An overview of nanoemulsion: concepts of development and cosmeceutical applications

Abstract

The interest in nanoscale emulsions has considerably grown in recent decades as a consequence of their specific attributes such as high stability, attractive appearance, in addition to high performance and sensorial advantage. In fact, it nanoemulsions are one of the major popular formulation systems in the pharmaceutical and cosmeceutical fields. The thermodynamic and high kinetic stability, besides the minute droplet size of nanoemulsions have spurred their rapid development as a system for delivery of bioactive substances/drugs in cosmetics and dermatological formulations. The composition and the technique of preparation very much define the quality of nanoemulsions. They are mainly targeted at high performance, product distribution to consumers, alongside the prospects of mass production. Formulators, however, do face certain limitations especially regarding the diffusion of active ingredients into the human skin. This review describes the popular techniques used by formulators in recent years to prepare nanoemulsions as final application products for cosmeceutical application. Correspondingly, an overview of characterisation technologies to differentiate between the micro and nanoemulsions - alongside their benchmarks in terms of their physical and thermodynamic stabilities, is also described in this review.