BETAINE very mild moisturizer
Description
Sugar betaine is a natural amino acid-derivative of glycine - extremely valued because of its unique ability to attach water and properties that protect cell membranes.
Higher concentrations improve the care properties of cosmetics, without destabilizing the emulsion, so you can add betaine, in the form of crystals or dissolved in a small amount of water, to ready products such as creams, gels, tonics and balms, as well as shampoos and hair conditioners.
As a bipolar compound with a small molecule, it has extraordinary ability to interact with water and water-like particles - it gives the skin a unique feeling of silkiness, which makes it a very interesting cosmetic ingredient.
A 50% solution of betaine has a milder effect than pure water, which can be used when washing the skin, e.g. after using acids.
A distinction should be made between sugar betaine and supposedly mild detergent, cocamidopropyl betaine (and other betaine derivatives derived from coconut) - a semi-synthetic component that causes contact allergies and skin dermatosis.
Tests have shown that even a small 3.5% addition of betaine to the formulation effectively reduces the irritating effects of detergents.
The addition of shampoo, conditioner or hair wipes effectively eliminates dry hair, soothes the scalp and thanks to its moisturizing effect smoothes and increases the thickness of the hair.
Betaine creates volumetric and stable foam, which can be a great solution for people who want to opt out of surfactants and do not accept non-foaming products (hair conditioners, mild cleansing gels).
A valuable property of betaine in the cosmetic is its ability to reduce the feeling of sticking and improve its distribution with a simultaneous feeling of silkiness and softness, comparable with the best silicones.
How it works:
strongly moisturizes the skin by reducing TEWL even at low concentration, higher concentrations allow you to achieve even better results - perfect for dry skin
increases skin elasticity by stabilizing hydration
has anti-wrinkle effect at a minimum concentration of 10%
moisturizes and strengthens the hair, giving the effect of exceptional silkiness and softness, perfect after cosmetic hair drying treatments
increases the solubility of some substances in water
reduces the viscosity of the formulation improving comfort of use
buffers low pH substances
improves the skin's response to the irritating effects of detergents, soothes sensitive to the detergent scalp
Application:
face care products - creams, emulsions, tonics, face masks (0.5 - 2%)
hair products - shampoos, conditioners, wipes (2-10%)
body balms (2 - 10%)
hand creams (2 - 5%)
face and body wash gels (2 - 10%)
after shave balms (2 - 10%)
oral hygiene products (2 - 5%)
products after tanning (7 - 10%)
Some theory:
Trimethylglycine (betaine) is a compound commonly found in nature. Most often it is obtained from molasses, containing 8% pure betaine, in the process of industrial gas chromatography.
Betaine is a white, crystalline powder with a melting point of about 240 ° C, non-toxic even in high concentrations, perfectly soluble in water (up to 60%).
From a chemical point of view, it is an amphoter, forming both cationic and anionic ions, depending on the environment.
The component is a very stable compound at high temperatures, resistant up to 80oC and its addition in an amount of over 20% has a bactericidal effect (it can support the preservative system by reducing the proportion of other preservatives).
Betaine in living organisms is responsible for reducing osmotic stress, caused by rapid changes in the amount of water in the cell, while protecting protein structures at the cellular level.
It significantly alleviates the symptoms of dry skin or hair after drying cosmetic procedures, such as frequent use of washing products, permanent and dyeing hair, the use of acids and sun exposure.
Research is ongoing showing the high usefulness of betaine in sunscreen products. The time of occurrence of erythema due to UV radiation occurs much later in its presence than after using only standard protective products.
The research seems to confirm that the presence of betaine prevents cell death.
Betaine was applied to standard toothpaste at 4% and tested in comparison to placebo on a group of volunteers suffering from dry mouth syndrome who reported symptoms disappearing after each use of the paste. The results of this study have the practical advantage for healthy people that an improvement in the overall hydration sensation, including gum skin, has been noticed.
Betaine, unlike commonly used in toothpastes sorbitol, does not permanently bind water molecules. This means that the water allocated around betaine is still there