An article published in the International Journal of Nanomedicines tated that phytocompounds have been used in cosmeceuticals for decades and have shown potential for beauty applications – including sunscreen, moisturizing and antiaging and skin-based therapy. The major concerns in the usage of phyto-based cosmeceuticals are lower penetration and high compound instability of various cosmetic products for sustained and enhanced compound delivery to the beauty-based skin therapy.

To overcome these disadvantages, nanosized delivery technologies are currently in use for sustained and enhanced delivery of phyto-derived bioactive compounds in cosmeceutical sectors and products. The authors elaborated that nanosizing of phytocompounds enhances the aseptic feel in various cosmeceutical products with sustained delivery and enhanced skin protecting activities. Solid lipid nanoparticles, transfersomes, ethosomes, nanostructured lipid carriers, fullerenes, and carbon nanotubes are some of the emerging nanotechnologies currently in use for their enhanced delivery of phytocompounds in skin care.

This article reported that aloe vera, curcumin, resveratrol, quercetin, vitamins C and E, genistein and green tea catechins were successfully nanosized using various delivery technologies and incorporated in various gels, lotions and creams for skin, lip and hair care—for their sustained effects. Meanwhile, certain delivery agents, such as carbon nanotubes need to be studied for their roles in toxicity.

Source: International Journal of Nanomedicine. 2016 May 11;11:1987-2007. doi:10.2147/IJN.S104701.