Soothing Ingredients in Dermocosmetics
Skin irritation and allergic reactions are common dermatological problems.
The underlying causes of these conditions vary and may include atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, and contact allergies. It is also worth noting that age determines, to some extent, the type of skin problems patients experience. Infants, children, adults, and older people may suffer from different conditions. In infants and young children, common problems include seborrheic dermatitis, inflammation in the diaper area, and allergic rashes. Adults may experience a range of conditions such as psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, rosacea, and irritation caused by cosmetic products. Older people, in turn, may struggle with psoriasis, itching, irritation, chafing, hyperpigmentation, fungal infections, intertrigo, and pressure ulcers.
Most of these conditions are classified as medical disorders requiring specific treatment, including corticosteroids and, in some cases, antifungal agents or antibiotics. In mild cases, dermocosmetic products can provide supportive care as part of daily hygiene and skincare.
The cosmetics industry is constantly searching for increasingly interesting and effective soothing ingredients. There is a very broad range of such ingredients, although they are primarily used in products designed for adult skin. There are relatively few new raw materials specifically developed for children's skin, as their introduction requires appropriate studies, which, for obvious reasons, cannot be conducted on children. Moreover, the skin of a newborn differs from that of a school-age child, which makes it even more difficult to standardize testing and increases development costs.
For this reason, dermocosmetics for infants and children tend to rely on classic, well-established substances that have been used for many years and which, in many cases, have their roots in traditional pharmacy formulations. These include:
Allantoin – a urea derivative with anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, soothing, and wound-healing properties. It is one of the ingredients with the longest history of use in children and infants, and one of its greatest advantages is its low potential for causing allergic reactions.
Lanolin – a wool fat obtained from sheep's wool, consisting mainly of sterol esters with a wax-like consistency, as well as lanolin alcohols. These compounds have excellent film-forming and water-binding properties, thereby indirectly helping to moisturize and soften the skin.
Panthenol, or provitamin B5 – widely known for its wound-healing, moisturizing, and skin-softening properties.
Cholesterol – a component of the intercellular lipid matrix. When used in cosmetic products, it helps restore the skin's damaged lipid barrier.
Bisabolol – a sesquiterpene and one of the constituents of chamomile essential oil. Its terpenoid structure contributes to its anti-inflammatory and soothing effects.
None of these ingredients has an effect even remotely comparable to that of corticosteroids, as they are intended for mild conditions, with the primary goal of improving the child's comfort and preventing deterioration of the skin condition.
The situation is different when it comes to cosmetic ingredients intended for adults. The range is considerably broader, many ingredients have been extensively studied both in vitro and in vivo, and some mechanisms of action may be somewhat similar to those of corticosteroids.
A stressful lifestyle, urban pollution, weather conditions, hormonal fluctuations, diseases such as thyroid disorders, diabetes and metabolic diseases, as well as the sheer number of skincare and colour cosmetics used, place considerable stress on the skin. The most common manifestations are redness, stinging, and irritation. Corticosteroids are undoubtedly effective in reducing inflammation, but prolonged use can have undesirable consequences. As a result, consumers dealing with skin problems are increasingly looking for alternative and effective solutions that would allow corticosteroid therapy to be reserved for situations in which it is genuinely necessary.
It is important to remember that cosmetic raw materials do not produce an anti-inflammatory effect identical to that of corticosteroids. If they did, cosmetic products would require a different regulatory classification. Therefore, in order to achieve a satisfactory soothing and calming effect, dermocosmetic formulations often combine several ingredients with different mechanisms of action:
substances that help rebuild the intercellular lipid matrix, i.e. components naturally found in sebum,
substances that support the development of a healthy skin microbiota,
substances that scavenge free radicals,
substances that inhibit histamine release,
substances that support tissue regeneration and cell proliferation,
other complementary ingredients.
In dermocosmetic formulation, we can use a wide variety of soothing ingredients. Particularly interesting and effective examples include:
Hemp oil is most valuable in its unrefined form. It is a rich source of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which help replenish the skin's lipid barrier, as well as cannabinoids and terpenes, which have strong anti-inflammatory properties. Cannabidiol is a highly effective ingredient for supporting the care of skin affected by psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, and rosacea.
