Cosmax and POSTECH Develop Technology to Control Release Rate of Cosmetic Ingredients... "Advancing Sun Care Technology"

To Be Applied to the Development of High-Performance Sunscreens
Published in the Journal "Science Advances"

On January 13, cosmetics ODM (Original Development Manufacturing) company Cosmax announced that it has developed a technology that allows for precise control over the release rate of active cosmetic ingredients. Cosmax plans to apply this new technology to the development of high-performance sunscreen products.

Cosmax, in collaboration with Professor Lee Hyomin and Dr. Kim Eunseo's research team from the Department of Chemical Engineering at Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), succeeded in developing a "multiple emulsion platform" that enables precise control over the stability and material delivery rate of emulsions.

This new technology can be applied to multiple emulsion formulations with a W/O/W (Water-in-Oil-in-Water) structure. Multiple emulsions combine the advantages of external aqueous (Water-in-Oil) emulsions and internal oily (Oil-in-Water) emulsions, providing both a refreshing feel and excellent moisturizing effects. However, traditional methods using surfactants have drawbacks, such as low stability, which can lead to phase separation or reduced delivery rates of active ingredients.

To address these issues, Cosmax identified the roles of polymeric and monomeric surfactants. The company demonstrated that polymeric surfactants strengthen the oil film of the emulsion, enhancing stability, while monomeric surfactants control the rate at which substances inside the emulsion move to the outside. This research was recently published online in the international scientific journal "Science Advances."

The development team expects this new platform to be highly useful for next-generation sunscreen development, as it can efficiently store UV-blocking ingredients in emulsions, thereby improving both the retention time on the skin and the release rate of the active ingredients.

This research achievement also marks the first outcome from the Pohang UIC (UV Innovation Center). In December of last year, Cosmax, POSTECH, and the city of Pohang signed a three-party business agreement to establish a specialized research center for sunscreen products.

Park Chunho, Head of R&I Unit at Cosmax BTI, stated, "The combination of mixed surfactants identified in this study will become a key technology for new sunscreen products in particular. Since the release rate of UV-blocking ingredients is crucial for improving both the efficacy and safety of sunscreen products, we will utilize these research results to develop safe and effective sun care products."