Dow invests in anti-pollution skin care – Part 1

The company believes that anti-pollution skin care has tremendous potential in the global cosmetics and personal care market place; that it will grow well beyond its current niche status. Which is why “Dow is currently investing significant research and development resources in the anti-pollution skin care area and is leading an EU-funded research program with renowned academic partners in the field,” ​Fabienne Bizeray, marketing manager of skin and sun at Dow, tells Cosmetics Design.

She explains that “the anti-pollution skin care trend is still at the beginning of its journey and pollution protection is a growing area for further research within the personal care market.”​

Actual ​

Pollution is certainly of concern. According to UN data referenced by Dow, “In 2016, an estimated 54.5% of the world’s population lived in urban settlements, which increases exposure to urban pollution.” ​And as Bizeray points out “studies have shown that pollution impacts the skin’s status and how it modifies superficial biochemical parameters such as sebum secretion, lipids peroxidation, levels of antioxidants present in the skin, skin barrier function and skin aging mechanisms.”​

But whether consumers as a whole have an interest in adjusting their skin care routines in response to pollution issues remains to be seen.

“Consumer interest in this market segment hinges upon our ability to exhibit scientific evidence that illustrates the importance of pollution protection. Industry players across the value chain have a responsibility to build credibility through research in their respective offerings,” ​according to Bizeray. And this is where Dow’s current anti-pollution endeavors come in.

Technical ​

Anti-pollution skin care, as it’s coming to be understood, has three main elements:

• “a step of pollution removal from the skin via a deep cleansing step that is already well-developed in skin care routines” ​
• “a step designed to help promote restoration of the skin barrier function” ​
• “and a step that is designed to help enhance the skin’s resilience from pollutants involving application of film barriers and cosmetic actives.”​

Dow’s silicone technologies lend themselves well to step three. The company’s “elegant film formers help to create an effective non-occlusive barrier to inhibit particulate matter from adhering onto the skin and hindering noxious gases from adsorbing into the skin,” ​says Bizeray.

Beyond the company’s current ingredient anti-pollution skin care ingredient offerings like FA 4002 ID Silicone Acrylate, FA 4003 DM Silicone Acrylate, and SW-8005 C30 Resin Wax, “​Dow is also currently investing research and development resources to create vehicles that enhance the efficiency of well-known antioxidants such as Vitamin C,” ​Marc Eeman, a skin care application designer at Dow, tells Cosmetics Design.

“Recently, Dow has also investigated how its silicones might be formulated to provide improved control of the delivery of cosmetic actives used to help reinforce the barrier function of skin,” ​says Eeman.

 ​

Visit CosmeticsDesign.com again tomorrow to read Part 2 of ‘Dow invests in anti-pollution skin care.’