Chapter 2 - Nanocosmeceuticals: Concept, opportunities, and challenges

Abstract

Cosmeceuticals are contemplated as the fastest growing segment of the personal care industry, and the market for personal care is increasing enormously. Cosmeceutical products have appreciable therapeutic efficacy on the skin and other parts of the human body, as drugs and formulations for the treatment of various conditions like wrinkles, photoaging, skin dryness, dark spots, hair damage, hyperpigmentation, and so on. Despite the enormous benefits of cosmeceuticals and substantial progress made by the cosmeceutical industry in the development and incorporation of new and effective actives in their products, the skin barrier function, larger in size, poor skin permeability, or penetrability remains a major limiting factor in the penetration as well as absorption of these actives inside the skin layers. To overcome these associated drawbacks of traditional cosmeceutical products, the application of nanotechnology is escalating in the area of cosmeceuticals and holds an extraordinary place. Nanotechnology in the cosmetic industry involves making products with nanomaterials. Currently, a plethora of nanostructured materials are used in the delivery of cosmeceutical formulations including nanocapsules, dendrimers, nanoemulsions, liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles, nanostructured lipid carriers, niosomes, ethosomes, cubosomes, silver or gold nanoparticles, and fullerenes. These nanosized materials can significantly improve the solubility of poorly aqueous soluble compounds, facilitate skin permeation, and increase their stability against external environments mostly light and temperature. However, the increased use of nanotechnology in cosmeceuticals has raised concern about the possible penetration of nanoparticles through the skin, and potential hazards to consumer health must be encountered for the design of safer nano-based cosmeceutical products. This chapter highlights the recent advancement and potential of nanotechnology in cosmeceuticals as well as their possible challenges for successful skin delivery and clinical translation.