Topical delivery of skin compositions having low pH

1. A topical composition comprising:

(a) about 3 to about 6 wt % of a buffering agent having a pKa of about 2.8 to about 4.2; and

(b) a cosmetically acceptable active ingredient comprising a glycosaminoglycan and having a pKa within about 1 unit of the pKa of the buffering agent;

wherein the composition has a pH of 3.3 to 4 and a buffer capacity of at least about 0.15.

2. The topical composition of claim 1 , wherein the cosmetically acceptable active ingredient has a pKa within about 0.7 unit of the pKa of the buffering agent.

3. The topical composition of claim 1 , wherein the cosmetically acceptable active ingredient comprises hyaluronic acid.

4. The topical composition of claim 1 , wherein the cosmetically acceptable active ingredient comprises cross-linked hyaluronic acid.

5. The topical composition of claim 1 , wherein the buffering agent is selected from the group consisting of lactic acid, glycolic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, gluconic acid, and gluconolactone.

6. The topical composition of claim 1 , wherein the buffering agent is lactic acid.

7. A topical composition comprising:

(a) hyaluronic acid;

(b) about 3 to about 6 wt % of lactic acid;

(c) steareth 10;

(d) glycerol dilaurate; and

(e) glycerin;

wherein the composition has a pH of 3.3 to 4 and a buffer capacity of at least about 0.15.

8. The topical composition of claim 7 , wherein the hyaluronic acid comprises cross-linked hyaluronic acid.

9. The topical composition of claim 7 , further comprising a thickener selected from the group consisting of magnesium aluminum silicate, hydroxyethyl acrylate/sodium acryloyldimethyl taurate copolymer, xanthan gum, silica, cetyl hydroxyethylcellulose, and polyacrylate-13/polyisobutylene/polysorbate-20 blend, and mixtures thereof.

10. The topical composition of claim 9 , wherein the thickener comprises hydroxyethyl acrylate/sodium acryloyldimethyl taurate copolymer.

11. A method of increasing the topical delivery of a cosmetically acceptable active ingredient having a pKa of about 2.8 to about 4, comprising topically administering the cosmetically acceptable active ingredient in a composition having a pH of 3.3 to 4, a buffer capacity of at least about 0.15, and containing about 3 to about 6 wt % of a buffering agent having a pKa of about 2.8 to about 4.2.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein said topical delivery is at least doubled compared with the topical delivery of the cosmetically acceptable active ingredient when contained in the composition having a pH of greater than 4.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein said topical delivery is at least doubled compared with the topical delivery of the cosmetically acceptable active ingredient when contained in the composition not containing said buffering agent.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the cosmetically acceptable active ingredient comprises hyaluronic acid.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the cosmetically acceptable active ingredient comprises cross-linked hyaluronic acid.

16. A topical composition comprising:

(a) about 3 to about 6 wt % of lactic acid;

(b) steareth 10;

(c) glycerol dilaurate; and

(d) glycerin;

wherein the composition has a pH of 3.3 to 4 and a buffer capacity of at least about 0.15.

17. The topical composition of claim 16 , further comprising a thickener selected from the group consisting of magnesium aluminum silicate, hydroxyethyl acrylate/sodium acryloyldimethyl taurate copolymer, xanthan gum, silica, cetyl hydroxyethylcellulose, and polyacrylate-13/polyisobutylene/polysorbate-20 blend, and mixtures thereof.

18. The topical composition of claim 17 , wherein the thickener comprises hydroxyethyl acrylate/sodium acryloyldimethyl taurate copolymer.