Maia Campos, et al. AAPS PharmSciTech 25.4 (2024): 71.
Formulators sought a natural polymer that produces a visible, continuous film on the stratum corneum, improves skin hydration and reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL), and also supports consumer-preferred sensory attributes such as easy spreadability. Tara gum (Caesalpinia spinosa), a natural polysaccharide, offers potential as a film-forming agent. A gel formulation was developed using Tara gum as a base. A variant of this formulation was enriched with Brazilian berry extract.
Key Results
· Spreadability & Sensory Appeal: The formulation containing Brazilian berry extract required less shear force to spread, a property correlated with favorable sensory feedback regarding ease of application.
· Skin Barrier & Hydration Benefits: Both gel formulations (with and without the extract) effectively increased skin hydration and reduced transepidermal water loss (TEWL) after 2 hours of application, indicating an immediate moisturizing and barrier-supporting effect.
· Visible Film-Forming Action: RCM imaging provided direct visual evidence that Tara gum promoted the formation of a cohesive polymeric network on the stratum corneum surface.
· Improved Skin Morphology: The imaging further revealed a decrease in skin furrow size and increased interkeratinocyte reflectance for both gels. These positive effects on skin microrelief and the epidermal honeycomb pattern were more pronounced in the formulation containing Brazilian berry extract, which also showed enhanced hydration in deeper epidermal layers.
Wu, Yanbei, et al. Food chemistry 168 (2015): 366-371.