Seaweed for Cosmetic Applications

Introduction

Modern lifestyles have created a new focus on appearance and personal care, attracting a large number of consumers to cosmetic products. Many synthetic chemicals are now used in cosmetics, which have failed to satisfy customers due to their high cost and unsafe side effects. The cosmetic industry is always looking for new active compounds from natural sources. Seaweeds are a major source of active compounds with a wide range of applications in demand. In recent years, many scientific studies demonstrating the potential skin care properties of seaweed, bioactive compounds have been widely used in cosmetics, especially in face creams, hand creams, and body creams or lotions. Recent advances in marine biotechnology and bioactive ingredients have greatly aided research into aging, inflammation, and skin degeneration.

Fig 1. Cosmeceutical potential of algae components. (López-Hortas L, et al., 2021)

Customized Solutions

Cosmetics represents a highly competitive and rapidly changing global market that requires natural, safe, and effective ingredients to develop new skincare products. Our scientists develop seaweed and seaweed-derived active compounds for cosmetic applications. Why do we choose seaweed as a natural active ingredient for cosmetic products?

• Seaweed is a sustainable and renewable resource that is widely distributed.
• The valuable bioactive compounds of seaweed can be used as technical ingredients to improve the texture, color or stability of cosmetic products and as bioactive agents.
• Seaweed ingredients can be included in cosmetics as thickeners or gelling agents, antioxidants and colorants, or as active ingredients in moisturizing, anti-ageing, whitening, and pigmentation reduction products.
• Seaweed is environmentally friendly.

Lifeasible continues to develop the potential of macroalgae for cosmeceuticals and skincare and is committed to providing specialist solutions for the cosmetic applications of seaweed. We are proud to offer a broad platform for using seaweed in cosmetic applications. Our technicians incorporate seaweed ingredients in different physical forms and can be purchased in soaps, shampoos, sprays, hydrogels, or creams. In addition, we develop suitable carrier systems or vesicles to improve their efficiency and stability, such as liposomes, nano/particles, emulsions, hydrogels, etc. We aim to carry active agents in commercial products to achieve a boosting effect.

• Antibacterial agents.
• Antioxidants.
• Sensory properties: we offer sensory, spreadability, and pleasure tests to evaluate the incorporation of different seaweed ingredients.
• Texturisation.

Bioactive Functions of Seaweed Cosmetics

• Moisturising: Seaweed extracts are used in skin moisturizers, facial cleansing products, masks, make-up removers, bath additives, and in products to prevent cellulite. Moisturizers help to maintain the appearance and elasticity of the skin and improve its barrier effect against harmful environmental factors.
• Skin lightening: Different seaweed ingredients can be active tyrosinase inhibitors commonly used to lighten the skin.
• UV protection, antioxidant and anti-aging: Seaweed ingredients prevent skin aging by regulating proteins involved in gene expression, cell survival and metabolism, inflammatory processes, dermal extracellular matrix synthesis, melanogenesis, and keratin-forming cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation.

Lifeasible is constantly exploring the maximum potential of seaweed applications. We try to develop seaweed and seaweed-derived bioactive compounds into conventional and novel cosmeceutical products. We are your trusted partner in all aspects of seaweed research. If you are interested in our solutions, please do not hesitate to contact us.