There are various types of side effects caused by cosmetics; mostly they are believed to be not serious. Further, there are not a few cases at present that it is difficult to identify which ingredients in cosmetic products caused; even it was certainly caused by cosmetics which had been used. Table 1 shows not only the actual cases which were implemented some measures by MHLW (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan) under the jurisdiction of Pharmaceutical Affairs Law or JCIA (Japan Cosmetic Industry Association) as a representative of cosmetic industries, taking into account the cases must be caused by cosmetics (including quasi-drugs such as medicated cosmetics), but also covers the background and history of cosmetics regulation under the Pharmaceutical Affairs Law in considering the safety of cosmetics.

In this article, simple consideration is done on Melanosis Faciei Feminea which has developed social problem that health damage is caused by cosmetics. The process in pigeonholing a part of this case is investigated from an ethologic perspective. Furthermore, a lawsuit on melanosis and simple description on Berlocq Dermatitis are mentioned.

For those who deal with cosmetics, it is recommended to know the normal structure and function of the skin to ensure safe and effective use of cosmetics and cosmetological treatments. The skin is not just a membrane that separates the human body from the outside but has various functions for maintaining homeostasis of the human body. In this paper, we have outlined the normal structure of the skin, touching on the pathological structures related to cosmetology.

The skin consists of three layers: epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous fat. The epidermis contains four layers: horny layer, granular layer, spinous layer, and basal layer. The horny layer plays a major role of barrier function at the forefront. When the stratum corneum is deficient in intercellular lipids, horny cells become compact and their water retention function is reduced, resulting in “asteatotic eczema,” which is a very common pruritic skin lesion in elderly. With aging, elastic fibers are denatured by long-term exposure to ultraviolet rays, and cause solar elastosis resulting in deep wrinkles. As skin appendages of the dermis, there are hair follicles, sebaceous glands, and sweat glands, which are sites of androgenic alopecia, acne, hyperhidrosis, and osmidrosis, respectively, and exhibit morphological and functional changes. All pathological conditions treated cosmetologically are closely associated with changes in skin structure and function.

The aim of this lecture series is to provide basic knowledge on skin troubles induced by cosmetics, as well as usefulness of cosmetics on skin disorders. Articles of this series, described by expertized dermatologists and planned for three years, will include various aspects of skin troubles of cosmetics and use of cosmetics by subjects with troubled skin. I hope that this lecture series will be helpful, not only for cosmetic scientists, but also for clinical dermatologists.

Background: Secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC) regulates extracellular matrix (ECM) production, interaction of cells with ECM and growth factor-dependent cell signaling. Here we examined SPARC’s effects on production and pericellular organization of type I collagen and hyaluronan (HA) in normal human dermal fibroblasts.

Methods: Production of procollagen I and HA, and gene expression were analyzed by ELISA and quantitative real-time PCR, respectively. The pericellular deposition of mature collagen I and HA was examined by immunocytochemistry.

Results: SPARC enhanced production of procollagen I and HA in fibroblasts by up-regulating mRNA expression of COL1A1 (collagen α-1(I)) and HAS (HA synthase) 2/3, respectively. SPARC also increased the deposition of mature collagen fibrils on the cell surface of fibroblasts, accompanying the increased mRNA expression of procollagen C-proteinase (BMP1) and N-proteinase (ADAMTS2). The pericellular deposition of newly produced HA was also enhanced on the cell surface of SPARC-treated fibroblasts. Furthermore, SPARC up-regulated TGF-β1 production in fibroblasts, and SPARC-induced procollagen I and HA production was abolished by blockade of TGF-β/Smad2/3 signaling.

Conclusion: SPARC simultaneously up-regulates production of procollagen I and HA in fibroblasts by up-regulating Smad2/3-dependent TGF-β signaling, and also promotes the pericellular organization of mature collagen I fibrils and HA.

It is important for us to spend our daily lives comfortably and lively. To that end, cosmetic behavior in daily life has the power to modestly enrich and revitalize the mind as well as the skin. It is not only because it has a functional value to the skin, but also because it has an emotional or affective value that resonates the mind through the skin. Grounded in this belief, we have been studying the effects of cosmetics on the mind and the body for about 40 years. By demonstrating and quantifying these effects in a scientific manner, our aim is to lead development of ever better cosmetics and maximize the satisfaction of the user. This paper summarizes research findings on how skin care, makeup, and fragrance affect the mind and body through tactile, visual, and olfactory sensations by means of psychophysiological and affective engineering measurement techniques.