Application of Liposome in Cosmetics
Liposomes have become a favorite in modern skincare, especially as brands look for higher efficacy with lower irritation. As a lipid-based nanocarrier, a liposome can encapsulate bioactive agents and help deliver them where they matter most, supporting performance in serums, lotions, masks, and cosmeceutical-style products.
What Are Liposomes?
Liposomes are hollow, spherical vesicles formed by phospholipid bilayers (similar to cell membranes). This biomimetic structure enables liposomes to carry hydrophilic ingredients in the aqueous core and lipophilic ingredients within the bilayer, improving solubility, compatibility, and stability in topical formulations.
Figure 1. General Structure of Liposomes. (Guimarães D, et al., 2021)Liposomes Have a More Comprehensive Effect on Skin
Because phospholipids resemble skin lipids, liposomes can interact with the stratum corneum and epidermal cell membranes. Depending on composition and size, they may fuse with lipid domains, release actives gradually, and help maintain a hydrated microenvironment.
Key benefits in cosmetic applications include:
1. Stabilization of sensitive actives (e.g., vitamins, peptides) by reducing exposure to oxygen, light, and incompatible excipients.
2. Improved compatibility for poorly soluble ingredients, supporting clearer, more elegant textures.
3. Enhanced bioavailability at the skin surface and upper layers, which may translate to better visible outcomes.
4. Controlled/slow release to extend activity time and reduce irritation peaks.
5. Skin-conditioning effects from phospholipids (barrier support, reduced roughness).
6. Moisturizing feel and barrier comfort, including with "empty" (no-load) liposomes.
How Liposomes Promote Skin Absorption of Active Ingredients
One of the most practical reasons to use cosmetic liposomes is to promote the absorption and utilization of actives by skin—without relying on harsh penetration enhancers.
Mechanisms commonly leveraged in formulation design:
- Barrier affinity and lipid fusion: Phospholipids can integrate with stratum corneum lipid domains, improving contact and facilitating active partitioning into the skin's outer layers.
- Follicular and micro-relief deposition: Appropriately sized vesicles may deposit in hair follicles and skin microstructures, creating a localized reservoir for sustained release.
- Micro-environment hydration (occlusive effect): Liposomes can help reduce transepidermal water loss locally, softening the stratum corneum and supporting diffusion of compatible actives.
- Solubility + protection synergy: By solubilizing and shielding unstable ingredients (e.g., retinoids, CoQ10), liposomes keep actives in a "usable" state longer, improving effective exposure at the skin interface.
- Controlled release to limit irritation: Gradual diffusion can reduce stinging or redness often seen with potent actives, supporting better user compliance.
Note: Actual penetration depends on lipid composition, lamellarity, particle size distribution (PDI), surface charge (zeta potential), encapsulation efficiency, and the finished formula matrix.
Figure 2. Liposomes Enhance Skin Absorption Mechanisms. (Creative BioMart)Type of Liposome
Liposomes can be categorized by morphology:
| Small Unilamellar Vesicles (SUV, ~20-200 nm) |
High dispersion stability and strong controlled-release potential, but lower loading capacity. |
| Large Unilamellar Vesicles (LUV, ~200-1000 nm) |
Higher encapsulation for some actives and good skin-feel; may be more prone to fusion, so stability design is important. |
| Multilamellar Vesicles (MLV, ~1-5 μm) |
Multiple bilayers can support both hydrophilic and lipophilic payloads and provide sustained release. |
| Multivesicular Vesicles (MVV, >1000 nm) |
"Vesicles within a vesicle" structure, useful when high hydrophilic loading and extended release are desired. |
Figure 3. Classification of Liposomes by Lamellarity and Size. (Guimarães D, et al., 2021)Practical Use of Liposomes in Cosmetic Products
Liposomes are used across skincare formats, including serums, essences, lotions, gels, masks, and certain sunscreen systems. They are especially helpful for actives that are unstable, irritating, or difficult to solubilize, such as:
- Vitamin A derivatives, Vitamin E, Coenzyme Q10
- Antioxidants and brightening ingredients
- Peptides, botanical extracts, ceramide-like lipids
In surfactant-heavy systems, formulation compatibility should be evaluated carefully, as some surfactants and solvents can disrupt bilayers.
