Many kinds of sugar derivatives have been used to various cosmetics, as for humectants and hydrophilic moieties of surfactants. It has been also interested in newly ones, such as trehalose, rafinose and xylitol. On the other hands, the important role of glycosides in the plant kingdom have been clarified by many of recent studies. It is also recognized that glycosides are desirable materials as for cosmetics, due to their hydrophilic and low-toxic properties. Several glycosides, alkyl glycoside, glucosides of hydroginone and vitamin C had been already appeared in the market. In this article, it would be discussed about the possibilities of glycosides in the cosmetics field though the development of ethyl glucosides, eugenyl and raspberry ketone glucosides.

View full abstract

Facial attractiveness is evaluated in terms of the physical features, and is affected by social context and essential culture in nature too. A lot of studies in the area of facial beauty have shown us that perceived beauty was influenced by the ethnical identity and the physiognomic features derived evolutionary adaptation. Japanese have remained to repress the expression of facial beauty and physical appearance since old times. They have attached importance to the general equality among people, but they have not denied the facial beauty. Japanese view of the facial beauty is different from European and other Asian. Japanese show the conformity and the collectivism. It is necessary to clarify the relationships between the physiognomic features and the communicative efficacy.

View full abstract

To perform make-up appreciating the features of individual face, the make-up technique abstracted the attractiveness of the recognized facial features is important. In this study, we tried to elucidate the important factors when we recognize the pattern of other's entire face, and to develop the method that objectively interprets the factors from a face image. The face photographs of Japanese women in their twenties were used in the experiments. The first experiment was done to find out the important factors in the recognition of faces. The subjects were given the task to classify 112 facial photographs based on the criterion of “resemblance.” The result of cluster analysis showed that faces were classified into 5 categories, and it was elucidated that the impressions such as “the size of the eyes” and “the contour of the face below the eyes” are essential factors in categorizing the face. In the second experiment, the subjects evaluated the impression of the same photographs based on the two factors. The multiple regression analysis was applied to 57 measured values in the face image as explanatory variable and impression values obtained by subjects' evaluation as criterion variable. As a result, the impression value was estimated by the selected 10 measured values in the face image. Furthermore, we developed a facial configuration map on which the face image can be plotted by the axes of two factors. Face images plotted onto the map were classified into the 5 categories at an accuracy rate of nearly 80%, thus confirming the validity that two factors were essential in recognizing faces. The facial configuration map made it possible to objectively assess facial features. We think these results contribute to develop the make-up technique appreciating the features of individual face.

View full abstract

Procaine hydrochloride and dibucaine hydrochloride are commercially used as local anesthesia, but these ingredients are incompatible for cosmetics as per public comment of Ministry of Health and Welfare of Japanese Government in 1986 (ER-2 Notification No. 100 of March 12, 1986). In order to find the ingredients of incompatibility in cosmetics effectively and for the safety of cosmetics, we have estimated the determination method of procaine hydrochloride and dibucaine hydrochloride by HPLC and applied the method to the analysis of cosmetics. Procaine hydrochloride and dibucaine hydrochloride in the lotions or milky lotions or creams were extracted with water or methanol. The extract was analyzed by HPLC using the column (Shiseido CAPCELL PAK C₁₈, 4.6×250mm), mixture of acetonitrile and 50mM phosphate buffer (pH 5) (37:3 or 65:35) were used as the mobile phase with the UV detector (detection wavelength: 296 or 228nm). By the use of the above analytical method we made it sure that procaine hydrochloride and dibucaine hydrochloride could be determined without the interference of the ingredients.

View full abstract

One of the principal effect of skin-care products is the change in the emotion, such as “comfortableness.” The “property of the material, ” “effect on the skin” and “preference” is the most common way of evaluating skin care products, and “emotion” is a factor which is hardly used. Accordingly, we have tried to detect the emotional changes in time transition after the use of “washing cream, ” “lotion” and “emulsion” by two methods-the “magnitude estimation” for furnishing the quantitative data and the “protocol analysis” for the qualitative data. As a result, the change in the emotion was observed both in quantity and quality, at every item. Instantaneous refreshment due to washing the face is characteristic of “washing cream.” The emotion which moved to pleasure switched to displeasure as the skin surface became dry. But when the “lotion” quenched this thirst, the emotion turned to the pleasure again although it's effect did not last. And the “emulsion” which keeps up the moisture and pleasure made the panels feel “comfortableness.” These results varied according to the group in which the panels belonged to. From this experiment, we were able to connect the change in the emotion with the use of skin-care products. We believe that this method can be applied as a new evaluation for skin-care products.

