Design and characterization of greener sunscreen formulations based on mica powder and a biosurfactant extract

Abstract

© 2018 Elsevier B.V. The mining industry produces an earth-derived silicate mineral, called mica, which is included in many cosmetic formulations. Mica minerals produce a shimmering effect on the skin and simultaneously provide physical protection against the harmful effects of the sun. On the other hand, the corn wet-milling industry produces an effluent that contains a natural extract with antioxidant and biosurfactant properties, which could possibly be used to increase the protective effect of mica minerals against ultraviolet light (UV light). In this study, we determined the sunscreen protection factor (SPF) of different biocomposites based on different mica minerals alone or mixed with a biosurfactant extract obtained from the corn industry. The SPF values of water-based formulations containing mica with and without the biosurfactant extract were determined by means of a standardized method in which the absorbance was determined at wavelengths between 290 and 320 nm. The SPF values obtained for the mica minerals in the absence of biosurfactant ranged between 0.2 and 11, and in some cases the addition of biosurfactant increased the SPF values of the micas by more than 2000%.