Cosmeceuticals refer to a combination of cosmetics with pharmaceuticals which contain biologically active ingredients claimed to enhance the health and vitality of the skin and hair, restore the body’s natural function and help cell regeneration. The term cosmeceutical was first coined in 1984 by Albert Kligman, MD, PhD, from the words cosm(etic) + (pharma)ceutic. Dr Kligman used the term to identify products that brought both cosmetic and therapeutic effects to the skin.
Studies show that the skin, which is the largest organ in the body, is capable of absorbing up to 60% of the ingredients present in skin care products. Cosmeceuticals are formulated to penetrate the skin in a safe, effective and natural way, increasing the skin’s protection against pollution and oxidative damage and mitigating the visible signs of aging.
Cosmeceuticals include skin care, hair care and injectables. Of these three categories, skin care is the largest in the application segment, followed by hair care and injectables. In the skin care market, anti-aging products account for the largest share (Global Cosmeceuticals Market Outlook 2020) and this is the reason why cosmeceutical formulators are targeting the anti-aging category.
Popular cosmeceutical ingredients include antioxidants such as resveratrol, caffeine, ergothioneine, green tea and glutathione as well as Matrix Metalloproteinase Inhibitors (MMPi) such as retinoids, Vitamins C and E, Aloe Vera, soy extracts, beta-carotene and Epigallocatechin gallate.
Botanicals actually make up the largest category of cosmeceutical ingredients. Powders and extracts of various fruits and vegetables such as acerola, alfalfa, beet root, camu camu, carrot, cocoa, coconut, mango, noni, pomegranate, and wheatgrass are used in many cosmetic and skin-care formulations.
The constituents beta-carotene, lutein and lycopene are all found in carotenoids which help soothe sunburned skin while Vitamin E compounds help protect the skin from sunburn damage. Carotenoids are abundant in carrots and apricots, as well as dark leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, and broccoli.
Hyaluronic Acid (HA) is a cosmeceutical ingredient which supports the collagen and elastin fibers essential to maintaining skin, hair and joint health. HA foods include starchy root vegetables like sweet potato, soybeans, citrus fruits such as lemons, oranges and other fruits like mangoes, blueberries, and cherries.
Collagen is used in many cosmeceutical products to provide structure to skin tissues which assists in healing wounds and scars and to prevent sagging skin. It is found in Vitamin C rich foods including bell peppers, dark leafy greens, berries, citrus fruits, peas, papayas and kiwifruit. Vitamin C helps to replenish the collagen and elastin in aging skin.
Green tea provides polyphenols and catechins which help protect the skin from the sun’s damaging UV rays.
With the global cosmeceutical market anticipated to reach US$61 Billion by 2020, there exists a huge potential for product developers to debut into this area or to add new cosmeceutical products to their repertoire.
NP Nutra® is always at the forefront of researching customer demands and market trends. Customers can choose from an ever-expanding list of premium quality ingredients to use in a variety of cosmeceutical applications.
References:
http://www.reportlinker.com/p01103487-summary/Global-Cosmeceuticals-Market-Outlook.html
http://www.the-dermatologist.com/content/evaluating-cosmeceuticals
http://www.naturalproductsinsider.com/galleries/2014/02/image-gallery-insider-cosmeceutical-ingredients.aspx
http://www.the-dermatologist.com/content/evaluating-cosmeceuticals
http://www.freedoniagroup.com/Cosmeceuticals.html
http://www.nutritionaloutlook.com/beauty/cosmeceutical-ingredients-natural-approaches
https://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/vitamin-C.php
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