Amorepacific said it has developed a next-generation cosmetic delivery technology utilizing nanotechnology.
The research, conducted through an industry-academia collaboration led by Professor Choi Si-young at KAIST, was selected as the cover paper for the May issue (Vol. 20, Issue 17) of the international nanoscience journal ACS Nano. The paper is titled “Triterpenoids Bend and Bind Lipid Membranes into 20 nm Stable Nanocages.”
Cover of the May issue (Vol. 20, Issue 17) of ACS Nano (Courtesy of Amorepacific)
The study marks a significant technological advancement aimed at delivering cosmetic ingredients more effectively into the skin. The joint research team succeeded in reducing the size of lipid-based delivery carriers to approximately 20 nanometers (nm) -- far smaller than conventional systems -- while maintaining a highly stable structure resistant to collapse.
The ultra-stable 20 nm nano-delivery technology, currently applied to products from IOPE and Primera, has been named “Lipo3Ex.”
In general, smaller cosmetic delivery carriers are considered more effective for ingredient penetration, but maintaining structural stability at ultra-small sizes has remained a major challenge. In particular, nano-carriers smaller than 50 nm tend to collapse easily in response to slight changes in temperature or pH, limiting their commercial application.
To overcome this issue, Amorepacific’s R&I Center focused on plant-derived triterpenoids. Through the research, the team confirmed that triterpenoids help naturally preserve the carrier structure and strengthen intermolecular bonding, thereby enhancing stability. This enabled the researchers to achieve both ultra-small particle size and structural stability simultaneously -- two properties previously considered difficult to combine.
Human skin tests demonstrated that the technology dispersed more evenly into deeper skin layers than conventional delivery systems, thereby improving the efficiency of active ingredient delivery.
The findings suggest that cosmetic ingredients can be distributed more uniformly across the skin rather than concentrating in specific areas, potentially leading to more stable and consistent skincare benefits and overall improvements in skin condition during actual use. The technology may also serve as an important foundation for “skin longevity,” an approach focused on maintaining and managing the skin’s structural health over the long term.
The study also employed advanced analytical techniques -- including cryogenic electron microscopy, X-ray scattering analysis and molecular dynamics simulations -- to precisely verify the formation and stability of the nanostructure at the molecular level. The achievement is meaningful because it establishes a scientific foundation for designing cosmetic delivery technologies grounded in rigorous evidence rather than solely on sensory or empirical approaches.
Suh Byung-hwi, CTO and head of the R&I Center at Amorepacific, said, “This research is particularly meaningful because it demonstrates new technological possibilities created by combining nanoscience research with delivery technology, which is a key factor in translating the potential of cosmetic ingredients -- especially in skincare -- into actual efficacy.”
He added, “Amorepacific has been leading research from the perspective of ‘Holistic Longevity Solutions,’ which views the skin as an integrated system and focuses on maintaining long-term skin health. This achievement represents the realization of that approach and is expected to provide an important foundation for developing next-generation skincare solutions.”
Kim Ji-hye
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