THE INCORPORATION OF ALGAS TO THE WORLD OF COSMETICS HAS THE OBJECTIVE TO HELP THE SKIN TO RE-FIND THE NATURAL BALANCE THANKS TO ACTIVE ELEMENTS
Every day news that informs us of the need we have to take care of our skin and protect it from the inclemency of the environment, and the excesses to which we submit it.
We know that, daily, our skin is attacked by environmental pollution, electromagnetic and solar radiation, dehydration, atmospheric dryness, etc.
If the skin is exposed to all these attacks without any protection, it will break down quickly, since the harmful effects are cumulative, especially prolonged exposure to the sun.
On the other hand, the skin is part of the pathways used by the body for the elimination of toxins, together with the kidneys, liver, intestines and lungs, so it is essential to take proper precautions to work in the better conditions.
WHY CAN ALGAS BE USED ON A COSMETIC LEVEL?
In previous posts we detail the different types of most common algae, as well as their culinary and therapeutic properties. But this time we go further, and we not only limit ourselves to these properties in the kitchen and in health, but we extend ourselves to a new area, which is that of cosmetics and body care.
Today, we can find various types of algae in numerous cosmetic products: cleansing milk, tonics, moisturizers for the face and body, deodorants, hand creams, toothpastes, shampoos, skin soap and intimate hygiene, Massage creams, products to dissolve in bath water, anti-stretch marks and anti-scar preparations, products to combat cellulite, sagging, heaviness creams for the legs, and many more.
It should be noted that the most commonly used species in cosmetics are Fucus and Laminaria algae (Amit, Ashawat, Shailendra and Swarnlata, 2007).
The properties of the algae, focusing specifically on cosmetics, would be the following, as indicated by the main research on the subject (Cheong, Qiu, Du, Liu and Khan, 2018; Santana, Oliveira, Yoshida, Sabha and Oshima , 2011; Gonzalez-Minero and Bravo Díaz, 2018):
- 1. They have a great moisturizing power, because they contain a large amount of water, in addition to other substances, which makes them perfect for use in cosmetics.
2. They are very effective in acne treatments. Acne usually forms in our skin due to the accumulation of toxins, and algae help regulate the skin’s balance and eliminate the accumulation of these toxins.
3. They have a great anti-aging effect, so they are widely used in anti-aging cosmetic products, thanks to their antioxidant power and the vitamins E and C they possess. In this way, it protects against free radicals that can accumulate in our skin, and which are the main responsible for the skin aging.
4. They are characterized by their powerful anti-cellulite effect. Because they have a stimulating effect on blood circulation, which helps the removal of fat in localized areas of the body and that cellulite or orange peel decreases visibly.
5. Algae help you lose weight, thanks to the fact that they stimulate the blood, which helps eliminate body fat and regulate metabolism. They are usually used in weight loss treatments and to combat obesity.
6. They have an outstanding anti-stress effect, and since stress is one of the aspects that ages the skin, they are increasingly used in all types of cosmetic products.
7. Help eliminate wrinkles. Since the algae have a detoxifying and depurative action, they help delay the appearance of wrinkles and renew the skin cells.
8. Combat the expression lines. We know that, along with wrinkles, the expression lines on the face make our skin look older. The purifying action of the algae also helps to contribute to making the expression lines less visible and to diminish.
9. Algae help to firm the skin, because thanks to the high amount of minerals they are composed of, the algae help the skin to be firmer, to recover its natural elasticity, while decreasing sagging.
10. They have an important nourishing effect for the skin. Some of its elements, such as lipids, trace elements and minerals, produce intense nutrition and a healthier appearance on the skin. Therefore, they are so used in nourishing creams.
Actually, the algae have nutrients and substances such as vitamins A, B, C, E, and K, calcium and iron, among other minerals, in addition to proteins, which are of great help for the health and beauty of the skin (Cheong, Qiu, Du, Liu and Khan, 2018).
In addition, and thanks to its application, the body can obtain these nutrients through the epidermis and benefit from them, in addition to other important properties, ranging from antioxidant actions to antiviral functions (Hunt, Fate and Dods, 2011).
These marine vegetables absorb ions with such power, that one kilo of seaweed contains the same amount of active ingredients as 10,000 liters of seawater (Mayor, 2004; Bourgougnon, Bedoux, Sangiardi and Stiger, 2011).
This accumulated marine wealth in algae allows to effectively treat the processes of skin aging and resolve circulatory, cellulite, rheumatic and obesity disorders (Bedoux, Hardouin, Burlot and Bourgougnon, 2014). And, in addition to this, the algae have a very unique marine molecule, which we will explain below.
