Nanotechnology in Cosmetics: Why Nanofibers Outperform the Products You Use

Nanotechnology is not the main feature of DrySerum, but rather a means to achieve its high effectiveness. Read how DrySerum, thanks to nanofibers, has clinically proven effects in reducing wrinkles.

Author Ing. Markéta Králíková | 16. 3. 2024

When choosing cosmetic products, most of us focus on the active ingredients and their concentration. The effectiveness of many compounds has been confirmed by countless studies. There is hardly any doubt anymore about the ability of hydrolyzed collagen or retinol to effectively tighten and smooth the skin [1–4].

But after hours of carefully selecting cosmetics and finally using them, disappointment follows. Yes, the skin looks brighter in the mirror – but it’s not worth talking about wrinkles disappearing.

The culprit (ironically) is our own skin. Among other things, it functions as a barrier that protects the body from harmful substances and pathogens. However, it also prevents the penetration of active compounds.

Research by cosmetic companies in recent decades has therefore focused on developing carriers, complex molecules that can deliver active ingredients to the deeper layers of the skin. Many of these you may know well – they include emulsions, liposomes, nanogels, and classic nanoparticles. They overcome the skin barrier by merging with the membranes of skin cells and releasing the cosmetic compounds into them [5].

However, even these carriers are not ideal. The volume they occupy in a cosmetic product comes at the expense of the concentration of active ingredients. Due to the manufacturing process, they contain a large amount of water, so manufacturers have to add preservatives, thickeners, emollients, and other additives.

With traditional cosmetics, you are applying a product that penetrates the skin but has a low concentration of active compounds. Long-term stability is also an issue – liposomes and nanoparticles clump together and prematurely release their contents.

Solution: Nanofiber-Based Cosmetics

We also focused on developing an effective carrier but with a different goal: to create a serum with the highest possible concentration of active ingredients and without water, stabilizers, or other additives. We achieved this thanks to nanofibers that are a thousand times thinner than a human hair and act as a dry capsule for peptides, enzymes, nucleic acids, and vitamins.

Simplified diagram of DrySerum nanofibers at a microscopic level

All of these substances are popular in the cosmetic industry due to their high benefits for the skin. Their effectiveness is due to their complex three-dimensional structure, which is, however, very fragile – it can be easily damaged by chemical agents, higher temperatures, or even simple exposure to air.

The dry nanofiber capsule protects the active ingredients from all these influences, preventing their degradation and loss of effectiveness. The nanofibers themselves are made from natural biopolymers (see below), which resemble intercellular material. As a result, they adhere perfectly to damp skin, dissolve immediately, and deliver the vast majority of active ingredients to the skin within seconds. The penetration of cosmetic compounds is further enhanced by their high concentration [6, 7].

The dry serum’s nanofibers are produced from a solution, but for the reasons mentioned above, we cannot dry them with heat or wait for all the water to evaporate. So how do we do it?

Actual DrySerum nanofibers with encapsulated substances viewed under an electron microscope

Electrodes in the Lead Role

The technique behind this is electrostatic spinning (electrospinning). Behind the complex name lies a relatively simple method, the development and refinement of which we have been working on since 2013.

A mixture of biopolymers and concentrated cosmetic ingredients dissolved in water is injected by a dispenser of the production device into so-called needleless electrodes. High voltage is generated between them and the opposite electrodes – and since the liquid mixture has a certain electric charge, it is carried to the opposite pole in the form of microscopic strands [8–10].

The solvent evaporates within a fraction of a second upon exposure to air, creating fine dry nanofibers with encapsulated active ingredients. Thanks to the chemical composition of the starting mixture, these active ingredients are always located inside the fibers. The production process is illustrated by this infographic:

We have patented the technology under the name NUENEX and use it in a device that we developed and built:

How Does DrySerum Work on the Skin?

The serum’s fibers are composed of pullulan with hydrolyzed collagen – long biopolymer molecules that dissolve excellently on damp skin. Pullulan creates a protective film on the skin, prevents skin dehydration, and keeps the active ingredients in a stable form (see above) [11].

Collagen , on the other hand, penetrates into the deeper layers of the skin, smooths wrinkles, improves skin elasticity and hydration, and protects it from UV radiation [12, 13]. Numerous studies also show that hydrolyzed collagen supports the production of natural collagen [14, 15].

Other active ingredients in DrySerum are encapsulated in the nanofibers and vary slightly depending on the product you choose:

7-Day Program is a comprehensive treatment that combines 29 different plant extracts in 5 different formulations. Its goal is to rejuvenate the face in 7 days. It includes, among others, masks with extracts from pomegranate (a powerful antioxidant with anti-aging effects) [16, 17], moringa oleifera (improves skin texture and suppresses free radicals) [18, 19], and Acmella oleracea (tightens and rejuvenates the skin) [20, 21].

The Magic Eye Patches treatment was developed to revitalize the eye contours and remove dark circles under the eyes. It contains patches:

with a natural Botox effect (extracts from stevia, snowdrop, Acmella oleracea, and baobab),
to restore hyaluronic acid, elastin, collagen, and other structural proteins in the dermis (extracts from red maple bark, viola tricolor, and orange blossoms),
to reduce the formation and deposition of melanin pigment (extracts from pomegranate and white pine),
to reduce under-eye bags and improve their circulation (extracts from coffee beans and hypersaline bacteria).

And how do we know it really works? In collaboration with independent institutions, we conducted clinical studies that, among other things, showed an average of 20% wrinkle reduction after just seven days of using DrySerum. The dry serum is thus comparable in effectiveness to invasive methods like Botox application. However, with its use, you avoid clinic visits, needles, and pain.

Mgr. Matěj Buzgo

Head of nanofiber production and development

He completed his master's degree in cell biology in 2010. At that time, he began working on the encapsulation method of nanofibers. In recent years, he has perfected this method even from a mechanical perspective. His goal is to provide patients with a more comfortable and effective application of medicines than current medicine offers.