Sulfur and its derivatives are already well-established ingredients in preparations for the treatment of seborrhea and excess oil.
Amino acids
Amino acids are organic compounds produced from the amine and carboxylic acid functional group. The key elements of amino acids are carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, and hydrogen. About 500 amino acids can be classified in six main ways: aliphatic, hydroxic, aromatic, basic, and acidic, plus their amide. Further, other non-protein amino acids act as metabolic intermediates.
Amino acids are useful not only in human nutrition but also in the cosmetic industry. In human nutrition, amino acids are used to synthesize proteins and additional biomolecules; thus, they are found in the human body. These compounds are the building blocks our organism uses to build its proteins, enzymes, and peptides.
Famous skin proteins collagen, elastin, and keratin are also made of amino acids. In addition, they are oxidized to urea and carbon dioxide to generate energy.
However, amino acids' function is not limited to building dermal proteins. They are also involved in regulating a large number of processes associated with skin healing, moisture retention (NMFs), and protection from UV irradiation. Due to their comprehensive beneficial features, safety, and insensibility, amino acids are common ingredients in many beauty concoctions.Moreover, many amino acid derivatives are used as gentle detergents in cleansing applications or serve as emollients, antioxidants, chelating agents, etc.
Tranexamic acid is an amino acid that is considered an analog of lysine. It is widely used in medicine as a hemostatic agent (stops or prevents bleeding) that inhibits the activation of the active site of plasmin.
Undecylenoyl Phenylalanine is a substituted amino acid derivative of Phenylalanine and Undecylenic acid. It is a white crystalline powder whose amphiphilic molecular structure provides cutaneous bio affinity.
Vegetable Amino Acids is a general name for grain protein (from Soy, Wheat, Maize, and Barley) hydrolyzates obtained by complete enzymatic or chemical hydrolyzation. Usually, it is a solution, a clear colorless to pale yellow liquid with a slight odor.
Voluform™ (Palmitoyl Isoleucine) is a lipo-amino acid, an active ingredient that acts on every layer of the skin, providing volume, firming, and detoxifying dermal tissues.
Wheat Amino Acids is derived by the complete hydrolyzation of wheat protein. Obtained amino acids and remaining short peptides small enough to penetrate the hair and robust sufficient to condition from the inside out!
The stratum corneum is the selectively permeable outer layer of the epidermis, responsible for protecting the skin from dehydration and external changes and retaining water to maintain skin functions.
Zinc has a critical role in the metabolism of one of the most important proteins in the epidermis called Filaggrin (filament aggregating protein). Metabolites of Filaggrin are NMFs (natural moisturizing factors) attracting water molecules and improving skin hydration.