SUN CARE
Boosting SPF with colloidal lignin particles
Julia Tomasich - Lignovations
Exposure to sunlight has various benefits, including producing vitamin D and improving one’s wellbeing.1-3
On the contrary, too
much unprotected sun exposure can lead to sunburn, hyperpigmentation, photoageing, skin photosensitization, and in the worst case, skin cancer.2 Evidence suggests that already ancient civilizations protected their skin from sunlight with simple preparations such as mixtures of oil and sand, used by the Greeks around 500 BCE.4 Today, 34 UV filters in the European Union are permitted to be used in commercial sunscreen formulations.4 Generally, UV filters can be classified as
chemical and physical filters that absorb or reflect UV rays, respectively.5-6
as well as Recently, the
safety of many of these UV filters for humans and the environment has been questioned.1,7,8 Studies have shown that there are changes in humans’ reproductive organs,9
adverse effects on the environment and general human health.10,11 The lack of photostability of many UV
filters leads to lower effectiveness and the appearance of degraded derivates that can be harmful.1,12
So-called physical or mineral UV
filters like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are categorized as ‘natural’ and generally safe and effective UV filters (GRASE-Category I) by the FDA.13 Unfortunately, these mineral filters come with
their own challenges, ranging from more difficult formulation and processability to leaving a white cast in a non-nano form. Avoiding such a white cast requires and improving their efficacy usually requires those mineral filter to be in nano scale which has again environmental donwsideds, especially to marine life.14 Innovation in this field is rather slow due to
high regulatory hurdles. Approving a new UV filter takes several years of testing and development. Since 1978, only three new filters have been approved by the FDA.15
To alleviate some of the
issues of UV filters, SPF boosters can be used to increase the efficacy of UV filters, allowing for their reduction while maintaining or even increasing SPF levels.
Traditional SPF boosters and bio- based alternatives SPF boosters are initially emollients designed to dissolve crystalline UV filters, enhancing their dispersion and improving sunscreen formulations’ coverage and SPF efficacy. SPF boosters, including both synthetic and natural
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ingredients, play a crucial role in film forming as well as improving the dispersion and stabilization of UV filters, contributing to the SPF efficacy of sunscreens.15
occurs in very low concentrations – therefore, vast amounts of feedstock have to be grown and treated by energy-consuming extraction methods, negatively impacting sustainability and affordability.18 For a bio-based cosmetic ingredient to be
truly sustainable it should already be available in abundant amounts and feature properties that are highly relevant to the cosmetics industry – as is the case with lignin. Lignin is the second most abundant renewable
biopolymer on earth, occurring in wood and woody plants. Due to the high availability of the molecule and already existing industrial processes where lignin is often seen as a waste stream, scientists have started to investigate its properties and application opportunities.19
There are many SPF
boosters, each one being more beneficial for certain formulations than others. Some of them work better with oil-continuous phases, others with water-continuous phases. Many natural products and extracts
are potential SPF boosters with significant antioxidant properties, making them suitable for sunscreen formulations.16
Considering current
trends, natural SPF boosters – such as grape seed extract, jasmine, hibiscus, desert rose, propolis, aloe vera, yellow milfoil, vetty fruit, have been researched and considered plants supporting protection from UV radiation.6,17 However, most bio-based SPF boosters are
derived from plants that are cultivated for the sole purpose of using them in the cosmetics industry. Oftentimes, the desired molecule
Lignin - biopolymer with UV protection, antioxidant properties Lignin stems from the Latin word lignum and translates as ‘wood’. Lignin is a highly heterogeneous polyphenol,20
ABSTRACT
Lignin is a widely available biopolymer with UV protection and antioxidant properties, but traditional bulk lignins are unsuitable for cosmetics. Lignovations has developed a patented and green technology to produce colloidal lignin particles (CLP). In cooperation with the Vienna University of Technology (TU WIEN) their successful application in cosmetic products was demonstrated. In the present work, CLP are used as an effective SPF booster in organic and mineral sunscreen products, featuring an increase of the in vivo SPF by up to 50% or 11 SPF points.
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which serves as
the primary structural component of plants and algae. Wood contains typically 65-75% cellulosic carbohydrates (cellulose and hemicellulose) and 18-35% lignin.20 While the cellulose extracted from biomass is utilized in the pulp and paper industry,18
the
extracted lignin is usually burnt for energy.21 This way, lignin’s valuable and beneficial characteristics are wasted. Lignin protects plants against UV irradiation, free radicals and strengthens the plant’s secondary cell walls. These properties are well documented in
lignin research. However, traditional technical lignins were unfit for use in high-value
February 2024 PERSONAL CARE
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