at the Erasmus-funded conference, covering general sustainability background, activities undertaken by the cosmetic industry, with the focus and examples of sustainable cosmetic packaging

An ex vivo comparison of the tensile strengthening properties of protein derivatives on damaged hair

Conventional conditioning agents, cationic surfactants and polymers, are often limited in their ability to repair and strengthen the hair fibre, while protein-derived actives have been found to enhance the tensile strength of damaged hair. This study investigates the effects of keratin, wheat and collagen hydrolysates on the tensile strength of three types of damaged hair: bleached, permed and thermally treated

An in vivo comparative study on ageing skin: bio-mimetic versus traditional approach to skin moisturisation

Skin dryness is a common condition in elderly individuals. The two main mechanisms to cosmetically alleviate this state rely on the effects of humectants and occlusive substances, mostly in combination. However, products nowadays aim to go beyond the simple humectant and occlusive effects and to deliver ‘moisturising actives’, such as skin-identical lipids, natural moisturising factor (NMF) components, lipid precursors, peptides and amino acids. A relatively recent approach to increasing skin moisturisation is the bio-mimetic mechanism, i.e. using active ingredients with skin-identical lipids and lamellar structure. This study has demonstrated that providing the skin with lipids identical to those that make up the natural skin barrier can improve the skin hydration to a greater extent than a conventional o/w emulsion based on occlusive materials and humectants. In addition, it suggests that using bio-mimetic moisturisers is an effective and long-lasting method to elevate dry skin condition in people over 60

An In vivo Comparison of Biomimetic vs. Traditional Skin Moisturization

The aim of this study was to determine whether a biomimetic cream can deliver superior moisturisation to the skin of human volunteers aged over 60, compared to the effects of a conventional moisturiser containing high levels of petrolatum and mineral oil. The study design included a 4-hour skin hydration trial, a mini-regression study and a self-evaluation study. The instrumental methods used were skin hydration measured by corneometer and skin pH evaluation. The results have shown that providing the elderly skin with lipids that make up the natural skin barrier had a significantly higher effect on the skin hydration levels than the treatment with a commercial product containing standard occlusive agents