Improving Oxidative Stability of Cosmetic Emulsions with Plant Extracts: Current Status and Potential

There are increasing demands for cosmetic emulsions with natural active components such as plant extracts because of their myriad benefits. Quality of cosmetic emulsions may be affected by distribution and storage processes, which can lead to peroxidation of lipid components. Lipid peroxidation results in undesirable alterations in efficacy, texture, and appearance of the cosmetic product, thus indicating a need to find a safe and potent compound to be added in products to postpone oxidation processes. In that sense, the current article gives an overview of parameters influencing oxidative stability of emulsions, as well as methods for assessing the oxidative stability. Emphasis is given to the usage of plant extracts rich in phenolics for improving oxidative stability of cosmetic emulsions. Application of plant extracts in cosmetic emulsion is promising because of their significant antioxidant properties which may delay lipid peroxidation during storage. Plant species are a valuable source of biologically active compounds that might be exploited in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industry.