Development, Characterization and Evaluation of Shaving Gel Using Chitosan as a Gelling Agent

 

S.D. Pande¹, S.B. Joshi², N.N. Bobde¹, V.P. Wankhade¹ and K.K. Tapar¹

¹Department of Pharmaceutics, Vidyabharti College of Pharmacy Camp, Amravati Maharashtra Pin 444602 ²Dept. of Pharmaceutical Sciences, RTM Nagpur University Nagpur.

*Corresponding Author E-mail: shrikantdpande@rediffmail.com

ABSTRACT:

In modern era of fashion every one desires to look handsome. The competitive fashionable trend brings new look and demand every sunrise. Shaving preparations has become indispensable part of men’s toiletries. To reduce the trauma of shaving, a wide range of preparations are now available that prepare the face and beard for shaving. The choice of the shaving preparation is highly individualistic; however, it is generally recognized that different forms of beard preparation are required for ‘wet’ (razor blade) and ‘dry’ (electric razor) shaving. Chitosan is a polymer used in various pharmaceutical preparations but its use in cosmetic has not been much explored.

In the present work chitosan has been used to prepare a shaving gel. The prepared gel was evaluated for various parameters like pH, viscosity, foaming capacity, spreadibility, beard softening etc. The results are reported.

 

 

INTRODUCTION:

The competitive fashionable trends bring new look and demand every sunrise. To reduce the trauma of shaving, a wide range of preparations is now available that prepare the face and beard for shaving. The choice of the shaving preparation is highly individualistic; however, it is generally recognized that different forms of beard preparation are required for ‘wet’ (razor blade) and ‘dry’ (electric razor) shaving. Wet shaving preparations includes-beard softening cream, lather shaving cream and lather shaving stick, aerosol shaving foam brushless or non-lathering cream brushless shaving stick, shave gel. Dry shaving preparations includes pre-electric shave lotion collapsible foam pre-electric shave lotion, pre-electric shave gel stick, pre-electric shave talc stick, pre-electric shave powder.^1,2,3 Gels, which include gels and jellies, are a type, which produce a uniform appearance, range from transparent to semi- transparent and give a moist feeling. Aqueous gels have been used in many cosmetics because they give moist and light feelings².

 

Chitin and chitosan are renewable polymers, a polysaccharide, which resembles cellulose. It is non-toxic to the environment and human being. It has no known side effects or allergenic effect if implanted in the body. The long chained polymer forms film on drying.

 

It is biodegradable and biocompatible with good moisture retention activity and work as humectants. In cosmetics it is used in the formulations of facemasks, make-up powder, Nail polish, Moisturizers, shampoos etc.^4-8

 

Materials and methods:

Chitosan was obtained as a gift sample from India Sea Food, Cochi (Kerala), India. All other materials were procured from the market.

Procedure for the preparation of shave gel:

In the gel formulation different concentration of gellent i.e., 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, .2.0%, 2.5% was used (Table-1).

 

Table-1 showing basic gel formulation

Sr. no.	Ingredients	G1	G2	G3	G4	G5
1	Chitosan	0.5	1.0	1.5	2.0	2.5
2	Lactic acid	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01
3	Sorbitol	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0
4	Distilled Water	97.49	97.49	97.49	97.49	97.49

Quantities mentioned above are in percentage.:Total quantity is to make 100%

 

All the ingredients were weighed accurately. First chitosan was dissolved in water using small amount of lactic acid, followed by sorbitol and stirred well by adding water to it. Then all the prepared placebo gel formulations were examined critically for any undissolved chitosan as well as for any gritty particles.

 

Preliminary trials were conducted using various composition of different fatty acid and surfactant was used to set the final formula (Table 2).

Table 2   Shaving gel formulations prepared using placebo chitosan gel.

Sr. no.	Ingredients	F1%	F2%	F3%	F4%	F5%
1	Stearic Acid	13.06	-	-	-	-
2	Palmatic Acid	-	13.06	-	0.56	0.56
3	Myristic Acid	-	-	13.06	12.50	12.50
4	Propyl Paraben	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01
5	Potassium Hydroxide	4.14	4.14	4.14	4.14	4.14
6	Chitosan	2	2	2	2	2
7	Ethyl Alcohol	3	3	3	3	3
8	Ammonium Lauryl Sulphate	-	-	-	0.01	-
9	Sodium Lauryl Sulphate	0.01	0.01	0.01	-	0.01
10	Methyl Paraben	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1
11	Perfume	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1
12	Colour	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01
13	Sorbitol	2	2	2	2	2
14	Distilled Water	75.58	75.58	75.58	75.58	75.58

Quantities mentioned above are in percentage.; Total quantity is to make 100%

 

Table 3 Various parameters used for evaluation of prepared shaving gel  formulations

Sr. no.	Parameter	F1	F2	F3	F4	F5	Marketed Product
1	pH	10.38	8.02	10.16	8.76	9.34	10.10
2	Consistency	Creamy	Creamy	Gel	Lumpsy	Gel	Gel
3	Viscosity –(in Cps) by Brookfield Viscometer, Spindle # 3	2850	2500	900		12277	14000
4	Foam Age (time in sec.)
	–Hard water	680	820	555	012	648	712
	– Soft Water	935	1040	728	023	794	874

 

All the ingredients were weighed accurately. Oil phase and water phase was heated separately at 70 C and both the phases were mixed well maintaining the temperature. At last Chitosan (previously swelled with lactic acid) was added and stirred well. The formulation was packed in a container. All the Formulations were evaluated^9,10,11 and then compared with marketed product. The results are shown in table 3.

