Functional ingredients of personal care products depends on their use, category as well as on mode of action. Here we tried to classify them in the simplest way:
1. Active Agents: Active agents are used alone or with other functional ingredients within a skin care product or cosmetics that actually cause changes to the appearance of the skin. Such as anti-oxidants, vitamins, anti-pigmentation agents, concentrated extracts, anti-microbial agents, etc.
2. Cleansing products: Surfactants are functional ingredients of cleansing products with some active agents. Such as anti-acne face wash contains surfactants for cleansing and salicylic acid to treat acne, anti-dandruff shampoo contains surfactant for cleansing and ketoconazole to overcome dandruff problem etc. Sodium lauryl sulphate, coco-amidopropyl betaine, sodium cocoyl isethionate etc., are some examples of surfactants.
3. Abrasives: The term abrasive refers to an ingredient that is capable of polishing or cleaning a harder surface by rubbing. They are solid particles and are generally used in toothpaste and skin care products such as scrubs and body washes. Abrasives for oral and skin care are different.
Skin Care- In skin care formulations, abrasives provide an exfoliating effect which means that they help to rub off and peel the outer layer or skin. They may be natural such as walnut shell, coconut shell, sand etc., or synthetic polymer in beads form.
Oral Care- Oral care abrasives contribute to the physical cleaning effect and stain removal from the teeth as well as to increase the gloss, such as calcium chloride, abrasive silica, etc.
4. Exfoliants: Two types of exfoliants are available in the market:
Physical exfoliants: in this type of products the functional ingredients work as physical abrasion such as scrubs (sugar, crushed shells, powders etc.)
Chemical exfoliants: chemicals are used for the skin peeling (AHA, BHA etc.,)
5. Moisturizers: In moisturizing products two type of functional ingredients are present:
First is occlusive film former ingredients. These are used to form the protective layer on skin surface and prevent the natural moisture of skin. Oils, butters, synthetic occlusal petrolatum, esters, etc. are basic occlusive.
Second is in which ingredients penetrates into skin, hold the water and internal NMF and keep skin hydrated, ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, isomerate saccharide, Sodium PCA, etc.
Moisturization by Occlusion Moisturization by Holding up water in skin
6. Masks: Clays and powder extracts are the functional ingredients of masks. Such as multani mitti, red clay, green clay etc., are the clays and Aloe vera powder, orange peel powder, turmeric powder, etc. are the powder extract used as powder face pack.
7. Hair Styling products: These products are used to form the hard polymeric or waxy layer on hair strands which set the hairs. Many polymers and waxes are used solely or in combination in the hair styling products such as PVPK-30, PVPK90, beeswax, microcrystalline wax, etc.
8. Toners: The main function of toners is to lower the pH of the skin after cleansing. Secondly toners helps to remove any excess cleanser or residue left on the skin after cleansing. Most toners have lower pH, usually around 4.0 to 5.5. Toner contains citric acid or sometime lemon extract to lower the pH.
Astringents are used in toners which are specially made for oily skin to minimise skin pore size. Examples of astringents are witch hazel extract, potassium alum, lemon extract and other citrus extract
9. Perfume: Perfumes are the hydro-alcoholic solutions with a high fragrance content sprayed on the skin, in room to transit a pleasant redolence to the user.
10. Hair Conditioner: The main moto of hair conditioner is providing the conditioning to hair and reduce the roughness of hair after shampooing and to make them manageable. They help to close the hair cuticles and prevent them from damage. Ingredients used are cationic emulsifier (BTAC, CTAC), silicones (cyclopentasiloxane, dimethicone), oils and emollients.
11. Sunscreens: Sunscreens are categorized into following two categories;
Organic or Chemical sunscreens- They are suitable organic substances that absorb the UV rays and convert it into heat. Octyl salicylate, octyl methoxy cinnamate, octocrylene, amino benzoic acid, avobenzone, etc. are some organic sunscreening agent.
Inorganic or Physical sunscreens- They are inorganic pigments that reflect the sun rays from the skin surface. Inorganic pigments are incorporated as nano particles with preferred particle diameter between 20 and 60 nm (up to 500nm), which act in combination as a broad-spectrum filter. Titanium dioxide, zinc oxide are the popular inorganic sun screening agents.
12. Depilatory / Hair Removing products: These products breakdown the hair by calcium thioglycolate, potassium thioglycolate with the help of alkaline cosmetics base product. These compounds break the disulfide bonds in keratin and also hydrolyze the hair so that it is easily removed. They are available in cream, lotion, gel or powder forms.
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