COSMETIC

EXCIPIENTS

PREPARED BY
PRASHANSA NEMA
MIPS, INDORE
CONTENTS
 Excipients ( Introduction)
 Surfactants

 Rheology Modifiers

 Humectants

 Emollients

 Preservatives

( Classification and their application)

 EXCIPIENT

 An excipient is an inactive substance formulated

alongside the active ingredient of a medication.
 For the purpose of bulking-up formulations that contain
potent active ingredients.
 Drug products contain both drug substance

(commonly referred to as active pharmaceutical

ingredient or API) and excipients.
 The resultant biological, chemical and physical
properties of the drug product are directly affected
by the excipients chosen.
their concentration and interactions with the API:

 Consistency of drug release and bioavailability.

 Stability including protection from degradation.

 Excipients determine the bulk of the final product

in-
Dosage forms such as tablet, capsule, etc.
The speed of disintegration, rate of dissolution,
release of drug, protection against moisture, stability
during storage,and compatibility.
WHAT SHOULDN’T HAVE IN
EXCIPIENTS?
Excipients should have no -
 bioactivity, no reaction with the drug
substance.
 No effect on the functions of other excipients.

• No support of microbiological growth in the

product .
IDEAL PROPERTIES OF EXCIPIENT

 No interaction with drug

 Cost effective

 Pharmacologically inert

 Stable for handling

 Feasible
TYPES OF EXCIPIENTS USED IN COSMETIC
1. Disaccharides: Sucrose, lactose

2. Polysaccharides and their derivatives:

starches, cellulose or modified cellulose such as :-
Microcrystalline cellulose and cellulose ethers such
as- Hydroxypropyl cellulose .

3. Sugar alcohols such as-

xylitol, sorbitol or mannitol.
SOME COMMON EXCIPIENTS NAME-
Excipient Examples
Disintegrants Starch, cellulose
derivative,
And alginates,
crospovidone
(These compounds,
which swell or dissolve in
water).
Glidants Colloidal anhydrous
silicon and other silica
compounds.

Lubricants Stearic acid and it’s salts

e.g. Magnesium
 Excipients are inactive ingredients used as carriers
for the active ingredients in a pharmaceutical
product or in cosmeceutical product.
These may be classified into the following
categories:
 Surfactants

 Rheology Modifiers

 Humectants

 Emollient

 Preservatives
SURFACTANTS

 Surfactants are compounds that lower the surface

tension (or interfacial tension) between two
liquids, between a gas and a liquid, or between a
liquid and a solid.

 Surfactants may act as detergents, wetting

agents, emulsifiers, foaming agents, and
dispersants.
 Surfactant, also called surface-active agent,
substance such as a detergent that, when added to
a liquid, reduces its surface tension, thereby
increasing its spreading and wetting properties.

 In the dyeing of textiles, surfactants help the dye

penetrate the fabric evenly. They are used to
disperse aqueous suspensions of insoluble
dyes and perfumes.

It can be more understand with the help of figure

showing in the next slide -
 The surface-active molecule must be partly
hydrophilic (water-soluble) and partly lipophilic
(soluble in lipids, or oils). It concentrates at the
interfaces between bodies or droplets of water
and those of oil, or lipids, to act as an emulsifying
agent, or foaming agent.
CLASSIFICATION OF SURFACTANTS
Surfactants are classified into follwing 4 sub
groups:-
Classification are based upon the composition of the
polarity of the head group

1. Non-ionic surfactant
2. Anionic surfactant
3. Cationic surfactant
4. Amphoteric surfactant
 Anionic surfactants have a negatively charged
water-loving head. Anionic surfactants work very
well in recipes which have a reaction between a
chemical (like lye) and fatty acids or alcohols (like
animal lard or vegetable based oils).
 Hand processed soap ,are all examples of
anionic surfactants.

 Other examples of anionic surfactants are Sodium

sulfates, Ammonium sulfates,
sulfosuccinates, sarcosines, sarcosinates,
isethionates, and taurates.
 Cationic surfactants are the opposite of anionic
surfactants. They have a positively charged water-
loving head. It is because of this positive charge
that cationic surfactants can offer many skin
loving, nourishing benefits to the skin and
body. These surfactants are best used in recipes
where foaming is not necessarily mandatory such
as hair conditioners.
 Some common cationic surfactants used in bath
and body recipes are : chlorides (Benzalkonium,
Stearalkonium, and Centrimonium), Trimethyl
Ammoniums, and Methyl Sulfates.
 Nonionic surfactants have no foaming
capabilities which is why this group of surfactants
are rarely used as a recipe's main surfactant.

 Evident by the prefix non, these surfactants do not

have a charge in their water-loving heads.

 The end result of using a nonionic surfactant will

allow for a finished product that has a very gentle
cleansing ability. But, just because it doesn't foam,
it doesn't mean it does cleanse.
 Amphoteric surfactants are the go with the flow
surfactants. They have the possibility to either have
a positive or negative charge. Their charge is all
based on the pH or alkalinity of your finished
product.

