Awash with naturality: Seaweed use in cosmetic and nutricosmetic applications examined

06 Apr 2022 --- Demand for natural ingredients is expanding seaweed’s applicability in cosmetics, cosmeceuticals and nutricosmetics to improve the skin’s appearance and treat dermatologic disorders. Seaweed extracts help formulate various hygienic products, such as deodorants, shampoos, cleaning supplies and water-free cleaning agents without surfactants.

These functionalities are highlighted by a review paper from several Spanish universities funded by the nation’s Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, which detailed that seaweed is a valuable component in product formulation due to its functional, sensory and biological properties.

“Seaweed potentially has an important role to play in the nutricosmetic category,” Amanda Mackinnon, marketing and communications manager at Marinova, tells PersonalCareInsights.

“Marinova’s fucoidan extracts are incorporated into a range of nutricosmetic products. The beauty-from-within category is embracing these novel marine ingredients, increasingly incorporating them into innovative formulations targeting healthy aging.”

Seaweed can be used to extract a wide range of biologically active compounds, including vitamins, minerals, amino acids, carbohydrates and lipids, to create both traditional and new cosmeceutical products.

The researchers noted that fucoidans –sulfated polysaccharides found in brown algae and seaweed – are “intriguing” cosmetic ingredients because they are non-toxic, biodegradable and biocompatible. Also, fucoidans may have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential.

Bioactive compounds, gelling and emulsifying
The use of seaweed-derived compounds in cosmetic products has expanded in recent years due to several scientific studies proving the potential skincare qualities of seaweed bioactives.

The researchers noted that the bioactive compounds in seaweed – polyphenols, polysaccharides, proteins, peptides, amino acids, lipids, vitamins, and minerals – add to its biological capabilities.

Technical properties of seaweed fractions include thickening, gelling, emulsifying, texturizing and moistening to create cohesive matrices. Additionally, upcycling industrial waste streams such as beach casts and algae blooms makes them appealing, low-cost, raw and renewable materials.

Seaweeds have several advantages, including their renewable nature, wide distribution and valuable bioactive compounds, which can be used as active agents in skincare NPD.Due to its biologically active molecules and vitamins, seaweed has been converted into ingredients in traditional cosmetics, such as solid soaps, to replace sodium lauryl sulfate. Many algae extracts have also been used in nutritional supplements and alternative medicines recommended for skin-related diseases due to their rich compositions.

According to the review paper, other essential aspects of seaweed use that need to be investigated further include greener bioactive extraction, chemical and biological characterization, and the stability and delivery of bioactives into novel products.

Quality control and standardization are necessary for the commercial use of seaweed bioactives, just as they are for other ingredients and applications, researchers observe.

Nutricosmetics and skin health
Considering skin-related diseases and nutritional supplements, seaweed properties are added as the active ingredient.

The marine-sourced crop offers photoprotective, moisturizing, antioxidant, anti-melanogenic, anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory, anti-acne, anti-wrinkling, antimicrobial, anti-aging and whitening characteristics. Additionally, it has low cytotoxicity and allergen content.

According to the review paper, seaweed also contains polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) that can improve skin barrier protection and other biological processes. Researchers add that seaweed-infused nutricosmetics may have an anti-obesity effect and can control inflammatory reactions.

Sterols regulate membrane fluidity and permeability as structural components of cell membranes and fucosterol has been shown to have antioxidant, antiproliferative, anti-photodamage and anti-inflammatory activities.

Potential in nutrition and beauty formulation
A variety of nutricosmetics have been developed to be combined into everyday foods and beverages to improve skin look and firmness and strengthen people’s body’s constitution, improve skin antioxidant capacity, lose weight and beautify skin.

Speaking with PersonalCareInsights, Cargill Beauty previously stated that carrageenans are an “eco-friendly” alternative for gelling and solid beauty products. Carrageenans are environmentally favorable because they are naturally derived from red seaweed and can be whole processed, reducing energy use during product formulation.

These insights followed the company’s launch of kappa carrageenan, branded Satiagel VPC614, specifically suited for high gelling applications and solid formulations.

Meanwhile, UpCircle Beauty’s exec urged “brands need to take the next step” in upcycled beauty with its body bath range tapping into repurposed ingredients, including seaweed extract and discarded flower petals from florists and wedding venues.

The European Commission (EC) is currently developing a stakeholder platform to encourage the use of algae in nutrition and packaging. The project, dubbed EU4Algae, aims to boost business development and consumer awareness.

By Nicole Kerr