• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.89-94
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• 2018

In this study, water-dispersed biocellulose nanofibers (TC) were prepared via an oxidation reaction using 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidine-N-oxy radical (TEMPO) as a catalyst. The TC retained their unique structure in water as well as in emulsion. TC adhered to the skin surface while maintaining nanofibrous structures, providing inherent functions of biocellulose, such as high tensile strength and high water-holding capacity. When gelatin gels as model skin were coated with TC, the hardness representing the elasticity was increased by 20% compared to untreated gelatin gel because TC could tightly hold the gelatin structure. When porcine skin was treated with TC and TC-contained O/W emulsion, the initial water contact angles of TC were lower than other materials, and dramatically decreased over time as water penetrated the fibrous structure of the TC film. Characterization of TC on the skin surface offered insight into the function of nanofibers on the skin, which is important for their applications with respect to fiber-cosmetics.