What are the functions of various ingredients in cosmetic formulas?

In the world of cosmetics, understanding the functions of the various ingredients present in the product's ingredient list is crucial. These ingredients play a vital role in determining the performance, effectiveness, and overall quality of the cosmetic product. Whether it's the matrix ingredients, functional ingredients, or adjuvants, each has its unique purpose that contributes to the formulation. Let's explain the functions of common ingredients in this article.

Matrix Ingredients: The Foundation of Cosmetics

Matrix ingredients are the backbone of any cosmetic product. They constitute the largest proportion of the formulation and provide the necessary structure and stability. Matrix ingredients are the basis of cosmetics. They carry other various ingredients, determine the form of cosmetics (liquid, semi-liquid, solid, etc.), and enable a variety of ingredients to be "peaceful and stable" in the same formula.

Below are some examples of common base ingredients used in cosmetic formulations:

• For cosmetics in dosage forms such as liquids, creams, and lotions, the bases are mostly water, alcohols, oils, etc.
• For solid cosmetics such as pressed powder and talcum powder, the bases are mostly talc, kaolin, polydimethylsiloxane, etc.

Functional Ingredients: The Key of Cosmetics

Functional ingredients are the key ingredients in a cosmetic product that provide specific benefits to the skin or hair. These functional ingredients work through different principles, such as moisturizing, whitening, anti-aging and antioxidant. Examples of commonly used functional ingredients in cosmetic formulations include:

• Moisturizing ingredients, such as include hyaluronic acid, and collagen hydrolyzate, etc.
• Ingredients that can repair the stratum corneum, such as ceramide, and vitamin E, etc.
• Ingredients that can help exfoliate, such as salicylic acid, and keratase, etc.
• Antioxidant ingredients, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), and vitamin C derivatives, etc.
• Anti-dandruff ingredients, such as zinc pyrithione (ZTP), and salicylic acid, etc.

Auxiliary Ingredients: Multifunctional Regulator

In order to give cosmetics certain properties, such as shelf life, viscosity, fragrance or appearance color, other additives are introduced into cosmetic formulas. These additives include emulsifiers, thickeners, stabilizers, preservatives, acid-base adjusting ingredients, colorants, and flavors, etc.

• Emulsifiers are key matrix ingredients responsible for creating stable emulsions. Examples of commonly used emulsifiers include cetyl alcohol, glyceryl stearate, and sorbitan stearate.
• Thickening agents, like carbomers and cellulose derivatives, provide the desired viscosity to cosmetic products.
• Stabilizers, such as antioxidants and chelating agents, play a vital role in maintaining the product's integrity and preventing degradation. Antioxidants like vitamin E and rosemary extract protect the formulation from oxidation, extending its shelf life.
• Preservative ingredients are added to cosmetic products to prevent the growth of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms. Common cosmetic preservative ingredients include phenoxyethanol, benzalkonium chloride, chlorobutanol, benzyl alcohol, benzoic acid, salicylic acid, boric acid, sorbic acid and other substances.
• In order to maintain the normal pH of skin and hair, cosmetics need to maintain a certain pH. Commonly used acid-base regulators include citric acid, phosphoric acid, tartaric acid, sodium dihydrogen phosphate, and triethanolamine, etc.

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What are the functions of various ingredients in cosmetic formulas?

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