Multifunctional Cosmetics PDF

Preface

In the last several years our industry has seen a shift toward the widespread acceptance of, and even demand for, products that offer more than one primary benefit. A variety of technological and marketing factors have contributed to this shift. From a technological standpoint, improved raw materials and formulation techniques have improved the formulator's ability to create products that can accomplish multiple tasks. In fact, certain performance attributes that were at one time viewed as incompatible or mutually exclusive (such as simultaneous shampooing and conditioning of hair or concurrent cleansing and moisturizing of skin) are now routinely delivered by single products. From a business perspective, changing marketing tactics have also played a role in the escalation of product functionality. Marketers have become increasingly bold in their attempts to differentiate their products from those of their competitors. Thus, products that claim to have three-in-one functionality attempt to outdo those that are merely two-in-ones. For these reasons, among others, it has become important for cosmetic chemists to understand how to develop and evaluate multifunctional personal care formulations.

In this book we discuss multifunctional cosmetics from a variety of viewpoints. First, and most fundamentally, we attempt to define what constitutes a multifunctional product. The first two chapters establish the definitions and guidelines that are used throughout the book. The next several chapters describe the role of multifunctionality in key personal care categories. Three chapters are devoted to hair care, with special emphasis on one of the most influential types of multifunctional products, the two-in-one shampoo. In the last several years, two-in-ones have risen to an estimated 20% of the shampoo market, and we can trace the history and technical functionality of these formulations. Other multifunctional hair care products we explore include those designed to deliver, enhance, or prolong color as they clean or condition hair.

Chapters 5–7, 9 delve into the role of multifunctional products in skin care. After an overview of the category we discuss the growing importance of shower gels and bath products that claim to cleanse and moisturize skin in one simple step. We also address how facial care products can perform multiple functions such as cleansing, conditioning, and coloring. We then discuss how antiperspirant/deodorant products use dually functional formulas to control body odor. Chapter 7 discusses the relatively new area of cosmeceuticals—products that have both drug and pharmaceutical functionality.

While the book is primarily concerned with hair and skin care products, one chapter is devoted to oral care. There is a clear trend in this category toward products that perform more than one function; for example, toothpaste formulations have gone beyond simple cleansing by adding functionality against cavities, tartar, plaque, and gingivitis.

The next two chapters focus on specific functional categories. We discuss how to add moisturizing or conditioning functionality to products that have another primary functionality. For example, Chapter 9 deals with expanding product functionality by adding sunscreen protection; Chapter 10 describes how to include antibacterial properties in a product.

The last three chapters describe some of the executional details one should be aware of when creating multifunctional products. We discuss general considerations related to formulation and how to design and implement tests for supporting claims. We also cover legal considerations, particularly with respect to OTC monographs, in which covering more than one function can lead to problems. The final chapter is devoted to the role of packaging in multifunctional products.