This document contains information on the potential of Lyotropic Liquid Crystal as effective delivery system for skin and hair care products. Delivery system plays a vital role in designing consumer perceivable functional products, such as antiaging, hair growth, anti greying, skin lightening etc.

1. Lyotropic
Liquid Crystal
Nanoparticles
Samares C Biswas
An Efficient Delivery Systems for
Active Ingredients in Skin & Scalp

2. Lyotropic
Liquid Crystals Schematic representation of
the lyotropic liquid crystalline
phases
Schematic illustration of
different liquid crystal
(LC) phases observed on
heating from the
crystalline state
Lamellar lyotropic liquid-crystalline systems are
thermodynamically stable, optically isotropic and are
formed spontaneously.

3. Lyotropic Liquid Crystals Nanoparticles
• Schematic Illustrations of Structure of Lyotropic Liquid Crystals Nanoparticles & Drug
Molecule Loading
• Can accommodate both hydrophobic and hydrophilic drug molecules

4. TEM & X-ray
Diffraction of
Lyotropic Liquid
Crystalline
Structures
Representative cryo-transmission electron
micrographs & X-ray diffraction profiles of
Lyotropic Liquid Crystals of non-ionic surfactant

5. Polarizing Microscopic Images of Lyotropic Liquid Crystals
Polarizing microscope pictures of the liquid crystal

6. Transdermal Delivery of Actives
Schematic for the delivery of active ingredients in the deeper layer of skin
Lyotropic liquid crystals is an outstanding platform for designing the
drug delivery of nanocarriers for therapy, diagnosis, and theranostics.

7. Follicular Delivery of Actives
Effective delivery of actives to hair follicle is essential for making
effective hair care products for the treatment of alopecia and hair
greying
Challenges:
• Pore size restricts movement of active ingredients through the
follicular route
• Strong hydrophobic barrier prevent passage of hydrophilic
ingredients

8. Use of LLC as Effective Topical Transdermal
Delivery Systems – Applications in Developing
Functional Cosmetics
• Lyotropic liquid crystalline nanoparticle-based
delivery systems promise efficient, controlled
release of drugs
• Lyotropic liquid crystalline nanoparticles show high
versatility, biocompatibility, and multifunctionality
by opening the range of possibilities of topical
and/or transdermal treatment.
• Lyotropic liquid crystalline nanoparticles found
wide spread applications in the treatment of
psoriasis, vitiligo, inflammatory skin conditions,
skin cancer, and other skin diseases
• Delivery of actives into hair follicle for hair
growth and anti-greying (e.g. minoxidil,
apigenin etc)