View full abstract

We diagnosed the leg skin condition in 74 healthy females aged 10-69 years and evaluated the relationship between age and edema, vascular prominence, body hair, or other leg skin troubles. The extent of leg edema was evaluated by scoring of skin pit when pressure was applied to the skin on the tibia, and a relationship between the skin thickness, subcutaneous tissue was evaluated by using ultra-sound B-mode. With age, the pit score increased, showing edema tendency. The skin thickness decreased with age, but the subcutaneous tissue thickness was not correlated with age. Changes of skin thickness after pressure application were not associated with age, but that in the subcutaneous tissue thickness were positively correlated with age. Thus, pitting on pressure in the subcutaneous tissue (edema) increased with age. This increase is not associated with the subcutaneous tissue thickness but may be caused by increased water retention in the tissue due to qualitative deterioration of the subcutaneous tissue such as decreased compliance and elasticity and changes in vascular function. Vascular prominence on the back of the leg on photos was evaluated using a scoring system. The blood vessels became more prominent with age, and even a case resembling varices was observed. Vascular prominence as well as edema may be due to a vascular hypofunction. Concerning other troubles in the leg skin, pigmented spots and uneven color increased with age, but skin roughness, dryness, shining, or skin cracking was not associated with age. On the contrary, anomalies around pores such as prominence of pores, buried hair, or folliculitis were more frequently observed in the younger group and highly correlated with removal of body hair.

View full abstract

The characterization of ethyl cellulose (EC) as a W/O-type emulsifier was studied. The results of emulsification with various oils found that EC was able to emulsify polar oils. The mechanism of emulsification was evaluated with the fluorescein labeled EC (FL-EC). As FL-EC exist on the interface of oil and water, and a continuous phase, it was suggested that (1) the stability of the emulsion was depended on the adsorption of EC on the interface and (2) EC can form a stable structure in the continuous phase. As the stability of the emulsion was inferior to that of emulsion using a surfactant, the improvement of the stability was studied. It was found that the stability of the emulsion was able to be improved by the addition of isostearic acid and sodium carboxy methyl cellulose. Since this base could emulsify of polar oils, the base could be useful one for sunscreen formulae. EC emulsified a UV absorbent and gave a high water resistance.

View full abstract

High internal phase emulsion (HIPE) becomes highly viscous due to the extreme high volume fraction of dispersed phase. This form of emulsion is useful for cosmetic and pharmaceutical applications. Especially, W/O type emulsions can be valuable in many cases even though the stability has been a problem. Hydrophobic sucrose ester (SE) and polyglycerol ester (GE) with erucic acid side chain (22 carbons and one double bond) have been used for many food applications, like chocolate and fat spreads. We could make very stable W/O HIPE by using these SE or GE in oil phase together with hydrophilic SE and/or GE in water phase. This combination of two types of emulsifier is especially useful to improve the stability at lower temperature. By adding water soluble substances like polyols, which can enhance the stability at higher temperature also, we can make an emulsion with good stability in wide range of temperature. We assume that the combination of two types of emulsifiers can make interfacial membrane stiffer. When using polyoxyethylene derivatives in place of hydrophilic SE or GE, the emulsion turned to O/W. Strong hydrophilicity or lipophobicity of hydrophilic moiety of SE and GE must be important for this synergistic effect. Various kinds of cosmetic oil can be used for this type emulsion. Also this technique can be applied in multiple emulsions.

View full abstract

Decreases in personal space (referred to hereafter as PS) resulting from the use of perfumes developed with the theme of “fragrances that assist smooth communication” were determined. The following interesting results were obtained. Thirty university students participated in a test to determine PS by the Stop Distance Method in four directions (front, back, right and left) under three different conditions (without fragrance, perfume A and perfume B). The results demonstrated that compared to PS observed in the area without fragrance, perfumes A and B induced decreases in PS of 50 and 20%, respectively. Although we were unable to determine the reason for the decrease in PS, the one most significant result was that perfume A appeared to have a stronger effect on decreasing PS than perfume B. The participants characterized the fragrance of perfume A as “sensational” and that of perfume B as “intimate.” This finding is notable in that it is contrary to the prediction that “the more a fragrance suits the general public taste, the larger the decrease in PS.”

View full abstract

Bar soap based on fatty acid salt has been used preferably for body wash, because it produces creamy lather and leaves skin clean. However the tight skin feeling after wash is not preferred, so consumers prefer the liquid body wash based on mild synthetic detergent. Mild combo-bars are composed of soap and synthetic detergent. Some mild combo-bars in abroad tend to get mushy after repeated use in humid place like Japanese bath. Therefore the combo-bars have not become popular in Japan. The bar soap that leaves skin clean, has mildness and does not get mushy is the “ideal” soap. In this study, we have devised new aeration process of new style “whipped” combo-bar that consists many air bubbles densely. The mushiness of “whipped” soap was evaluated by measuring the water penetration depth into the soap. We have found out that water penetration was disturbed by air bubbles. By trapping the air bubbles in all parts of the soap, we have obtained the unique bar soap that does not get mushy.

View full abstract