Cosmetic innovations come from many sources.

NON-TRADITIONAL advances are taking place in the cosmetic industry. Researchers are tapping the fields of nutrition and biotech to uncover the next breakthrough anti-aging product.

More companies than ever before are rolling out their own lines of vitamins. In one of the latest collaborations, Pharmative LLC, Northridge, CA, will manufacture vitamins for P&G under the Olay brand. Meawhile, in Germany, Merz launched a special "anti-age" skin capsule that is taken orally. The supplement is a combination of retinol, vitamin E and coenzyme Q-10. It reportedly not only promotes the regeneration of the skin from within, but it also gives the skin a fresher, smoother appearance after two or three weeks. It is also said to induce long-term improvement in the skin's elasticity and tone.

Another German company, Dr. Scheller Cosmetics, has a dietary supplement to compensate for deficiencies caused by eating the wrong foods or environmental stress, such as excess sun exposure. The actives maintain the skin's anti-oxidative protection shield. The actives include carotinoid extracts, lycopine from natural tomato extract, selenium from yeast, vitamin C and vitamin E from plants, and are said to combat the formation of free radicals. Biotin, panthothenic acid and zinc from yeast all help cell metabolism.

On another front, procedures are being devised to test individuals for genetic markers, such as single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that could determine which medication would be appropriate to treat an illness. If DNA variations determine the way drugs affect people, these same variations might determine how people respond to different skin care formulations.

The tests would identify oxidative stress and immune response mechanisms. It is suggested that the likelihood of developing wrinkles is characterized by the subjects resistance to oxidative stress--the more resistant, the less the wrinkles. One test would be a marker for the enzyme superoxide dismutase, which begins the process of converting harmful superoxide into oxygen and water. If this activity is low, a person is more likely to develop wrinkles, age spots and skin irritation.

The Role of Biotech

Many cosmetic companies are testing biotech ingredients for their usefulness. Active extracts from tissue cultures are being examined along with compounds (proteins, terpenes and flavonoids) from large scale plant cell fermentation. Cell cultures are a dependable and controllable source of supply for natural ingredients because the problem of crop failure from a pore" growing season is eliminated.

Even household product formulators can benefit from the technology. P&G's Dawn Special Care dishwashing detergent contains a protease enzyme that softens skin without causing any allergic reactions. Other peptides could be incorporated into skin treatment creams to exfoliate skin. These ingredients are a mild alternative to alpha hydroxy acids.

These biotech developments are precursors to genetic engineering. With the human genetic code nearly complete, more genetically-modified products are sure to appear. To date, most have been geared toward agriculture, but now scientists are turning their attention to more lucrative genetically-modified (GM) products for consumers. Some of these include:

* Apples that coat teeth with a protein to prevent tooth decay;

* Cigarettes made from low-nicotine tobacco;

* GM mosquitos to prevent the spread of malaria and

* GM hair that, under the right light, glows in bright colors!

However, a debate already swirls around GM food--imagine what will happen if a company in upstate New York makes good on its promise to produce the first allergen-free cat in a few years! No one can predict what these mutants might do outside the laboratory. Could a wayward gene mingle with an animal virus to create a disease that's lethal to humans? What happens to the food chain if prey are modified to be bigger than predators? Might a modified animal drive the natural species to extinction? All of these are serious questions that have yet to be resolved.

HARVEY M. FISHMAN CONSULTANT

HARVEY FISHMAN HAS A CONSULTING FIRM AT 34 CHICASAW DRIVE, OAKLAND, NJ 07436, [e-mail], SPECIALIZING IN COSMETIC FORMULATIONS AND NEW PRODUCT IDEAS, OFFERING TESTED FINISHED PRODUCTS. HE HAS MORE THAN 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND HAS BEEN DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH AT BONAT, NESTLE LEMUR AND TURNER HALL. HE WELCOMES DESCRIPTIVE LITERATURE FROM SUPPLIERS AND BENCH CHEMISTS AND OTHERS IN THE FIELD.