Application of proteins in cosmetics products

Abstract

Proteins obtained from various natural sources have been used in the process of industrial production of various cosmetic preparations. The functional properties of proteins regarding skin and hair care are: hydration, improved elasticity, the feeling of smoothness and hair gloss. Apart from the proteins in the native form, their derivatives have been also used, such as: protein hydrolysates and hydrolisate copolymers (mostly quaternized and acylated copolymers, but also copolymers with succinic acid and silicones). The molecular weight is the most important factor the functional properties of proteins and their derivatives depend on. As it is well known, high-molecular proteins create a protective film on skin or hair, medium-chain hydrolisates are characterized by high substantivity, while low-molecular protein components („microproteins”) have a certain capability of penetration. Collagen is one of the proteins used for a long time in the production of cosmetic products because it has outstanding hydrating properties. Since a disease known as „Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy” have appeared and new regulations in cosmetic industry passed, collagen sourced from bovine material is replaced by top-quality avian or fish collagen. In addition, the derivatives of keratin, casein, silk proteins and shells have also been used as protein cosmetic raw-materials from animal sources. However, vegetable sources of proteins have been most frequently used in the production of cosmetic products, due to rigid law regulations in cosmetic industry. The proteins isolated from the seeds of plants belonging to Poaceae family (wheat, rice, oats and corn) are the most important, followed by the proteins from the seeds of Fabaceae (soybean, peas), and seed proteins from the Moringa oleifera tree (Moringaceae); but also the proteins from algae.

U proizvodnji kozmetičkih preparata koriste se proteini dobijeni iz različitih prirodnih izvora. Funkcionalna svojstva proteina u nezi kože i kose su hidratacija, povećanje elastičnosti, stvaranje osećaja mekoće i davanje sjaja kosi. Osim proteina u nativnom obliku, koriste se i njihovi derivati: hidrolizati proteina i kopolimeri hidrolizata (najčešće kvaternizovani i acilovani kopolimeri, kao i kopolimeri sa sukcinilnom kiselinom i silikonima). Najznačajniji faktor od koga zavise funkcionalna svojstva proteina i njihovih derivata je molekulska masa. Poznato je da visokomolekularni proteini na koži ili kosi stvaraju zaštitni film, hidrolizati sa lancima srednje veličine odlikuju se visokom supstantivnošću, dok niskomolekularni proteinski sastojci („mikroproteini”) imaju određenu sposobnost penetracije. Jedan od proteina koji se dugo koristi za izradu kozmetičkih preparata je kolagen, zbog izrazitog efekta hidratacije. Pojava bolesti „ludih krava” (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy) i novi propisi u kozmetičkoj industriji, uslovili su da se goveđi kolagen zamenjuje visoko kvalitetnim ptičijim ili ribljim kolagenom. Kao proteinske kozmetičke sirovine životinjskog porekla, koriste se i derivati keratina, kazeina, proteina svile i školjki. Međutim, zbog sve strožijih zakonskih propisa u kozmetičkoj industriji, za izradu kozmetičkih preparata široko se primenjuju proteini biljnog porekla. Najviše se koriste proteini iz semena biljaka familija Poaceae (pšenica, pirinač, ovas i kukuruz) i Fabaceae (soja, grašak), proteini semena drveta Moringa oleifera (Moringaceae), kao i proteini algi.