The vast majority of skincare products on the market today are in liquid form. Many are water-based creams, lotions or serums, while others are oil-based serums. As stated in the National Library of Medicine, most cosmetic chemists formulating these products will need to consider the solution’s pH, viscosity, and which preservatives to use, in addition to the choice of functional ingredients. Read More
However, formulating a nanofiber product is quite different. While the initial polymer solution is aqueous, the water will evaporate during the electrospinning process, leaving behind dry fibers. The fibers can be formed from a variety of polymers; most cosmetic products use water-soluble polymers, allowing the products to dissolve easily in water or other aqueous liquids. It is possible to electrospin emulsions, so oils can be added to the aqueous polymer solution, as long as an emulsifier is included.
The dry nanofiber format offers a range of benefits. Read more
- Low water activity, which allows for preservative-free formulas.
- No viscosity modifiers or pH stabilizers are used.
In fact, for some formulas, the ingredient list consists of 2 polymers and one functional ingredient (commonly referred to as an active), for a grand total of 3 ingredients. This will vary by format (patch vs. nanodrop), as nanodrops typically contain additional ingredients to ensure a smooth application.
Most nanofiber products currently on the market consist of a single layer of nanofibers, either on a substrate or self-supporting, and are cut into various shapes, such as under-eye patches, facemasks, dots, etc. For such products, functional ingredients are typically added to the polymer solution, which is then electrospun into a nonwoven nanofiber sheet.
The unique format of Bōshi Beauty is the Nanodrop. In this case, there are many layers of nanofibers with powdered ingredients incorporated in between. This has two primary advantages.
- The ability to increase the overall loading of the actives.
- The ability to keep the powdered ingredient dry until the consumer is ready to use it.
While this is not crucial for many active ingredients, some well-known and highly effective ingredients (think L-ascorbic acid) degrade quickly in water, drastically reducing their efficacy. For these types of ingredients, keeping them as a dry powder can vastly improve their stability.
Bōshi Beauty Nanodrops are a full-face application that offers:
- Layers of nanofibers
- Oil or water-soluble powder inside
- Dissolves quickly with water or water-based formulas
- Improves stability
Formulating with nanofibers offers unique advantages, but it does require formulators to think outside the box. The general rules of formulating don’t always apply, so keep an open mind and let the innovative ideas flow!
For more information on Bōshi Beauty, check out our video.