In 1961, Alec Bangham, an English researcher, working on the phospholipids of red cell membranes (lecithins), discovered their spontaneous organization with water. Liposomes were born. Acting as true vectors of active
ingredients, they became the object of extensive research and, twenty-five years later, had a huge success in cosmetics.
At the end of the 1980s, research on vectorization gave rise to new systems of encapsulation such as nanocapsules or collaspheres (collagen microspheres) and to polymeric nanoemulsions. Self-guided liposomes, transporting
proteins, and chemical function grafting aimed at reaching more directly the targeted cells and thus at improving the efficacy of the transported active ingredients.
Vitamin A (or retinol) was also the focus of much attention due to its biological activity on wrinkles. In a few years, retinol thus became a major active ingredient in numerous product ranges fighting against photoaging.