WHAT IS THE SPD MARINE MOLECULE?
The seaweed in cosmetics The superficialodismutase (or SPD) is a stabilized marine molecule, of very low molecular weight, endowed with free anti-radical properties, obtained from algae that live about 20 meters deep (Gonzalez-Minero and Bravo Díaz, 2017) .
These algae, subject to significant variations in their environment due to the tides and waves (which alter the thickness of the light-protective liquid layer), have had to develop a high-capacity defense system: the surface-discursiveness (Gonzalez- Minero and Bravo Díaz, 2018). As in the seaweed, this molecule, applied in cosmetics, effectively combats the destructive effect of free radicals, which prevents the degradation of fibroblasts, DNA and collagen fibers.
Likewise, it stops the deformation and loss of fluids of the cell membranes, thereby preventing the skin tissue from sclerosing, drying and filling with the consequent wrinkles (Cheong, Qiu, Du, Liu and Khan, 2018).
In conclusion, we can affirm, from all the above, that seaweeds are mixtures of trace elements, amino acids, minerals and healing vitamins for the human body, and that they are very effective against aging (Aburjai and Natsheh, 2003).
That, in addition, have anti-inflammatory and nutritive properties, to the point that intensive treatment with seaweeds can rebalance our skin’s natural levels of hydration. All this makes seaweed an excellent peeling and nutritional treatment for our skin (Bedoux, Hardouin, Burlot and Bourgougnon, 2015).
It is clear, then, that seaweed has become the latest trend in the field of aesthetics.
And its benefits are numerous, since in addition to being antioxidants and moisturizers, they stimulate the circulation and purify the body, so that they are used, given their properties, in anti-cellulite and slimming treatments with very good results.
References
Aburjai, T. and Natsheh, F.M. (2003). Plants Used in Cosmetics. PhytotheRes, 17 (1), 987-1000.
Mayor, M.T. (2008). Natural and ecological cosmetics. OFFARM, 27 (9), 96-102.
Mayor, M.T. (2004). Cosmetic assets of marine origin: Algae, macromolecules and other components. OFFARM, 23 (10), 100-104.
Amit, G., Ashawat, MS., Shailendra, S. and Swarnlata, S. (2007). Phytosome: A novel Approach Towards Functional Cosmetics. J Sci. Plan, 2 (6), 644-649.
Bedoux, A., Hardouin, K., Burlot, A.S. and Bourgougnon, N. (2015). Bioactive components from seaweeds: Cosmetic applications and future development. Adv Botan Res. 71 (1), 345-378.
Bedoux, G., Hardouin, K., Burlot, A.S. and Bourgougnon, N. (2014). Bioactive Components from Seaweeds: Cosmetic Applications and Future Development. In N. Bourgougon, Advances in Botanical Research. pp. 349-382. New York: Academic Press, Editors. DOI: 10.1016 / B978-0-12-408062-1.00012-3.
Bourgougnon, N., Bedoux, G., Sangiardi, H. and Stiger, V. (2011). Algae: nutritional potential and cosmetic applications. In Fundación CETMAR (Ed.), Algae as a resource. Valorization. Industrial applications and trends. pp. 79-84. Vigo: Technological Center of the Sea of Galicia.
Cheong, KL., Qiu, HM., Du, H., Liu, Y. and Khan, B. (2018). Oligosaccharides Derived from Red Seaweed: Production, Properties, and Potential Health and Cosmetic Applications. Molecules, 23 (10), pii: E2451. DOI: 10.3390 / molecules23102451.
Gonzalez-Minero, F.J. and Bravo Díaz, L. (2017). History and news of skin products, cosmetics and fragrances. Especially those derived from plants. Revision. Ars Pharmaceutica, 58 (1), 5-12. DOI: 10.4321 / s2340-98942017000100001
Gonzalez-Minero, F.J. and Bravo Díaz, L. (2018). Botanical and pharmaceutical study of products with application in cosmetics and skin care. Ars Pharmaceutica 58 (4), 175-191. DOI: 10.4321 / S2340-98942017000400005.
Hunt, K.A., Fate, J. and Dods, B. (2011). Cultural and social influences on the perception of beauty: a case analysis of the cosmetics industry. J Bussines Case Studies, 7 (1), 1-10.
Santana, M., Oliveira, G., Yoshida, V., Sabha, M. and Oshima, Y. (2011). Naturally Occurring Ingredients as Potential Antiaging Cosmetics. Lat Am J Pharm, 30 (8), 1531-1535.
