report
7.2.4 Additional demand for research

Although there are many products available in the market using nanomaterials, there are still opportunities to exploit the benefits of nanotechnology in the cosmetic industry.

• TiO₂ and ZnO are widely used in cosmetic formulations.  There is a need for an in-depth study into the toxicity effects of these materials as the studies so far have brought mixed results.
• Encapsulation techniques and trigger-release mechanisms have been developed for the active delivery of cosmetic molecules.  However, there is a need for reliable, cost effective triggers for controlled release.
• Improvements in the drug loading efficiency of lipid based nanoparticles (SLNs and NLCs) and nanocapsules are required.
• Better understanding of how lipid nanoparticles modify drug penetration into the skin, how they affect the drug penetration and how they interact with lipids of the stratum corneum is required [66].
• Fundamental conditions for the formation of SLNs and NLCs and the effect of surfactants used for modifications need to be studied further.
• Further in vivo studies on the effect of cosmetics that contain nanomaterials.