Our Poster Expositions

This work focuses on the development and comprehensive characterization of cationically functionalized, biodegradable polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) for use in sustainable hair care formulations. Frequent hair coloring leads to rapid color fading during washing, creating a strong demand for film-forming ingredients that can preserve color for longer. Since the hair surface is predominantly negatively charged, cationic polymers are especially suitable for achieving strong electrostatic attachment and forming a stable protective film. At the same time, modern rinse-off cosmetics must meet high environmental standards, as they inevitably enter aquatic environments. Biodegradable PVA, known for its excellent film-forming ability, broad industrial applicability, and straightforward chemical modifiability, offers a promising foundation for combining performance with sustainability.

The synthesis of functionalized PVA derivatives was carried out using various chemical strategies, allowing the introduction of cationic groups while maintaining the polymer’s inherent properties. Structural and physicochemical characterization was performed using 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and gel permeation chromatography. Biodegradability was evaluated using well-established tests, such as OECD 301, to ensure ecological compatibility. Furthermore, practical application tests on natural and dyed hair strands were conducted to evaluate performance under realistic conditions.

The functionalized PVA is expected to demonstrate enhanced affinity to hair, improved adhesion of protective films, and contributed to perceivable hair care effects. This study highlights the potential of functionalized, biodegradable PVA to combine effective cosmetic performance with environmental responsibility, offering a promising platform for the development of innovative, eco-friendly hair care products.

Introduction: A critical gap exists between consumer demand for sustainable ingredients and the industry’s adherence to the “White Standard.” As cosmetic sourcing expands to include upcycled byproducts, these materials inherently impart off-white, brown, or other natural tones. While consumer acceptance of natural-hued products is rising, industry professionals often hesitate to utilize them. This hesitation stems from a technical bias where color deviation is viewed as instability. Consequently, effective ingredients are often over-processed, stripping valuable bioactives, or rejected entirely to maintain a sterile aesthetic.

Methodology: This research centers on a Formulator Perception Survey administered to cosmetic scientists and safety assessors to measure “colour resistance” (the reluctance to adopt non-white aesthetics). The objective is to identify root causes of formulation roadblocks, differentiating between rejections driven by genuine stability or safety risks versus ingrained aesthetic conventions.

Discussion & Expected Outcomes: Analyzing the survey data on colour resistance, this research outlines regulatory strategies and identifies critical industry gaps:
– Navigating Regulatory Challenges: Discussing how aesthetic bias complicates safety assessments (e.g., the CPSR) and establishing frameworks so natural coloration is not misinterpreted as oxidative failure.
– Redefining Acceptability: Advocating for broader, safe acceptance criteria in product specifications based on survey insights.
– Future Validation: Highlighting the need for objective quantification methods (e.g., digital color analysis) to replace subjective visual criteria in shelf-life evaluations.

Conclusion: Redefining standard cosmetic aesthetics is vital for sustainability. By quantifying stability bias and establishing regulatory frameworks for naturally colored products, this research empowers R&D teams to innovate confidently, ensuring eco-conscious formulations are compliant, stable, and authentic.

Any new formulation that could effectively serve as a targeted therapy system is desirable. The widespread use of emulsions in pharmaceutical and cosmetic technology stems from their ability to simultaneously deliver compounds of varying polarity. However, a key limitation of these systems remains their low physical stability, resulting from the thermodynamic tendency for phase separation. In the search for more stable carriers of active substances, the concept of emulgels has been developed—hybrid systems combining the characteristics of gels and emulsions. These formulations have attracted particular attention in topical applications due to their excellent sensory properties, such as a light texture and rapid absorption, without the undesirable greasiness. Importantly, the structure of emulgels allows precise control over the release profile of active ingredients.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate novel cholesterol-based surfactants in terms of their ability to stabilize emulgels. The study consisted of two main stages. The first stage involved determining the surface activity of the synthesized compounds to verify their behavior as classical surfactants. The second stage focused on the application of these compounds as emulgel stabilizers. To validate the formulations, stability tests were performed, microbiological purity was assessed, and key physicochemical properties, such as density and pH, were determined.