 Some examples of well known amphoteric

surfactants are Coco Bentaine, Lauryl
Bentaine, and Hydroxysultaines.

It’s classification also can be understood in short by

some common example of all types of surfactant.
APPLICATION IN COSMETIC
 One of the most common applications of
surfactants in cosmetics is for cleansing
formulations. When skin and hair get dirty there
are really two types of dirt: solid particulates and
oily deposits. The oily deposits come from natural
sebum Sebaceous gland.
 A sebaceous gland is a microscopic exocrine gland
in the skin that opens into a hair follicle to secrete
an oily or waxy matter, called sebum, which
lubricates the hair and skin of mammals.
 RHEOLOGY

 Rheology 'flow' is the study of the flow of

matter, primarily in a liquid state, but also as "soft
solids" or solids under conditions in which they
respond with plastic flow rather than deforming
elastically in response to an applied force.
 Rheology is the science of deformation and flow
within a material. It is a branch of physics which
deals with the deformation and flow of materials,
both solids and liquids.
 RHEOLOGY MODIFIERS
 A rheology modifier is a material that alters the
rheology of a fluid composition to which it is added.
There are many rheology modifiers available to the
personal care formulator,

 for example, copolymers of acrylic acid, N-

vinylpyrrolidone, a cationic monomer (preferably N-
vinylimidazole), and a hydrophobic monomer that
may be a long-chain ester of methacrylic acid having
an ethoxylated spacer chain, preferably PEG-25
methacrylate. Such rheology modifiers disperse
rapidly in aqueous systems at pH 6–8 to yield gels
with hair fixative properties.
 While a surfactant is the key ingredient used to
control surface tension, a rheology modifier is the
ingredient used to control the viscosity of the ink,
or more precisely the rheology profile of the ink,
which includes the yield stress and the viscosity at
different shear modes and rates.
RHEOLOGY MODIFYING
INGREDIENTS FOR COSMETICS:-
 There are a variety of ways of modifying the
viscosity and rheology of cosmetic formulations
primarily by choosing ingredients that inherently
exhibit particular rheological properties. 
 In addition, there are a variety of formulation
additives available which act as rheology
modifiers. 
 A few classes of rheology modifiers are:-
 Mineral Colloidal Systems – Minerals (naturally
sourced) such as Magnesium Aluminum Silicate,
Bentonite, and Hectorite can be used to create
colloidal systems which impart viscosity in a non-
Newtonian manner. 
• Typically synergistic when used with gums
(xanthan).  They also have a smooth, ‘dry’ feel. 
• Hydrophobically modified minerals can also
provide rheology modification in non-aqueous
systems.
 Polymeric Thickeners – These, usually acrylate
based polymer thickeners, are cost effective and
efficient at low use levels, can provide suspension
of particles but can be sensitive to salt content and
tend to short, choppy rheology.

 Cellulosic Thickeners – Based on cellulose (wood

pulp), these synthetically modified polymers are
similar to the polymeric thickeners in that they can
be highly efficient. 
 At higher use levels they can feel slippery or
stringy and do not provide suspending properties. 
Hydrophobic modification can allow for use in
solvent systems

• Associative Thickeners – These thickeners

interact with surfactants in a way that moderates
flow and adds viscosity.  They can be sensitive to
different ingredients including sulfate free
surfactants
HUMECTANT
 How Does It Work?
A humectant is a hygroscopic substance used to keep
things moist.
 It is often a molecule with several hydrophilic groups,
most often hydroxyl groups; however, amines and
carboxyl groups, sometimes esterified, can be
encountered as well (its affinity to form hydrogen
bonds with molecules of water is the crucial
trait).
They are used in many products, including food,
cosmetics, medicines and pesticides.
 A humectant attracts and retains the moisture in
the air nearby via absorption, drawing the water
vapor into or beneath the organism's or object's
surface. This is the opposite use of a hygroscopic
material where it is used as a desiccant used to
draw moisture away.

In pharmaceuticals and cosmetics-

 humectants can be used in topical dosage forms
to increase the solubility of a chemical compound's
active ingredients, increasing the active
ingredients' ability to penetrate skin.
 humectants are common ingredients in a wide
range of cosmetic and personal care products that
make moisturization claims (e.g., hair
conditioners,body lotions, face or body cleansers,
lip balms, and eye creams).

 A humectant is a substance that is used to keep

products moisturized and affects the preservation
of items, which can be used in cosmetic products,
food and tobacco.

 A humectant-rich formulation contains simple

alcoholic sugar that can increase skin hydration
and helps to remove and reduce thickness of skin.
 Humectant used in cosmetics include triethylene
glycol, tripropylene glycol, propylene glycol,
and PPGs.

 Other popular humectants in cosmetics include

Glycerin, sorbitol (sugar alcohol) hexylene
and butylene glycol.

