Sunless tanning products containing dihydroxyacetone in combination with a perfluoropolyether phosphate

It is well known that the shelf-life of products containing dihydroxyacetone (DHA) is quite unsatisfactory, and that in this area the adjustment to an acidic pH is the way usually recommended to improve DHA stability. The adoption of this rule, however, is a challenge for the cosmetic chemist not only because of the risks of skin irritation, but also because of the strong limitations in the choice of the acidic agent. It occurs that the use of either hydroxy-acids and phosphoric acid/phosphate buffers has the opposite effect on the one intended. Recently, a perfluoropolyether phosphate (PFPE phosphate) was introduced as a new acidic agent to lower the pH without increasing the skin irritation. Starting from a rationale based on this potential, we investigated sunless tanners containing PFPE phosphate and DHA. We monitored the ageing of sunless tanners with and without PFPE phosphate, by visual observation and instrumentation (pH measures and (1)H-NMR spectroscopy). Furthermore, to evaluate whether the substances produced from the DHA degradation are potential irritants, patch tests on volunteers were used to check the safety and indirectly the stability of the compositions. In conclusion, our investigations on the guidelines to formulate DHA-containing sunless tanners: confirmed that the pH is a key parameter in formulating these compositions; proved that PFPE phosphate is a safe and compatible ingredient to lower the pH; gave some evidence of the critical importance of thickeners; suggested a strategy based on multifunctional agents to minimize the ingredients.