Liquid Crystals: New Frontiers in Cosmecueticals

Abstract The speedy growth of the life sciences industry is likely to drive dynamic delivery vehicles into broader market places such as personal care and consumer products. No matter what ultra-modern actives or atypical botanicals a skin treatment product may contain, the delivery system is still a central key to the product’s effectiveness. The assertion underlying cosmeceuticals is that active ingredients will irrefutably penetrate and maintain or repair the deeper layers of the skin. The need for skin care products with consumer-perceivable benefits and sensory attributes has made it essential to resort to nanotechnology. Self-assembling lipid-based liquid crystalline (LC) systems are a broad and an active area of research. A brief market application of LC structures pertaining to nail lacquer, hair dyes, lipstick, creams, gels and emulsions formulations has been reviewed here. Keywords - liquid crystal, nail lacquer, hair dyes, lipstick, creams, gels, emulsions.