Abstract

Crosslinked hyaluronic acid-based hydrogels (crossHA) have been widely used in the cosmetic industry as injectable dermal fillers. However, HA hydrogels also emerge as interesting raw materials for cosmetic topical products with various other potential benefits. In this work, we developed and characterized a new type of crossHA (crossHA-3; INCI Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer-3) in a powder form dedicated for the topical cosmetic application and tested its properties in vitro and in vivo on human volunteers.
CrossHA-3 powder is fully soluble in water creating a soft hydrogel microparticle suspension macroscopically resembling true solution. Large amount of water absorbed in the porous structure of crossHA-3 effectively moisturizes the skin in vivo. Cross-HA-3 also creates a protective film on the skin surface and immediately and visibly reduces even deep mimic wrinkles. Because crossHA-3 is less susceptible to enzymatic degradation than HA, it stays longer on the skin surface and so its anti-wrinkle effect is prolonged. Beside water, crossHA-3 can absorb various cosmetic active ingredients in its pores and ensures their continuous, long-term delivery into the skin leading to their more effective utilization by the skin cells as we showed in another in vivo study using niacinamide (vitamin B3) as a model cosmetic active ingredient.