High-Concentration Vitamin C Composition With Glycol Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing topical Vitamin C formulations face challenges in achieving high concentrations while maintaining stability and avoiding oxidative degradation, particularly in aqueous solutions, making it difficult to combine Vitamin C with other active ingredients effectively.
Innovation Solution
A cosmetic formulation comprising at least 16% Vitamin C, primarily in the form of ethyl ascorbate, using a combination of glycol-based solvents like ethoxydiglycol and gentle heating to create a stable solution, with sequential addition and agitation to enhance solubility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If high concentration of Vitamin C is used in aqueous solution, then solubility is improved, but oxidative stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a glycol-based solvent system (propylene glycol, butylene glycol, pentylene glycol) as an intermediary medium between water and Vitamin C. This glycol-based carrier acts as a protective intermediary that allows high concentrations of Vitamin C to be dissolved while preventing direct contact with oxidative elements in aqueous environments, thus maintaining both solubility and stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the solvent parameters by using glycol-based compounds with specific physical properties (viscosity, hydrogen bonding capacity, pH range) to create a formulation environment where Vitamin C remains stable at high concentrations. The glycol solvents modify the chemical environment parameters to prevent oxidation while maintaining high solubility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If Vitamin C is combined with other active ingredients, then formulation versatility is improved, but stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The glycol-based solvent system serves as a stable intermediary platform that can accommodate multiple active ingredients simultaneously. The glycol molecules act as a mediating matrix that maintains compatibility between Vitamin C and other skincare actives while preserving the stability of each component through their shared solvent system.
3Quantity of substance
If aqueous solvent is used, then solubility is improved, but oxidative protection deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the solvent system into two functional parts: an aqueous component for solubility and a glycol-based protective component for oxidation prevention. This segmentation allows the formulation to benefit from both water's excellent solubility properties and glycols' protective properties against oxidation, separating the harmful aqueous oxidation pathway while maintaining beneficial solubility.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The formulation achieves high Vitamin C concentrations with improved stability, maintaining its unoxidized form and compatibility with other active ingredients, suitable for skincare applications.
Implementation Method 1
water is one of the best solvents to dissolve many active ingredients including Vitamin C. Ascorbic acid for example is relatively soluble in water (solubility of about 333 mg/ml)
Implementation Method 2
using a combination of glycol-based solvents like ethoxydiglycol and gentle heating to create a stable solution
Data Source
AI summary
A cosmetic formulation comprising at least 16% of a vitamin C compound (w/w) and at least one cosmetically acceptable carrier is provided. The formulation is useful for treating skin, in particular for reducing or improving skin conditions such as roughness, flakiness, tightness, dehydration, loss of skin thickness, loss of skin firmness, lack of elasticity, wrinkles, lines and spots. The formulation can be prepared in several steps, which include the repeated, alternating additions of portions of the vitamin C compound and glycol-based solvent(s) to an aqueous solvent, where heat is applied to the mixture to help dissolve the last portion(s) of the vitamin C compound.