The results confirmed that the synthesized cholesterol derivatives exhibit high surface activity and can be successfully applied as effective stabilizers in emulgel systems. The resulting formulations demonstrated high physical stability and desirable physicochemical parameters, making them a promising alternative to classical topical systems.

Cosmetic emulsions must meet a wide range of requirements. In addition to consistency in terms of stability, viscosity and appearance, efficacy on the skin and customer acceptance also play a major role. A wide variety of ingredients are incorporated into every cosmetic formulation. This requires a complex development process in the laboratory. This is followed by the scale-up process to production scale. In this context, different mixing systems with varying sizes, geometries and power inputs can have a major influence on the microscopic and macroscopic appearance of the cosmetic formulation. Differences here can affect stability and viscosity, thereby significantly impairing product quality. The aim of the project presented here is therefore to characterise and optimise the process parameters involved in the industrial production of cosmetic emulsions. By developing various methods for determining the droplet size distribution of the emulsion’s internal phase, key conclusions can be drawn about the manufacturing process [1]. This makes it easier to adjust mixing times and stirring speeds and, where necessary, to reduce them. These methods simplify the comparison of emulsions immediately after production. Analysing the droplet size distribution in a detailed scale-up process can further improve product quality and prevent defective batches.
This makes a significant contribution to the better description and implementation of scale-up processes in the manufacture of cosmetic emulsions. These methods allow adjustments to process parameters to be better classified and verified, which can help to reduce stirring speeds and mixing times. This enables process costs to be lowered and the number of batches/production volume to be increased, thereby contributing to energy-saving, sustainable manufacturing methods.

[1] Werner, J., et al: Charakterisierung und Optimierung von Scale-up Kriterien für verschiedene Mischanlagen zur Herstellung kosmetischer Emulsionen: Poster at the Annual Meeting of the DECHEMA/VDI – Group Mixing Processes, 25.02.2026 in Frankfurt am Main

The efficacy of skin barrier protecting products is commonly assessed using pre-treatment models combined with standardized irritant challenges. However, the influence of application frequency prior to irritation is rarely addressed systematically. The objective of this study was to apply an intra-individual, dose- and frequency-dependent pre-treatment design on the forearm to evaluate the protective effect of a wound-protection cream on exposure to 0.5 % sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) compared to untreated skin.
Four test sites were allocated across the volar forearms of 29 healthy female volunteers with dry skin: one untreated control site and three sites pre-treated with the test product according to different application frequencies (once, twice, or three times) within 24 hours prior to irritation challenge. Product applications were scheduled immediately after baseline assessment/measurement (Day 0), on the evening of Day 0, and 2 hours before the next assessment/measurement at Day 1. Skin barrier function and irritation were assessed by transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and visual erythema scoring at baseline 1 (t0), 2 hours after the last application before SDS exposure (baseline 2/t1), and 24 hours after removal of a 0.5 % SDS patch (t2). Values at t1 and t2 were computed relative to baseline (t0). Additionally, t2 relative to t1 was analyzed to isolate the post-irritant effect from the acute pre-SDS product effect.
24 hours after irritation, all pre-treated sites showed statistically significantly lower TEWL values and erythema scores compared to the untreated control, indicating a significant protective effect of the test product, already evident after a single application.
This dose-frequency pre-treatment forearm model represents a robust and reproducible approach to investigating skin barrier protection under acute irritant exposure. Beyond demonstrating efficacy, the design allows differentiation of application-dependent protective effects, supporting relevance for claim substantiation and product recommendations.

