Sustainable Skincare Innovation: Cork Powder Extracts as Active Ingredients for Skin Aging

Area of Science:

• Cosmetic Science
• Biotechnology
• Sustainable Chemistry

Background:

• Circular beauty promotes upcycling agro-industrial by-products into cosmetic ingredients.
• Cork powder, a by-product of cork processing, offers potential for value-added cosmetic applications.
• Previous research confirmed antioxidant properties of hydroalcoholic cork extracts.

Purpose of the Study:

• Evaluate safety and bioactivities of aqueous cork extracts.
• Analyze 30% ethanol extracts for skin application potential.
• Investigate cork powder upcycling for cosmetic ingredient development.

Main Methods:

• Prepared aqueous extracts from cork powders (P0 and P1).
• Identified and quantified polyphenols using liquid chromatography (LC).
• Screened antioxidant potential via DPPH assay and assessed bioactivity/safety using cell-based assays.

Main Results:

• All extracts reduced senescence-associated beta-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) activity.
• Extracts suppressed pro-inflammatory mediators in LPS-stimulated macrophages.
• Upregulation of antioxidant genes/proteins (e.g., heme oxygenase 1) observed.
• Aqueous P1 extract notably reduced inflammatory markers (Nos2, nitric oxide).
• EpiSkin test confirmed no skin irritation, adhering to OECD guidelines.

Conclusions:

• Aqueous cork waste extracts mitigate skin aging hallmarks like senescence and inflammaging.
• These extracts are suitable for cosmetic formulations, promoting circular bioeconomy.
• Further research is warranted for pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry applications.