Research Summary
Cosmetics are pharmaceutical products used for improving skin appearance and body odor. These products are available in various forms, ranging from lotions, creams, powders, and more. Cosmetics are used for cleansing, protecting, and moisturizing the skin. Generally, consumers prefer cosmetics that have less harmful effects on their skin.
"Cosmeceutical" products have now been developed by many pharmaceutical industries. According to Duroja et al., a cosmeceutical is the combination of a topical cosmetic and a pharmaceutical that is used for enhancing beauty through ingredients that have biological functions related to the skin [1]. The topical cosmetic, which contains antioxidants, is used to protect human skin against damage caused by ultraviolet radiation (UVR) and free radicals [2]. Antioxidant compounds are very important for pharmaceutical industries. Antioxidants can be added to cosmetic preparations because of their activities against free radicals. Unfortunately, most antioxidants are not stable, which can cause many problems in the formulation of cosmetics. The selection of antioxidants and their concentrations in cosmetic formulations must be optimized.
Nowadays, the use of plant-derived natural antioxidants in cosmetics is preferred over synthetic antioxidants [3]. Extracts of plant-derived antioxidants generally contain a mixture of natural compounds, which could have synergetic effects, leading to better results and less toxicity [3].
Due to their instability, maintaining the activity of antioxidants in formulations during their claimed shelf life is often problematic. For this reason, the concentration of each antioxidant should be determined and controlled for its chemical stability to ensure that the consumer receives a product with the promised activity. Activity assays of plant-derived antioxidants are not simple because the compounds are usually very complex.
The aim of this chapter is to review all aspects of the use of (natural) antioxidants in cosmetics. Free radicals, human skin defense systems, the use of antioxidants in cosmetics, determination of antioxidants’ activity/capacity, and important natural antioxidants and their mechanisms are summarized and discussed.
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