The benefits and harms of resorcinol and its use in cosmetics

Resorcinol

(Resorcinol, 1,3-dihydroxybenzene) - meta-dihydroxybenzene. Resorcinol has a specific odor. It has the same composition as pyrocatechol and hydroquinone, differing from them only in the relative arrangement of hydroxyl groups.

Receipt

It is obtained by sulfonation of benzene and then alkaline smelting (fusion of 1,3-benzenedisulfonic acid with alkali, in particular sodium hydroxide [1]).

What is characteristic: other para-substituted benzenes, for example, 1,4-bromophenol, 1,4-benzenesulfonic acid, when fused with alkali, give resorcinol.

It is also obtained by oxidation of 1,3-diisopropylbenzene with atmospheric oxygen, followed by acid hydrolysis of the resulting bihydroperoxide to resorcinol and acetone.

Indications for use

Resorcinol is a therapeutic drug not only for cosmetic purposes, but, above all, for medical purposes. It is indicated in the case of:

• eczematous manifestations of various origins;
• atopic dermatitis and neurodermatitis;
• seborrhea of ​​various etiologies and courses;

• chronic folliculitis;
• age spots;
• skin itching;
• alopecia of any origin.

In the West, resorcinol is used mainly for lightening the dermis, whitening, removing age spots of various locations, and rarely as a component of hair dye. In Russia, resorcinol has a wider range of uses.

Chemical properties

Resorcinol has the properties of phenols. With alkalis it forms salts - phenolates; with dimethyl sulfate it gives resorcinol monomethyl ether and resorcinol dimethyl ether [2].

When reacting with ammonia, it forms 3-aminophenol. The mutual influence of the two OH groups makes it easy for resorcinol to enter into electrophilic substitution reactions, mainly at position 4(6), and more difficult at position 2. Thus, when interacting with halogens, it forms 2,4,6-trihalogen-substituted. When nitric acid acts on resorcinol, resazurin is formed [3], when interacting with concentrated nitric acid (d = 1.4 g/cm3) and concentrated sulfuric acid, 2,4,6-trinitroresorcinol is formed. With picric acid gives picrate, m.p. 89-90 °C.

Resorcinol easily enters into azo coupling reactions, for example, with diazotized sulfanilic acid it produces resorcinol yellow dye.

It condenses with phthalic anhydride in the presence of zinc chloride (175-196°C) to form fluorescein.

With glacial acetic acid in the presence of zinc chloride at 145 °C it forms acetophenones.

Restores feling liquid and ammonia solution of silver chloride. Color reaction to resorcinol: upon interaction with FeCl3, a dark purple color appears, turning into black. If stored improperly, resorcinol turns pinkish-orange due to easy oxidation.

How does the product work?

Resorcinol is a product of artificial (laboratory or industrial) synthesis; it has the same composition as hydroquinone or pyrocahetin. These are colorless crystals, easily soluble in water and alcohol, and have a specific smell in solution.

Essentially, resorcinol, an antiseptic. It is capable of coagulating microbial proteins, which leads to their death in the vegetative form and only slightly affects the spores. But the abilities of resorcinol are so great and varied that in cosmetology it is used to solve many problems.

Resorcinol:

• blocks melanin synthesis, that is, prevents the appearance of freckles;
• quickly and deeply penetrates the dermis, inhibiting the possibility of post-solar pigmentation;
• The activity of resorcinol is so great that it can be dangerous for the dermis, while the substance improves the texture of the skin, evens out its surface, smoothes out wrinkles;
• has antioxidant properties;
• activates desquamation (exfoliation) of the stratum corneum of the epidermis.

