Integrated Human Practice

At the very first stage of our project, we attended the cosmetic exhibition held in Suzhou which provided us a great opportunity to actually see the technology has been applied in the cosmetic industry including freeze-dried power which is commonly used for its convenience in conservation as well as the high efficiency in real application on skincare. We did hand out questionnaires to difference groups of people, with and without involved in cosmetic industry, to get a more comprehensive and reliable data on their thoughts and expectations on a proper hair removal product.

In order to analyse the effectiveness of the hair removal product currently in the market, we purchased a few of them with distinct textures and medium and carry out a comparison in between. The commonly used chemical, thioglycolate, is the key substance for hair degradation and removal. However, due to their properties as a chemical product, the effectiveness was highly recommended, but there still exist slight allergic reactions in the form of itching and flushing on skin. This further enhances our objectives of the ultimate product.

Consumer Product Survey of Depilaroty Products

At the very first stage of our project, we attended a cosmetic exhibition held in Suzhou, which provided us a great opportunity to actually see the technology that has been applied in the cosmetic industry, including freeze-dried power, which is commonly used for its convenience in conservation as well as the high efficiency in actual application on skincare.

We did hand out questionnaires to different groups of people, with and without being involved in the cosmetic industry, to get more comprehensive and reliable data on their thoughts and expectations on a proper hair removal product. The feedback included the customers' preferences for the texture, price, and compliance of enzyme-based hair removal products.

Depilatory Products Review

In order to analyze the effectiveness of the hair removal product currently in the market, we purchased a few of them with distinct textures and medium and carried out a comparison in between. The commonly used chemical, thioglycolate acid, is the crucial substance for hair degradation and removal.

However, due to their properties as a chemical product, the effectiveness was highly recommended. Slight allergic reactions due to the hydrolysis of disulfur bonds within the skin tissue still exist in the form of itching and flushing on the skin. This further enhances our objectives of the ultimate product.

R&D Company Interview - COTY

COTY is a world-leading company in beauty, specialized in modern cosmetics. After a week of experiments, we had successfully gone on the right track. To better prepare for future research on our specific product, we interviewed one of the chief designers in COTY.

Its portfolio includes illustrious brands such as Alexander McQueen, Bottega Veneta, Burberry, Calvin Klein, Chloé, Davidoff, Gucci, Hugo Boss, Kylie Skin, Marc Jacobs, Miu Miu and Tiffany & Co, as well as skincare brands Lancaster and philosophy.

We asked questions related to existed hair removing commodities in market and discussed about some of our original ideas of our own product, from using hydrogel as carrier of our enzyme, to adding perfume for more attraction to consumers. During conversation we learned ways to examine the most suitable carrier of our enzyme and got to know some useful raw material selling websites. She mentioned the difficulties that we were going to face. The chief designer also commented on our promotion video and confirmed that our product could have a bright future in market.

Interview content

Introducing ourselves and the project, and sharing the promotion video.
Questions:
1. What is your company's business scope, involving skin care products
2. How to promote the new products of large companies and marketing channels? What problems did your company encounter in bringing products from the laboratory to the market (marketing methods)
3. Nowadays, the most popular technology in skin care (more in demand)?
4. What technologies will your company use for the main mild products?
5. Is there any cooperation with pure biotech companies and what is the level?
6. How to expand production?
7. The test method?
8. Add features? Functionally corresponding chemical/biological reagents
9. Choose a suitable vector, gel or emulsion for the product to maximize the efficiency of the enzyme and a better feeling of use. (Detect the exuberance of body hair and let consumers adjust the enzyme concentration by themselves?)
10. Take a tour of the laboratory?

Based on this, we have compiled a set of research and development plans:

"The birth of a keratinase depilatory product" - from the laboratory to the market.

Material corresponding function:
Download the "Beauty Cultivation" APP, find the depilatory cream, and check the ingredients.
Choice of mediation:
1. Lotion:
It is usually W/O, the surrounding surfactants produce "viscosity", and the substances containing surfactants are stable. However, surfactants may affect the structure of keratinase and are generally not suitable for large proteins
2. Gel:
The type of mutually exclusive three-dimensional structure between molecules after water and hydroxyl are combined; the formation contains hydroxyl -OH, which may or maynot affect the structure of keratinase
3. Freeze-dried powder:
It may be able to maintain the activity of the enzyme, and use it in a state where it can be restored or dissolved; it acts as a solution.
4. The performance components:
Performance and user experience added by extrusion at the muzzle
5. Use buffer directly:
The product form can guarantee the spread, the use range is wide, but may cause discomfort to the research.

Verification:
1. Requires a lot of independent experiments, such as:
-The effectiveness of the enzyme, that is, whether it will actually work on the skin;
-The most suitable conditions for enzyme work;
-Whether the combination of several enzymes can improve the efficacy through cooperation, and the best formula of several enzymes, performance test:
-Compatibility of enzymes, media, and packaging materials to find the most suitable media;
-Sensitization, first do RIPT test whether the product is sensitized after the initiation period and after the initiation period, calculate the sensitization reaction to react; find a large number of people to test, if it is sensitization, can we add anti-inflammatory ingredients, and whether the anti-inflammatory ingredients will Affect the effectiveness of the enzyme.
-Independent experiments of the raw materials, including efficacy and toxicology experiments to assess the risks of genetics, carcinogenesis, etc, which are consistent with the safety purpose of iGEM.
-Effective concentration of raw materials, clinical skin safety test.
2. Registration materials need to be tested and reviewed in "Follow Food Safety Regulations" and "New raw material review".
3. Use porcine skin/cultured skin tissue for substitution experiment.

Other additives:
1. Preservatives, sterilization
2. Moisturizing, e.g. propylene/butanediol
3. Protect the skin, for example:
-Adjust keratinase concentration
-Apply a layer of inert silicone oil in advance
-Paraffin
-Film former
-Oil film, eg. Vaseline
4. Pigments
5. Fragrance - enzymes may have bad taste.
-Fragrance is mostly organic, and its effect on enzyme activity needs to be tested.
-And most fragrances contain alcohol, which may not be consistent with the main "mildness" we want.
-The wrapping technology can be used to isolate the added ingredients and raw materials.
Promotion and marketing:
Marketing/PR: celebrity endorsement, blogger advertising
Other Suggestions:
6. If we want to add mass production, we should contact the company.
7. Find a sponsor.

Beauty Foundry Company Visit - Intercos

Intercos is a company that manufactures color cosmetics, nail polish, skincare, and personal care products. With the curiosity of raw materials processing, we asked for permission to visit one of their factories in Suzhou. We have been taught the life cycle of a traditional makeup product to be released, primarily emulsion and packaging, which this factory is working on.

Team:SZ SHD/Human Practices