Fatty Acid Esters for Antifungal Skin Care Viscosity and Foam
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing topical antifungal agents for skin care formulations, such as climbazole, zinc pyrithione, and piroctone olamine, lack positive physicochemical properties like increased viscosity, foam volume, and foam stability, which are desirable for improved formulation and user experience.
Innovation Solution
The use of fatty acid esters, specifically 3-hydroxypropyl caprylate, 3-hydroxypropyl undecylenate, and glyceryl monoundecylenate, to modify the physicochemical properties of skin care products, including shampoos, by enhancing viscosity and foam volume while providing antimycotic activity against dandruff-causing Malassezia spp.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional topical antifungal agents (climbazole, zinc pyrithione, piroctone olamine) are used in skin care formulations, then antimycotic activity is achieved, but positive physicochemical properties (viscosity, foam volume, foam stability) are not provided
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies multi-functionality by selecting fatty acid esters that simultaneously provide antimycotic activity and positive physicochemical properties. The esters serve multiple roles: active antifungal agent, viscosity enhancer, and foam stabilizer, eliminating the need for separate functional ingredients and simplifying the formulation process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical parameter by selecting specific fatty acid esters with particular molecular structures (chain length, saturation) that optimize both biological activity against Malassezia spp. and physicochemical properties such as viscosity and foam characteristics, achieving dual improvement through parameter optimization.
2Ease of manufacture
If additional thickeners and foaming agents are added to achieve desired viscosity and foam volume, then positive physicochemical properties are achieved, but formulation complexity and number of ingredients increase
Solution Approach 1:
The fatty acid esters perform multiple functions simultaneously: they provide the required viscosity enhancement and foam stabilization while maintaining antimycotic activity. This multi-functionality reduces the total number of ingredients needed and simplifies the formulation process by eliminating the need for separate thickeners and foaming agents.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the functions of antimycotic agent, thickener, and foam stabilizer into a single ingredient class (fatty acid esters). This consolidation reduces formulation complexity by combining multiple functional requirements into one component, thereby reducing the number of steps and ingredients needed.
3Reliability
If multiple separate ingredients are used to achieve antimycotic activity, viscosity enhancement, and foam stabilization, then all required functions are provided, but the number of ingredients and formulation steps increase
Solution Approach 1:
The fatty acid esters serve as multi-functional ingredients that simultaneously deliver antimycotic activity, viscosity enhancement, and foam stabilization. This approach maintains all required functional performances while reducing the total number of ingredients and formulation steps, thereby improving formulation efficiency and productivity.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention primarily relates to the use of a fatty acid ester or of a mixture of two or more fatty acid esters or of a mixture comprising one or more fatty acid esters, wherein the fatty acid ester or one, two, three or more, preferably all, of the fatty acid ester(s) is/are selected from the group consisting of 3-hydroxypropyl caprylate, 3-hydroxypropyl undecylenate and glyceryl monoundecylenate, for modifying the physicochemical properties of a skin care product. The present invention further relates to methods for modifying the physicochemical properties of a skin care product as well as to methods for manufacturing a skin care product and to particular skin care products.