Protecting Skin & Extending Shelf Life: Antioxidants for oil based products in Cosmetics, Specialty Polymers, and Graphics Arts

This technology shows promise in providing low cost antioxidants for use in cosmetics and other personal care products. Antioxidants are as important as sunscreen in protecting the skin from damage, and improve the shelf life of products. These antioxidants can be used in any oil-based product such as cosmetics, specialty polymers, inks, and resins. Their activity is among the highest reported, yet they are more stable and can be used in lower concentration than widely used antioxidants. The synthesis is simple, and initial data suggest low toxicity.

These compounds were inspired by the natural antioxidant activity of allicin, a key component of garlic. The resulting compounds are much more stable and less volatile than allicin, and less oxidatively labile than compounds commonly used by the cosmetics industry such as vitamin E and coenzyme Q10, while maintaining similar activity levels.

Key properties:

• High reactivity – rate constant for reaction with radicals exceeding 10⁷ M^-1s^-1

• Activity stronger than BHT in ORAC tests

• Safety demonstrated with low cytotoxicity to mammalian cells

• Odorless, non-volatile, white crystalline solids

• Low cost due to simple synthesis with high yields, and high activity enabling low doses to be used.

• Long shelf life "on-demand" compounds that react only when radicals are present

• Inspired by natural compounds in garlic, known to be a superfood

• Best suited for hydrophobic (lipid or oil) based formulations