An excerpt characterizing Resorcinol

- What, master, aren’t you sleeping? - said the Cossack sitting under the truck. - No; and... Likhachev, I think your name is? After all, I just arrived. We went to the French. - And Petya told the Cossack in detail not only his trip, but also why he went and why he believes that it is better to risk his life than to make Lazar at random. “Well, they should have slept,” said the Cossack. “No, I’m used to it,” answered Petya. - What, you don’t have flints in your pistols? I brought it with me. Isn't it necessary? You take it. The Cossack leaned out from under the truck to take a closer look at Petya. “Because I’m used to doing everything carefully,” said Petya. “Some people just don’t get ready, and then they regret it.” I don't like it that way. “That’s for sure,” said the Cossack. “And one more thing, please, my dear, sharpen my saber; dull it... (but Petya was afraid to lie) it was never sharpened. Can this be done? - Why, it’s possible. Likhachev stood up, rummaged through his packs, and Petya soon heard the warlike sound of steel on a block. He climbed onto the truck and sat on the edge of it. The Cossack was sharpening his saber under the truck. - Well, are the fellows sleeping? - said Petya. - Some are sleeping, and some are like this. - Well, what about the boy? - Is it spring? He collapsed there in the entryway. He sleeps with fear. I was really glad. For a long time after this, Petya was silent, listening to the sounds. Footsteps were heard in the darkness and a black figure appeared. -What are you sharpening? – the man asked, approaching the truck. - But sharpen the master’s saber. “Good job,” said the man who seemed to Petya to be a hussar. - Do you still have a cup? - And over there by the wheel. The hussar took the cup. “It’ll probably be light soon,” he said, yawning, and walked off somewhere. Petya should have known that he was in the forest, in Denisov’s party, a mile from the road, that he was sitting on a wagon captured from the French, around which the horses were tied, that the Cossack Likhachev was sitting under him and sharpening his saber, that there was a big black spot to the right is a guardhouse, and a bright red spot below to the left is a dying fire, that the man who came for a cup is a hussar who was thirsty; but he knew nothing and did not want to know it. He was in a magical kingdom in which there was nothing like reality. A large black spot, perhaps there was definitely a guardhouse, or perhaps there was a cave that led into the very depths of the earth. The red spot might have been fire, or maybe the eye of a huge monster. Maybe he is definitely sitting on a wagon now, but it may very well be that he is sitting not on a wagon, but on a terribly high tower, from which if he fell, he would fly to the ground for a whole day, a whole month - keep flying and never reach it . It may be that just a Cossack Likhachev is sitting under the truck, but it may very well be that this is the kindest, bravest, most wonderful, most excellent person in the world, whom no one knows. Maybe it was just a hussar passing for water and going into the ravine, or maybe he just disappeared from sight and completely disappeared, and he was not there. Whatever Petya saw now, nothing would surprise him. He was in a magical kingdom where everything was possible. He looked at the sky. And the sky was as magical as the earth. The sky was clearing, and clouds were moving quickly over the tops of the trees, as if revealing the stars. Sometimes it seemed that the sky cleared and a black, clear sky appeared. Sometimes it seemed that these black spots were clouds. Sometimes it seemed as if the sky was rising high, high above your head; sometimes the sky dropped completely, so that you could reach it with your hand. Petya began to close his eyes and sway. Drops fell. There was a quiet conversation. The horses neighed and fought. Someone was snoring. “Ozhig, zhig, zhig, zhig...” the saber being sharpened whistled. And suddenly Petya heard a harmonious choir of music playing some unknown, solemnly sweet hymn. Petya was musical, just like Natasha, and more than Nikolai, but he had never studied music, did not think about music, and therefore the motives that unexpectedly came to his mind were especially new and attractive to him. The music played louder and louder. The melody grew, moving from one instrument to another. What was called a fugue was happening, although Petya had not the slightest idea what a fugue was. Each instrument, sometimes similar to a violin, sometimes like trumpets - but better and cleaner than violins and trumpets - each instrument played its own and, not yet finishing the tune, merged with another, which started almost the same, and with the third, and with the fourth , and they all merged into one and scattered again, and again merged, now into the solemn church, now into the brightly brilliant and victorious. “Oh, yes, it’s me in a dream,” Petya said to himself, swaying forward. - It's in my ears. Or maybe it's my music. Well, again. Go ahead my music! Well!..” He closed his eyes. And from different sides, as if from afar, sounds began to tremble, began to harmonize, scatter, merge, and again everything united into the same sweet and solemn hymn. “Oh, what a delight this is! As much as I want and how I want,” Petya said to himself. He tried to lead this huge choir of instruments. “Well, hush, hush, freeze now. – And the sounds obeyed him. - Well, now it’s fuller, more fun. More, even more joyful. – And from an unknown depth arose intensifying, solemn sounds. “Well, voices, pester!” - Petya ordered. And first, male voices were heard from afar, then female voices. The voices grew, grew in uniform, solemn effort. Petya was scared and joyful to listen to their extraordinary beauty.

Where is it found?

Resorcinol is used in care products for problem skin and hair, in decorative cosmetics and hair dyes. According to the EU Cosmetic Regulations, the maximum permissible concentration of resorcinol in finished products is no more than 0.5%.

However, resorcinol gained its greatest popularity in cosmetology thanks to resorcinol peeling, better known as Jessner's solution. This is a superficial chemical peel, known as a social option for skin rejuvenation, since it does not require a vacation at your own expense.

Preparation and execution

There is no need to prepare for a Jessner peel. Sometimes they do preliminary mechanical cleansing of the skin or use preparations with AHA acids. The peeling itself takes place in several stages:

• first – standard cleansing of the dermis: makeup removal, removal of impurities, degreasing;
• then a layer of peeling composition is applied. A burning sensation may occur, so have a fan or fan at the ready. The applicator is disposable. If the skin is oily or very thick, use a sterile gauze pad. There are two points that help to understand how deeply the peeling solution with resorcinol has penetrated: the appearance of acid salts in the form of a whitish coating, easily removed with a cotton pad, and the effect of frost, the same whitish coating, but it is not removed from the surface of the skin. The first option corresponds to the first level or superficial peeling. Two or three days of peeling after such manipulation, and the skin is like new. The second option is a superficial-medium peeling, here the peeling is intense and lasts a week;
• The third stage is to remove any remaining product from the skin and apply a moisturizer to the face.

Usually the procedure is performed once every month and a half. The course consists of three to four procedures. Thanks to resorcinol, there are never any scars left after the procedure, even in cases of overdose of the care product (a large number of layers or increased exposure).

After the procedure, it is recommended to refrain from thermal procedures and visiting the gym. In addition, it is better not to use decorative cosmetics at first, protect the skin from ultraviolet radiation, wash with acidified water, and topically use serums or water-based ampoule moisturizer concentrates.

At the second level of peeling, a film is formed that tightens the face, which is replaced by crusts that must come off on their own. This takes about a week and a half. Massaging the skin is prohibited; you can add panthenol and micellar water, alginate masks to actively moisturize the dermis and improve its condition.

Resorcinol peeling

The peeling composition, in addition to resorcinol (15%), includes citric acid (5%), lactic acid (10%), and salicylic acid. Ethyl alcohol acts as a solvent, giving the composition the smell of alcohol.

Peeling has the ability to correct the functioning of the sebaceous glands, smooth out imperfections, and activate regeneration. Suitable for correcting atrophic scars and stretch marks. The procedure is recommended for: acne without exacerbation, sagging dermis, skin imperfections requiring correction, signs of photoaging, for oval tightening.

Contraindications, in addition to standard restrictions on the use of resorcinol, include herpes, molluscum contagiosum, mycoses, fresh tan, colds with fever, taking contraceptives, antibiotics, tumors.