A novel approach to enhancing the effect of skincare formulas based on the interfacial properties of vesicles imitating cell membrane

OBJECTIVE: In recent years, consumer expectations for effectiveness have been increasing. To address these issues, we used the novel interfacial scientific approaches: liquids with low surface tension, a novel vesicle dispersion using polyglycerol fatty acid esters, which imitated the structure of the cell membrane. The aim is that the vesicle uniformly spreads along the skin surface and makes a larger amount of active ingredients penetrate into the skin. METHODS: To prepare a vesicle dispersion, research on phase equilibria including a lamellar liquid crystal was carried out. Surface tension and wetting behaviour were checked for the physical property of the system. To identify the skin penetration of active ingredients, tape stripping and human tests were carried out in addition to the imaging of ex vivo skin. RESULTS: It was found that a specific OH/C ratio forms lamellar liquid crystals and disperses stably in aqueous dispersion as vesicles. Surface tension of the vesicle dispersion was significantly lower, and the wetting behaviour was more than eight times better than the conventional micellar system. Tape stripping tests revealed that the skin penetration of brightening ingredients was significantly higher than that of the conventional micellar system, of which relevant skin condition was recognized by panellists by a human test. CONCLUSION: Through this research, we developed a novel, penetrating base system with naturally derived surfactant in which functions work properly for both short and long periods of time after application.