361 The science of hair and skin care and the functionality of natural ingredients.

A. A. SORENSEN. Raffaello Research Laboratories, Inc., Torrance, CA.

Throughout the centuries, from ancient Egypt to the present, cosmetics have been used to enhance physical appearance. In the past, these preparations utilized natural materials such as inorganic oxides, clays, natural glycosides, plant oils and extracts. With the advancement of science and technology in the twentieth century, cosmetics saw a rapid improvement with the development of new materials, often derived from petroleum or animal based by-products. Increasing environmental concerns in the last two decades has helped to shift the focus toward the use of plant based compounds. Grains and oilseeds in particular offer a multitude of starting materials such as polysaccharides, cellulose, fatty acids, oils and especially proteins and amino acid derivatives from wheat, soy and oats. Some of their uses include thickening agents, conditioners, film formers, moisturizers, and emollients. Continuing research in the field is constantly producing innovative derivatives from these and other grain materials with enhanced performance and multiple functionality.