Pragna Chakravarti is a former cosmetics executive who now runs her own consulting firm and remains active in the cosmetics industry. A recent article discussed the distinction between natural and high-tech skincare products, though this is an oversimplification as many products use natural and synthetic ingredients. Natural liquid crystalline emulsifiers, first used in the 1990s, can match the performance of synthetic emulsifiers like polyethylene glycol while offering superior moisturizing and active ingredient delivery. However, their full potential is often not realized because manufacturers do not optimize them through an aqueous heating phase in production.

2. A longtime cosmetics executive, Pragna Chakravarti is the former
chief scientific officer of JAFRA Cosmetics. Now serving as the
president of Pragna Chakravarti Consulting, Ms. Chakravarti is active
in the Society of Cosmetic Chemists (SCC) and maintains an interest
in developments in her field.

3. A recent SCC article brought focus to the distinction between “high-
tech” and natural skincare products. In many cases, these are seen as
competing attributes, with natural products associated with safety.

4. This distinction is not as clear cut as many believe. Studies have shown
that most of the consumer aesthetic experience with any skincare
product is defined by its emollient qualities - soothing and softening of
the skin. Many performance emulsifiers use natural/synthetic
polyethylene glycol PEG formulations, even though a natural liquid
crystalline (LC) lamellar gel network stabilization solution exists.

5. First commercialized in the early 1990s, LC emulsifiers stand as a natural
alternative to PEG emulsifiers. They offer superior skin elasticity-building
and moisturizing qualities and optimal delivery of active ingredients.
These natural LC emulsifiers can be incorporated into high-tech
performance products.

6. One reason they have not been as widely adopted as expected is
that manufacturers often do not put LC emulsifiers through the heated
aqueous phase during the production process that optimizes their
potential.