 This medication is used as a moisturizer to treat

or prevent dry, rough, scaly, itchy skin and minor
skin irritations.
CLASSIFICATION OF
HUMECTANTS
Humectants are classified into 3 types:-

1. Inorganic humectant
2. Metal humectant
3. Organic humactant
 1. Inorganic humectants:-
These are limited used in cosmetic.
e.g. Calcium Chloride
 It has compatibility problems and corrosive in
nature.
 It is not frequent used in cosmetics.

2. Metal organic humectants:-

These are limited used in cosmetics because of
compatibility problems and corrosive nature.
e.g. Sodium lactate
3. Organic humectants :-
These are widely used in cosmetics.
They include polyhydric alcohols, their esters and
ethers.

The most commonly used orgaic humectants are-

Glycerol,ethylene, glycol, polyethylene
glycol,diethylene glycol, triethylene
glycol,propylene glycol, glycerine, sorbitol,
mannitol.
APPLICATION OF HUMECTANTS IN
COSMETICS:-

 Humectants are frequently used in cosmetics as a

way of increasing and maintaining moisture in the
skin and hair, in products including shampoo,
conditioner, frizz serum, lotions, creams, lip
treatments, cleansers, after-sun lotion, and
some soaps or body lotions.

 All humectants have common hydroxyl groups

which allow them to participate in hydrogen
bonding and attract water
 Glycerin is one of the most popular humectants
used because it produces the desired result fairly
frequently and is low in cost.
 Humectants have been added to skin moisturizing
products to treat xerosis.
 Some moisturizers tend to weaken the skin barrier
function, but studies on xerosis have proven that
moisturizers containing humectants increase
desired moisturizing effects on the affected area
without damage to the skin barrier function.
 Humectants are also added to toothpaste
(dentifrice) to stop the product drying out and
cracking in the tube. Sorbitol is commonly used as
this also contributes a sweet flavour to the
toothpaste without contributing to tooth decay
 Some common humectants used in food are honey
and glucose syrup both for their water absorption
and sweet flavor.
 Glucose syrup also helps to retain the shape of the
product better than other alternatives, for a longer
period of time.
EMOLLIENTS
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS
OF EMOLLIENTS?
 Most people get dry, irritated skin from time to
time, especially during the winter when the air is
cold and dry.
 You can also get dry skin from washing your hands
often, or from working with harsh chemicals.
 Emollients are effective for soothing and healing
dry skin due to almost any cause, including:
 eczema
 psoriasis

 atopic dermatitis

 hypothyroidism

 diabetes

 kidney disease

Emollients can treat these conditions as well as

other skin irritations such as burns from radiation
treatments and diaper rash.
TYPES OF EMOLLIENTS WITH
APPLICATION IN COSMETIC
FORMULATIONS :-
Ointments
 Ointments are mostly oil and are very greasy.
They are thick, so they prevent your skin from
losing water and don’t have to be reapplied very
often because aren’t absorbed quickly.

 They are sticky and hard to spread on your skin,

especially on hairy areas.
 Creams
 Creams have a balance of oil and water. This
makes them easy to spread on your skin, but they
are less moisturizing than an ointment. They have
enough oil to trap the water in your skin.
 They are lighter and easier to apply than
ointments, which makes them good to use during
the daytime.
 They are also heavier and more moisturizing than
lotions, which makes them good for nighttime use.
 Lotions
 Lotions are mostly water with only a small amount
of oil. They’re the least moisturizing of the three
types of emollients. Since they’re a liquid, they’re
easy to spread on your scalp and other areas of
your body that are hairy.

• This type of emollient is good for daytime use

because they’re thin and easy to apply. But you
have to reapply lotions more frequently because
your skin absorbs them quickly.
PRESERVATIVES
 A preservative is a substance or a chemical that
is added to products such as food products,
beverages, pharmaceutical drugs, paints, biological
samples, cosmetics, wood, and many other
products to prevent decomposition by microbial
growth or by undesirable chemical changes.
 preservation is implemented in two modes,
chemical and physical.
 Chemical preservation entails adding chemical
compounds to the product.
 Physical preservation entails processes such as
refrigeration or drying .Preservative food additives
reduce the risk of foodborne infections, decrease
microbial spoilage, and preserve fresh attributes
and nutritional quality.

 Some physical techniques for food preservation

include dehydration, UV-C radiation, freeze-drying,
and refrigeration. Chemical preservation and
physical preservation techniques are sometimes
combined.
 The most common cosmetic preservatives are the
parabens.
 Parabens act as a preservative by inhibiting
microbial growth.
 It is believed that this activity is due to absorption
of parabens into the microbial cell (bacterial or
fungal), where they go on to interfere with cell
membrane-related processes within the microbes.
 Parabens
 Examples
Germaben II
Methylparben
Propylpar
Butylparabe
 Economica
 Most widely used group of preservatives
 Effective for fungal protection and some gram positive
bacteria
 Must be combined with others for gram negative
protection
 Allowed for both rinse-off and leave-on products.
 THANK
YOU