I

 

II

 

III

 

Figures Showing Comparison of all gel formulations

I) for pH; II) for viscosity; III) for foam age (in seconds)

 

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:

The present study was conducted with a view to formulate, design and develop the shaving gel using a chitosan as a novel gelling material.

 

The placebo gels were prepared using different concentrations of chitosan. A 2% gel was found to be satisfactory. Higher percentage of chitosan gave gritty feel due to undissolved chitosan in the water, while the lower percentage of chitosan gave low and undesired viscosity to the placebo gels. Among all the above-prepared formulations formulation F5 was most stable and appreciable as compare to the other and hence it was evaluated further.

 

Formulation F1 was of creamy consistency with distinct granular particle, which were left after spreading on the skin, as chitosan was not swelled properly with lactic acid, which acts as a solubility enhancer in placebo gel resulting a separate granular appearance in the product.

 

Formulation F2 was of creamy consistency but with no appealing properties from the product. The fatty acid used in the formulation could not give transparent product, which may be the cause for the failure of formulation. Formulation F3 was translucent, but was not good as far as functional property of product is considered as soap formed in situ was not of desired character. Formulation F4 was satisfactory but with lumps of gelling agent, as the foaming agent used in the formulation was not compatible with the soap formed in a situ. Formulation F5 was very successful in regard of the organoleptic characters and functional parameters of the designed product form and evaluated. The pH of formulation was found to be 9.34, which seems to be satisfactory as compared to marketed product having pH 10.10. The viscosity of the prepared formulation was found to be 12277 cps using Brookfield viscometer, while the marketed product was having 14000 cps. This was quite comparable as the gelling agent used in the marketed product is unknown. The foam age and foam stability showed that the prepared formulation was having slightly lower values as compared to the marketed product when tested in hard water and soft water, this may be due to the surfactant used in the formulation was in low concentration. High concentration of sodium lauryl sulphate gave high foaming, which was not readily settled down and took at least 24 hours with a creamy supernatant layer in the gel formulation. All the formulations showed spreadibility and beard softening properties.

 

This material was found to be the real substitute for the tradition gelling agents. Along this the study was conducted so as to see the effect of different fatty acids on chitosan based shave gel besides changing the surfactant.

 

The concentration of fatty acid was restricted between 10 to 15% so as to give the requisite quality of soap formed in situ. The combination of myristic acid and palmetic acid gave a good blend. It was found to give gel like consistency as well as transparent as compared to other acids used alone viz., stearic acid, palmetic acid and myristic acid. When stearic acid was used alone it was not sufficient to produce the desired foam moreover it gave a creamy consistency and produced a cream. When palmetic acid was used alone it gave more creamy and less translucent product. When myristic acid was used alone it gave translucent product but the viscosity of gel was less and low soap was formed which yield low foaming to the formulation.

 

The concentration of Chitosan was restricted to 2% because above 2% the gel becomes very thick and below it gives very thin gel.

 

It was thought that ammonium lauryl sulphate would be better foaming agent than sodium lauryl sulphate but when added it resulted in formation of distinct lumps of chitosan. Therefore sodium lauryl sulphate was taken as a foaming agent in the final formulation.

Conclusion:

In the present work a shaving gel has been prepared using chitosan as a gelling agent. Some formulations were prepared using fatty acids like stearic acid palmetic acid, myristic acid and a blend of palmetic acid and myristic acid. The soap was formed in situ. Sodium and ammonium lauryl sulphate were added to get foam in different formulations. It has been found that ammonium lauryl sulphate made chitosan precipitate out giving its particles while sodium lauryl sulphate was compatible with chitosan and other formulation additives.

 

Looking at the importance of gellents in cosmetics gel based products; it is worthy to explore the possibility of employing successful cosmeceutical agent.

 

To sum- up, use of chitosan in cosmetic as a gelling agent is a substitute to the traditional gellent used till date. Thus the Chitosan will be an alternative choice to develop the gel cosmetic in near future.

 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

The authors are thankful to M/s India Sea Foods Cochi for providing free gift sample of chitosan.

 

References:

1.       Shaving cosmetics in Wilkinson J B, Moore R J, Harry’s Cosmeticology reprint by LONGMAN SCIENTIFIC and TECHNICAL, 7 Edition-1982, pp 156-181

2.       Shaving Preparations in Takeo Mitsui, New Cosmetic Science ELSEVIER PUBLICATION, 1992, pp 351-366

3.       Shaving cosmetics in P P Sharma, Cosmetic Formulation, Manufacturing and Quality Control VANDANA PUBLICATION, 2001, pp 418- 430

4.       www.bestchitosan.com

5.       www.vieweb.com/vitanet/chit.html

6.       www.google.com

7.       www.plastictrends.net/articles/chitosan.html

8.       U S Patent number 4954619

9.       Rheology in Alfred Martin, Pilar Bustamante, A. H. C. Chun, Physical Pharmacy WAVERLY PUBLICATION, 1994, pp 465

10.     Measurement of Foam consistency, Scott G. V. and Thompson. W.E. of  J. Am Oil Soc. 29:386 in 1952

11.     Cosmetic Bench Reference “Measurement of Foam Age”, 119 #2, Feb 2004, Pg 55.

 

 

Received on 07.01.2010       Modified on 13.03.2010

Accepted on 29.05.2010      © RJPT All right reserved