PLAMEN KIRILOV¹*, ANH KHANH LE CONG¹, ALICE DENIS¹, HALIMA RABEHI¹,
SILVIA RUM², CARLA VILLA², MAREK HAFTEK^1,3, FABRICE PIROT^1,4
* Corresponding author
1. Université 1, EA 4169 “Aspects fondamentaux, cliniques et thérapeutiques de la fonction cutanée”,
SFR Lyon-Est Santé – INSERM US 7 – CNRS UMS 3453
Laboratoire de Pharmacie Galénique Industrielle, ISPB, 8 Avenue Rockefeller, 69737 Lyon, Cédex 08, France
2. DIFAR – Dipartimento di Farmacia dell’Università,
Sezione di Chimica del Farmaco e del Prodotto Cosmetico VIale Benedetto XV 3, 16132 Genova, Italy
3. Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, EA 4169 “Aspects fondamentaux, cliniques et thérapeutiques de la fonction cutanée”, SFR Lyon-Est Santé – INSERM US 7 – CNRS UMS 3453
Laboratoire de Dermatologie, ISPB, 8 Avenue Rockefeller, F-69737 Lyon, Cédex 08, France
4. Groupement Hospitalier Eduard Herriot – Service Pharmaceutique –
Fabrication et contrôles des médicaments, Pavillon X, Place d’Arsenal, 69437 Lyon, Cédex 03, France

Abstract

Organogels are semi-solid systems in which an organic liquid phase is immobilized by a three-dimensional network composed of low molecular weight or polymeric components. Recently, they have raised an increasing interest in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industry. Numerous cosmetic products based on organogels formulations are marketed. Many studies now focus on new applications of organogels and therefore, aim to develop novel systems of organogels and new generations of organogelators.

In this review, methods of preparation and characterization of organogel will be described, as well as different classifications and current applications in the cosmetic field, more particularly in dermo-cosmetics.

PREPARATION OF ORGANOGEL

Generally, organogels are prepared by heating a mixture of a gelator and an organic liquid (or organic solvent) in order to obtain a dispersion mixture, which after cooling at room temperature, leads to the formation of a jelly structure. Organogelator molecule interactions induce a gelator organization into well-defined aggregates, such as tubular rods, fibrils and fibers. Mainly three methods are used for the organogel preparation: fluid-filled fiber mechanism, solid fiber mechanism and mechanical homogenization and microirradiation method.