Licorice extract, and more specifically glycyrrhetinic acid isolated from its root, inhibits the release of leukotrienes, which are mediators of inflammation, and consequently reduces histamine release. It helps relieve itching and irritation, accelerates wound healing, and reduces sebum production, making it a valuable ingredient in products for atopic skin, eczema-prone skin, and acne-prone skin.
Boswellia serrata resin extract, or frankincense extract, can be obtained using an innovative supercritical fluid extraction process with CO₂. It contains boswellic acids from the triterpenoid group, which inhibit 5-lipoxygenase, an enzyme involved in the inflammatory cascade, as well as cathepsin D. As a result, it has remarkable properties for reducing inflammation, itching, and excessive epidermal scaling, which can be particularly troublesome in psoriasis. It also inhibits elastase, an enzyme responsible for elastin degradation, thereby helping to prevent loss of skin firmness.
Centella asiatica extract has a long history of use in traditional Far Eastern medicine, particularly as a supportive treatment for wound healing, varicose veins, skin fissures, and burns. Thanks to its content of terpenes and their derivatives, as well as phytosterols, essential fatty acids, and asiatic and madecassic acids, it can effectively reduce redness, itching, and eczema symptoms, while also improving the appearance of scars.
Plant sterols (e.g. from soy) can be supplied through the diet or applied topically to the skin. Thanks to their emulsifying properties, together with other lipid components they contribute to barrier stabilization and indirectly to moisturization. By helping to maintain an effective barrier, they reduce water loss from both the skin and hair. Plant sterols may also help inhibit inflammatory pathways, thereby reducing itching and redness associated with atopic dermatitis, eczema, and psoriasis.
Glutathione is a tripeptide naturally present in human cells, where it plays an important role in maintaining redox balance. It is a key antioxidant involved in neutralizing peroxides, free radicals, and other reactive molecules that can damage cellular structures. It can be particularly useful in products designed to soothe skin affected by rosacea, eczema, and atopic dermatitis.
Oat extracts – including oat flour, oat oil, and oat kernel extract – are not new to the cosmetics industry, but their valuable properties are worth revisiting. Oat flour is a well-established and safe ingredient containing beta-glucan, which supports skin regeneration, helps maintain a healthy skin microbiome, and contributes significantly to skin moisturization. The lipid fraction of oat kernel extract, meanwhile, is rich in ceramides, phospholipids, and glycerols, which are essential structural components of cells and the intercellular lipid matrix.
Oak root and bark extract is an ingredient introduced by one of the cosmetic raw material manufacturers and obtained from cork oak. It has a soothing effect on mild but chronic inflammation, making it particularly suitable for reactive, reddened, rosacea-prone, mature, and sensitive skin.
Sea buckthorn oil is an alternative, vegan source of palmitoleic acid (omega-7), which is relatively rare in the plant world. This fatty acid is a component of skin lipids and has anti-inflammatory properties. Supplementing the skin with it can therefore help alleviate irritation and prevent excessive dryness of the epidermis.
Turmeric extract contains curcuminoids with antioxidant properties. They can neutralize free radicals that damage DNA, making turmeric extract a valuable ingredient in products intended for irritated, tired, and mature skin.
The ingredients listed above represent only a small selection from the extensive range of raw materials available for soothing irritated skin. It is worth noting how many of these substances are naturally present in the human body and may become depleted or insufficiently produced for various reasons.
Another advantage is that almost all of these raw materials are obtained from natural sources, with the small exception of glutathione, which is produced biotechnologically. Many of these ingredients also have a long history of use in traditional medicine, which has often served as a source of inspiration for solutions to a wide variety of health and skin-related problems.
For people looking for alternatives to corticosteroid therapy, these substances, when properly formulated into dermocosmetic products, can provide safe and effective supportive care.
Zuzanna Fedyczak for "Life Science Czas na farmację" 01/2022 page14
