APJ Vol 56 2023

COSMETIC CHEMISTRY
REVIEWING THE SKIN CHARACTERISTICS
AND BENEFITS OF
VANILLIC ACID –
Beyond a Flavouring
By Tina Viney
Today’s cosmeceuticals are very much focused on delivering
activite ingredients to the deeper layers of the skin where
they can contribute to change. While in the past, cosmetic
formulations were only designed for protecting and nurturing
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the surface of the skin, progressively the objective of current
formulations is a more targeted approach towards correction and
mitigating skin deficiencies that contribute to skin disorders.
With this approach, we are seeing a shift in formulation trends
using more advanced technologies that provide greater targeted
efficiency in ingredient delivery to specific skin cells.
Another change in formulations is the use of the synergistic
principles, where specific, evidence-based ingredients are
combined to amplify and enhance their efficacy when used in
combination. This trend is very prevalent, particularly in the newgeneration
clinical strength serums.
While in the past you may have seen vitamin C or vitamin A on
its own, we are now seeing synergistic blends utilising traditional
ingredients combined with other ingredients such as quercetin,
alpha-lipoic Acid or vanillic Acid. For this reason, we regularly
review in APJ some of the new generation ingredients for the
characteristics and benefits. Here we take a closer look at
vanillic acid.
WHY SERUMS
As several advanced technologies are now common-place in skin
therapies, delivering actives in serum form, (especially water-based
solutions) makes them more suitable to be incorporated with the
use of various devices for enhance results. Cream formulations
on the other hand, may be considered too occlusive, with their
higher molecular weight disrupting or inhibiting the delivery of the
device’s current through to the skin.
WHAT IS VANILLIC ACID
Vanillic acid, also known chemically as (4-hydroxy-3-methoxy
benzoic acid) is a flavouring agent found in many edible plants
and fruits. This is the intermediate product of the two-step
bioconversion of ferulic acid to vanillin.
Among its many properties, vanillic acid is known for its
antibacterial, antimicrobial, and chemo-preventive properties,
which makes it an excellent ingredient for supporting skin health
and improving skin conditions such as acne.
In humans and rats, vanillin is metabolised into vanillic acid, which
is excreted in the urine as both a free and conjugated form. In vivo,
the mechanisms by which vanillic acid exerts anti-inflammatory
effects has been confirmed. The anti-inflammatory mechanisms
of vanillic acid are believed to involve the inhibition of oxidative
stress, production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and activation of
nuclear factor-kappa B.
Studies have found that vanillic acid is both analgesic and antiinflammatory
in numerous murine inflammation models, and its
mechanisms of action involve antioxidants as well as NFκB-related
inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokine production (Calixto-
Campos et al., 2015). These characteristics make it a valuable
ingredient when delivering treatments that may pose a level of
pain or discomfort, such as skin needling.
When used internally, several studies have indicated that vanillic
acid may contribute to the prevention of diabetic neuropathy
by inhibiting the methylglyoxal-mediated intracellular glycation
system (Huang et al., 2008; Prince et al., 2015).
VANILLIC ACID NUTRIENT PROFILE
Vitamin B: In terms of nutrients, vanillic acid is a good source of
B-Vitamins such as niacin, thiamine, Vitamin B6 and pantothenic
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