Fighting free radicals: the latest antioxidants on the market

Published: 15-Feb-2019 Featured companies: BASF Personal Care and Nutrition GmbH Solabia Group Hallstar Spec-Chem Industry Inc
Ingredients

Certain cosmetic formulations, as well as human skin, are prone to lipid oxidation. This article discusses the mechanisms involved in oxidation and discovers cutting-edge antioxidant cosmetic ingredients on the market

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The oils and fats used in cosmetic formulations are prone to oxidation through a series of reactions. The mechanisms of lipid oxidation are initiated by the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which propagate free radical chain reactions.

Initiating the reaction requires oxygen and a catalyst such as heat, light or metal ions, but once started it rapidly results in rancidity. Initiation can be delayed by protecting the oil from the atmosphere via storage in cool dark areas and by the addition of an antioxidant. Antioxidants retard oxidation primarily by either hydrogen donation or electron donation, and may be synthetic (like BHA and BHT) or natural, like flavonoids, polyphenols, retinol, ascorbic acid and tocopherols.

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Featured companies

BASF Personal Care is one of the world’s leading supplier of high-performance ingredients for the personal care industry. The company understands human needs and meets them... Sytheon is an innovative research-based company committed to developing high-performance active ingredients since 2006. Embracing Mother Nature’s medicinal plants, either... Spec-Chem Industry Inc. is a professional supplier of cosmetic ingredients. Since established in 1995, Spec-Chem, as a global strategic vendor, has been providing a wide range...
  • Companies:
  • Res Pharma Industriale
  • Spec-Chem Industry Inc
  • Ennagram
  • Exsymol
  • Merck KGAA
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