In recent times, cosmetics have moved beyond the world of simple creams, lotions and powders. Nowadays people need sophisticated and high-performance skin and hair care which can be achieved through encapsulation. Not much as a word but it has revolutionized the world of skin care and formulation.
In simple terms encapsulation is enveloping active ingredients in a minute shell. This covering or shell protects the active ingredients from the external environment like air, light, heat, etc., more than that it also helps to reach the targeted layer of skin. Now that the consumers are conscious of what to and what not to apply to their skin with an expectation of good results from less quantity, encapsulation has become quite necessary. Some of the top beauty cosmetology colleges in Maharashtra teach students about encapsulated technology to help them understand the concept of encapsulation.
Before going into more technical details behind encapsulation, it is important to know and understand why we needed this technology in the first place. Many active ingredients like vitamins, herbal extracts, few acids and peptides tend to break down very easily, some particles are too big to travel through the skin’s barrier, while a few can cause sensitivity to the skin. Encapsulation of these ingredients makes it possible to use these ingredients without losing their potency and causing any irritation.
Now let’s see the different types of Encapsulations
1. Liposomes
Liposomes are quite common and have been used for quite a while, but it has been used in cosmetics quite recently. They are made up of the same molecules found in skin cells which are extremely tiny vesicles made of phospholipids. Since they are like the skin structure, they get blended and absorbed very easily when applied on the skin.
So, now the question is why use liposomes, it is because it can hold both oil-based and water-based ingredients, which makes it diverse as a carrier. Liposomes as seen before have similar structure to the skin, so it is ideal for getting targeted delivery of active ingredients. This helps with ingredients like vitamins, retinol i.e. the ingredients that lose stability faster, be more efficient.
Most serums and creams depend on liposomes for deep absorption.
2. Microspheres:
Microspheres are a little different. They are not similar to the skin. What they do instead is form a layer on the skin’s surface and release tiny amounts of product gradually. They are usually made from compostable polymers or natural material and break down gently with heat, sweat or movement.
As we have seen microspheres have slow-release properties which make it ideal for activities that might have caused skin irritation if applied all at once, this includes salicylic acid, as when salicylic acid is delivered overtime through microspheres it avoids the sudden dryness and irritation.
When delivered through microspheres the feel of the product is improved, this is why several sunscreens and long-lasting makeup/foundations use microspheres for its good finish.
Controlled Released Systems
This system is an amalgamation of various techniques, which includes nanoencapsulation, polymer coating and gel-based system. All these things ensure that active ingredients are released gradually through hours.
So, what it does is instead of releasing all at once and flooding the skin, the coating dissolves layer by layer. This gives proper and consistent results and reduces the need to reapply.
This technique is used in night creams, retinol-based products and serums and even perfumes for long lasting and sustained effects. So now that we know what these techniques are, let’s see why they are so important.
When we see all these techniques at once, we see that all these help to keep the active ingredients perform better. They make the ingredients more stable, prevent oxidation and improved absorption and proper target delivery. In addition to that it words steadily and does not shock the skin with high doses which reduces the chances of skin irritation.
Apart from this it makes the product soother, last longer and requires less quantity to show results. That is why it is highlighted by all brands on their packaging. But there are a few drawbacks.
After reading the information above encapsulation sounds ideal, but it’s not so, it’s not one-size-fit-all, not every ingredient can be encapsulated, not every ingredient is compatible with formulation. Factors like temperature, pH and processing methods.
One more thing is that it adds another step to the production methods which can be tedious.
Conclusion
As the Industry is moving towards smarter, more scientific and consumer friendly solutions, encapsulation will continue playing an important role. Just as sustainable packaging changed the way we look at the outside product, encapsulation is changing the way we understand what happens inside. Pursuing a B.Sc in Beauty Cosmetology can help you further understand the applications of encapsulated technology in the cosmetics industry.