Background: The aim of this in vivo study was to quantitatively assess the effects of two topical skincare products (Product A: massage oil; Product B: body lotion) on collagen-associated structural parameters of the epidermal basement membrane compared with untreated skin.
Methods: In an exploratory, controlled, and randomized pilot study, five female participants (aged 44-60 years; mean 51.4 ± 6.5) were enrolled. Five defined test sites on the volar forearms were examined. Participants applied the two test products according to the randomization scheme twice daily to two test sites over eight weeks, while three sites served as untreated control and baseline references. Suction blister biopsies were performed at baseline and after eight weeks. The blister roofs were subsequently analyzed by electron microscopy to assess collagen-associated structural parameters at the epidermal basement membrane.
Results: The microscopic evaluation indicated a consistent increase in collagen-associated structures in treated sites compared with the untreated control site after eight weeks. The products showed distinct response patterns: Product A induced more localized fiber compaction and bundling, whereas Product B resulted in a more homogeneous, area-wide increase in collagen distribution with reduced heterogeneity. Quantitative image analysis confirmed an overall increase in collagen-rich area fraction in treated sites relative to the untreated control. Product A showed a relative increase of 3%-20% (mean 13%), while Product B exhibited stronger effects of 12%-28% (mean 22%) compared to the control site. In the electron microscopic images, age related variations in collagen associated structural parameters were evident among the five participants. No relevant structural changes were observed in the untreated control site after eight weeks.
Conclusion: Both products led to measurable increases in collagen-associated structural parameters under controlled conditions. Product A and Product B induced different structural response patterns. Given the small sample size, these findings require confirmation in larger, statistically powered studies.

Background:
While the effects of conventional skincare formulations such as emulsions and creams are well documented, there is still limited scientific evidence regarding oil-based products such as massage oils, particularly with respect to their impact on the ultrastructural organisation of the skin barrier. At the same time, novel analytical methods now enable a combined assessment of lipid composition and lamellar organisation, although these have rarely been applied to such formulations to date.
Objective:
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a plant oil-based massage oil on epidermal barrier function, hydration, as well as lipid composition and organisation within the stratum corneum, in comparison with untreated skin.
Methods:
In a randomised, controlled, intra-individual study, 12 healthy participants (mean age 47 years) were investigated. The skin barrier was deliberately disrupted by a 7-day pre-treatment with an SDS-containing cleansing product. Subsequently, a massage oil was applied twice daily for 2 days to one forearm, while the contralateral arm remained untreated. Hydration of the stratum corneum was measured using corneometry. Analyses were conducted using Lipbarvis® TEM (ultrastructural organisation) and Lipbarvis® LIP (lipid composition).
Results:
Treatment resulted in a significant increase in hydration (+29.1%, p<0.001), a marked increase in intercellular lipid lamellae (+116.6%, p<0.001), and a significant rise in total lipid content (+17.2%, p<0.001). The following increases were observed for individual lipids: cholesterol (+12%), free fatty acids (+27%), ceramide EOS (+17%), and ceramide AP (+15%). Conclusion: The results demonstrate that the tested plant oil-based formulation can effectively improve epidermal barrier function. The combined methodology enables, for the first time, a comprehensive ultrastructural characterisation of these effects.

Daily hair damage increases static charge, resulting in roughness and reduced manageability. Conditioning agents aim to balance these charges, making hair softer and easier to comb. Traditional conditioning agents, such as Behentrimonium Chloride (BTAC), are considered controversial and are obtained using organic solvents and non-renewable raw materials. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a new conditioning agent, an alkyl polyether amino ester (APAE), synthesized using a proprietary process and incorporating concepts of green chemistry. Bleached hair tresses, either treated with shampoo or not (Control), were studied in conjunction with conditioner formulations containing 2% BTAC or 2% APAE to comparatively evaluate their conditioning efficacy. Tests were conducted to assess the combability (average load), hair resistance after brushing (number of hair fibers broken), frizz reduction (image analysis), and surface friction (energy necessary to move hair inside a ring). The results showed that APAE and BTAC provided a significant (p<0.001) improvement in both damp and dry hair combability compared with the Control. The results showed that the APAE and BTAC performed well in terms of conditioning efficacy. The hair fiber resistance after 10000 brushing cycles showed that the treatment with formulations with APAE and BTAC, provided a significant reduction (p<0.001) in the number of fibers broken fragments, compared with Control. The APAE and BTAC groups showed a significant decrease in hair frizz, both immediately (p<0.0001) and after 24 hours (p<0.05) of treatment, compared with the Control. APAE and BTAC provided a significant friction reduction (softness improvement) in the wet hair (p<0.0001), compared with the Control. In the dry hair, the APAE group provided a significant reduction in friction (p<0.05) compared with the BTAC and the Control groups. The results obtained for the alkyl polyether amino ester highlight its potential as an effective alternative to conventional conditioning agents.