Beauty from within: Exploring the world of Nutricosmetics
Beauty care methods and beauty care products have a long history throughout human civilization. In today’s world, beauty care industry has updated from simple number of products to large number of products like serums, moisturizers, toners, sunscreens, lip balms, sheet masks, and techniques like micro needling with the development of technology and the awareness of consumers. Nutricosmetics can be identified as the latest trend in the beauty industry. This trend has gained the attention of many consumers because it perfectly fits with modern culture. Nowadays, people pay a high attention to the food that they introduce to body and there is also a huge demand for natural products to enhance not only the beauty but also health without harmful side effects. It is an intersection of nutrition and beauty care which emphasize the use of nutrition supplements to enhance beauty from within.
Nutricosmetics are dietary supplements consumed orally, which helps to improve skin, nail and hair health. Unlike typical skin care, hair care and nail care products, which only suitable for external use, nutricosmetics work from inside to out. They supply essential minerals, vitamins, amino acids, and antioxidants like compounds directly to body. It helps to improve skin hydration and stimulate the production of collagen and hyaluronic acid leading to a more hydrated, youthful and radiant skin. And also, they can promote the health of nail and hair.
Ingredients found in nutricosmetics
Collagen, Biotin, Antioxidants like Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Minerals (mostly zinc and selenium), Omega 3 fatty acids and Hyaluronic acid are some of the key ingredients in nutricosmetics. These compounds have several benefits towards skin, hair and nails.
- Collagen peptides
Collagen is a star compound that essential to maintain a healthy skin, hair and nails. It helps to improve skin elasticity, reducing the sagging appearance of skin. This helps to minimize the formation of wrinkles thus maintain a plump and youthful skin. Collagen is also important to improve hair and nail strength.
- Hyaluronic acid
Hyaluronic acid is a polysaccharide which mainly responsible for increasing skin hydration. It helps to reduce the dryness of skin while improving skin elasticity and reducing the depth of wrinkles.
- Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant, which helps to minimize the damage from free radicals. It works well in skin brightening as well as in the growth of nails and hair.
- Vitamin E
Vitamin E is another antioxidant. It promotes the scalp health by balancing pH and oil production in scalp, resulting a strong and healthy hair. It also helps to reduce the skin damage cause by free radicals.
- Minerals (Zinc and Selenium)
Zinc is important to reduce skin inflammation while Selenium act against range of stresses and damage. Both of them are also important to maintain healthy nails and hair.
- Omega 3 fatty acids
They are excellent choices for treating skin disorders like dermatitis, photoaging, and melanogenesis, which is the process of producing dark skin pigments and melanin.
Apart from these main compounds probiotics and prebiotics are also used in nutricosmetics. They play a vital role in maintaining gut health. It causes the improvements in hair follicles, better skin elasticity and moisture content, as well as a more resilient skin barrier.
Nutricosmetics are not an instant solution for skin, hair and nail problems but a sustainable and long-term solution. It may take from several weeks to months to see the expected results. Nutricosmetics should become a part of daily skin, nail and hair care routine along with other beauty care products.
Although there are not any prominent harmful side effects from nutricosmetics, it is important to make sure to check the ingredients before head in order to confirm if there are any allergens.
References
Aguilar-Toalá, J.E., Vidal-Limon, A. and Liceaga, A.M., (2023). Nutricosmetics: A new frontier in bioactive peptides’ research toward skin aging. Advances in Food and Nutrition Research,104, pp. 205-228. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.afnr.2022.10.002
Dini, I. and Laneri, S., 2019. Nutricosmetics: A brief overview. Phytotherapy Research, 33(12), pp.3054-3063, doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.6494
Taeymans, J., Clarys, P. and Barel, A.O., (2014), 55 use of food supplements as nutricosmetics in health and fitness. Handbook of cosmetic science and technology, pp.583-596, doi: https://doi.org/ 10.1201/b16716-56
Article by: Kaveesha Disanayaka (3rd Year)