Nutricosmetics is a novel developing branch of cosmetics aiming to optimize cosmetic products as well as food supplements for the objective of skin nourishment and reduction of skin aging. This innovative branch of cosmetics is highly desirable for many, and with the world's population predicted to grow to 1.4 billion by 2030, this industry is also expected to gain rapid traction.
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What is Nutricosmetics?
This novel sector of cosmetics includes both cosmetic products and food supplements that have the underlying purpose of increasing the integrity of skin and maintaining youthfulness through reducing aging.
Food supplements include micronutrients, which can be described as vitamins and minerals, macronutrients, which include peptides and fatty acids, as well as botanicals, comprising herbal extracts and fruit extracts.
These products and supplements provide nutritional support to skin, nails, and hair, encompassing inner wellbeing, including activity and mood.
Nutricosmetics have become the latest trend that has rocketed through the global population. Beauty brands are developing innovative strategies to meet the demand of targeting the root cause of ubiquitous skin and health problems to provide long-term results.
The global market for this novel industry for anti-aging has been estimated by P&S Intelligence to rise from $194 billion in 2020 to $422 billion by 2030. The nutricosmetics market has been predicted to grow significantly, with reports of a compound annual growth rate of 7.07%. Beauty supplements are also estimated to achieve approximately $7 billion at the end of 2024.
Skin Aging
The skin is the largest organ in the body as well as the primary defense against the environment; subsequently, exposure to the outside world can cause premature skin aging.
The function of this critical organ, other than protection, includes maintaining the balance of liquids, preventing water loss as well as encouraging perspiration.
Stressors of the skin can include free radicals from pollution and ultraviolet rays, causing reactive oxygen species to be activated and induce unnecessary inflammation; this can affect DNA, lipids and proteins, and destroy the integrity of biological components within the body. It can also include the breakdown of collagen, a significant element of the extracellular matrix that functions to support cells.
Proteins such as collagen and keratin provide the skin with strength and elasticity and waterproofing. The loss of these can be detrimental to the integrity and quality of skin health, resulting in wrinkles and brittle nails or hair.
Additionally, other causes of skin problems can include sportswear, resulting in dryness and irritation due to the increase of friction between the skin and the material of tight clothing.
Showering frequently and the use of detergents can also negatively impact the integrity of the skin with an alteration of hydrolipidic film and affect elasticity.
Nanotechnology for Nutricosmetics
Nanocarriers are ubiquitous within nanomedicine; however, with skin quality and health in high demand for consumers, these fields have overlapped.
The use of nanotechnology and nanoformulations as delivery systems for improving the performance of active components within cosmetics and supplements can enhance the quality of products to ensure effective results.
This diverse field can be used for a range of products, from sunscreen and barrier creams that ensure the skin barrier is strengthened against ultraviolet rays and pollutants to antiacne, anti-aging, and hair products.
Nanoemulsions
Nanoemulsions can be described as colloidal dispersions with a droplet radius of 10 to 100 nm in size; these nanotechnology incorporations into the nutricosmetics industry can be useful as they are used to increase the delivery of active ingredients in the skin.
An example of this includes oil/water nanoemulsions that can hold water-soluble active components such as polyphenols and emulsifiers; these can include Opuntia ficus indica (L.) extract for use within moisturizing. However, hydroalcoholic extracts of Vellozia squamata leaves are used as anti-aging agents in products, while pomegranate seed oil can be developed to protect the skin against photodamage against the ultraviolet light.
Nanoparticles
Nanoparticles have a diameter of 10 and 1000 nm and can also be used for nutricosmetics, with a range of nanoparticles including but not limited to polymeric nanoparticles, hydrogel nanoparticles, and copolymerized peptide nanoparticles.
Using these colloidal-sized particles as delivery systems can enhance the penetrative ability through the skin barrier, enabling the release of active ingredients within cosmetic products. Additionally, the use of nanoparticles can also involve surface functionalization of active elements to further the skin's targetability and improve particular areas of concern.
Metallic nanoparticles are examples of nanoparticles used within suncream and cosmetic formulations, with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide being used to create sunscreens that are more transparent. Safranal nanoparticles, which include solid and lipid nanoparticles, have been shown to increase sunscreen activity when used within a size range of 103-230 nm; this illustrates the optimization nature of nanotechnology and versatility in finding the optimum level for an application.
Antioxidants
The administration of antioxidants, including vitamins A, C and E, significant for skin repair, can be challenging, with the biological activity level being low due to the low solubility in aqueous environments and instability as a result of pH and degradation by enzymes.
The use of nanotechnology delivery systems can increase the availability of these substances within food supplements or as a topical formulation. Using biodegradable polymer-based delivery systems including liposomes or lipid nanoparticles, active ingredients can achieve permeability as well as maintain stability in the body.
Future Outlook
The future of nutricosmetics has been predicted to be monumental and fast-moving, and with the incorporation of nanotechnology as a delivery system for the holistic health of skin, this field may be revolutionary.
Skin integrity is a critical component of health. With the skin being the largest organ in the body, protecting its functionality against the continuous onslaught of carcinogens and stressors from the environment should be a significant priority for wellbeing.
References and Further Reading
Dini, I., 2022. Contribution of Nanoscience Research in Antioxidants Delivery Used in Nutricosmetic Sector. Antioxidants, 11(3), p.563. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox11030563
Dini, I. and Laneri, S., 2019. Nutricosmetics: A brief overview. Phytotherapy Research, 33(12), pp.3054-3063. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.6494
Kaul, S., Gulati, N., Verma, D., Mukherjee, S. and Nagaich, U., 2018. Role of Nanotechnology in Cosmeceuticals: A Review of Recent Advances. Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2018, pp.1-19. Available at: https://dx.doi.org/10.1155%2F2018%2F3420204
Merchet, S., 2022. Beauty-from-within complements overall wellness strategies. [online] Natural Products INSIDER. Available at: https://www.naturalproductsinsider.com/personal-care/beauty-within-complements-overall-wellness-strategies
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