Next-Generation Organic Beauty Products Obtained from Algal Secondary Metabolites: A Sustainable Development in Cosmeceutical Industries.

Abstract

Algae lay over most of the earth's habitats, and it is said that there are more algal cells in water than there are stars in the sky. They are among the wealthiest marine resources that are to be deemed harmless, with hardly any deleterious consequences. Recently, they have received a lot of consideration to be used in cosmeceuticals. Cosmetics encompass synthetic concoctions that are extremely toxic to the environment. Due to their higher molecular size, synthetic cosmetic items induce undesirable side effects and inadequate absorption rates. Consequently, utilizing algae or their secondary metabolites in cosmetics has won multiple votes. Various secondary metabolites synthesized from algae are known to provide skin advantages, such as ultraviolet protection and reduction of skin flaccidity, rough texture, and wrinkles. The tangent drawn here using algae reduces the inorganic/organic chemicals used in the industry that are known to accumulate and affect other organisms and thus opens a pandora's box of ways to a less-polluted environment. The alga is indeed very intriguing. According to the reported studies, algal cells provide biosorption, bio-assimilation, biotransformation, and biodegradation, making them suitable for the eradication of chronic and harmful contaminants from the environment. Another rapid innovation is the product's sustainability. While presenting and marketing new algal products, cosmetics producers have greatly highlighted that they are eco-friendly. This review thus accentuates the significance of using algae and their secondary metabolites in cosmetics to produce extensive variety of products that include sunscreens, moisturizers, anti-aging creams, colorants, and hair care items and extensive insight on the possible remedial capacities of algae species against environmentally dangerous substances in the context of cosmetic chemicals.