Skin moisturizers. II. The effects of cosmetic ingredients on human stratum corneum

Synopsis-The four parameters described in Part I of this study, i.e., elastic modulus, re-laxation function, water absorption, and water vapor transmission, have been used to study the effect of typical COSMETIC INGREDIENTS on human STRATUM CORNEUM. The elastic modulus and the stress relaxation modulus are useful measures of the ability of various cosmetic materials to alter the VISCOELASTIC BEHAVIOR of stratum corneum. It has been demonstrated that typical cosmetic HUMECTANTS increase the rate of transepidermal water loss in vitro, and an attempt is made to explain this phenom-enon