Formulation Highlights
1. Avoid mixing liposome derivatives from different sources or manufacturers.
2. Limit co-solvents that dissolve both lipids and water (e.g., glycerol, ethylene glycol); keep total usage controlled (commonly ≤10% depending on system).
3. Avoid excessive anionic/nonionic surfactants that can destabilize bilayers.
4. Avoid high ionic strength (e.g., inorganic salts) that may disrupt membrane integrity.
5. Minimize heat and shear; gentle mixing below ~50 °C is typically recommended to protect bilayer structure.
Why Partner with Creative BioMart
As a CRO supporting both research and industrial programs, Creative BioMart helps you move from ingredient selection to formulation-ready deployment.
- Quality you can verify: We support liposome lots with key characterization such as particle size, PDI, and optional zeta potential/encapsulation metrics, enabling reproducible development.
- Formulation-minded technical support: Guidance on compatibility with solvents, surfactants, pH/ionic strength, and processing (temperature/shear).
- Flexible options: Empty liposomes for custom loading, and liposome-enabled ingredient solutions to fit different product concepts.
- Documentation & traceability: Clear specifications, handling recommendations, and batch-level traceability to strengthen internal QA workflows.
- One-stop ingredient portfolio: Liposomes plus complementary cosmetic ingredients (e.g., collagen, growth factors, botanical extracts) to streamline sourcing.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1: Do liposomes really help actives penetrate the skin?
A: They can improve effective delivery by enhancing contact with the stratum corneum, stabilizing actives, and enabling controlled release. Performance depends on liposome design and the full formulation.
Q2: Which actives are best suited for liposomal delivery?
A: Unstable antioxidants, retinoid-like ingredients, CoQ10, certain peptides, and poorly soluble actives are common candidates—especially when irritation reduction is a goal.
Q3: Are liposomes safe for cosmetic use?
A: Phospholipid-based carriers are widely used, but safety must be confirmed in the finished formula via appropriate stability, compatibility, and dermatological testing.
Q4: How do I choose between SUV, LUV, and MLV?
A: SUV often favors stability and controlled release; LUV can offer higher loading; MLV can support sustained release and mixed payload types. Selection should match your efficacy target and texture system.
Q5: What formulation conditions can break liposomes?
A: High heat, high shear, high salt, and certain surfactants/co-solvents may disrupt bilayers. Process conditions should be screened early.
Q6: How should liposome ingredients be stored?
A: Storage depends on composition (aqueous dispersion vs. dry form). In general, protect from heat/light, avoid freeze–thaw cycles unless validated, and follow product-specific handling guidance.
Q7: Can Creative BioMart support customization?
A: Yes. We can discuss target size ranges, lipid composition preferences, and application requirements to align the liposome system with your formulation goals.
As a leading cosmetic raw material supplier, Creative BioMart provides global customers with high-purity and cost-effective liposomes for the development of cosmetic and personal care products. We also have a wide variety of other raw materials that are versatile, such as collagen, growth factors, and botanical extracts, and click to view our product catalog. Combining natural raw materials with innovative technologies, Creative BioMart aims to provide customers with superior products and solutions that meet current and future trends in the cosmetic market.
Welcome to contact us for project quotations and more detailed information.
References
- Panahi Y, et al. Recent advances on liposomal nanoparticles: synthesis, characterization and biomedical applications. Artif Cells Nanomed Biotechnol. 2017.
- Rahimpour Y, et al. Liposomes in cosmeceutics. Expert Opin Drug Deliv. 2012.
- Guimarães D, et al. Design of liposomes as drug delivery system for therapeutic applications. Int J Pharm. 2021.
