Cosmeceuticals. What Are They?

It is increasingly common to hear about cosmeceuticals, especially when referring to innovative and exclusive cosmetic products. But what does this term really mean? And how does it differ from a standard cosmetic?

As the word itself suggests, cosmeceutical comes from the combination of cosmetic and pharmaceutical.

The term was introduced by Kligman in the United States in the 1980s by combining the words “cosmetics” and “pharmaceuticals”. It is generally used for products that have a positive effect on the skin without being medicinal products. Compared with a “normal” cosmetic, a cosmeceutical is therefore presented as a functional cosmetic that comes closer to the concept of a drug. The spread of cosmeceutical products is largely driven by marketing needs.

Research and development of cosmeceuticals

The number of ingredients that can be used in cosmeceutical formulations is limited only by the formulator’s imagination.

The ability of these ingredients to improve skin well-being depends on how they are formulated in creams, lotions or other vehicles. It is essential that these “active ingredients” are delivered to the skin in their most biologically active form and in an amount sufficient to exert an effect.

Cosmeceuticals may be developed to improve skin radiance, add shine to hair, reduce hair fragility, or improve the appearance of stretch marks.

The plant kingdom remains the most common source of new cosmeceutical ingredients:

• Plants are rich in endogenous antioxidants because they must survive in an environment full of stressors such as UV rays.
• Botanical extracts are often perceived as safe.
• It is commonly assumed that substances considered safe for oral use are also safe when applied topically, even though this is not always true.

This mindset has fuelled renewed interest in plant-based preparations, which form the basis of functionality in many cosmeceuticals. The search for new botanicals for cosmetic use has led to the collection of flowers, seeds, roots, leaves, twigs and berries from plants all over the world.

Regulation of cosmeceuticals

Unlike medicines, cosmetics cannot claim therapeutic activity. The legal definition of a cosmetic limits its intended use to the external parts of the human body, teeth and oral mucosa, and its function to cleaning, perfuming, changing appearance, protecting, keeping in good condition or correcting body odours.

In Europe and the United States, cosmeceuticals are sold as cosmetics. In Japan, however, a separate category of “quasi-drugs” exists for certain biologically active formulations.

Because cosmeceuticals aim to position themselves above standard cosmetics, the claims used by marketing must remain consistent with the product class and be supported by validated clinical tests in order to avoid sanctions under Regulation EC 655/2013.

For example, a product may claim to improve the appearance of wrinkles, but not to eliminate them completely. Improving appearance is an aesthetic claim, while removing wrinkles is a functional or medicinal claim. Cosmeceuticals may also make skin look brighter or more even, but cannot treat abnormal skin pigmentation, which falls into the medicinal field.

Final considerations

Cosmeceuticals undoubtedly represent an important direction for the future of cosmetics. However, some aspects deserve attention. Not all plant extracts are beneficial to the skin; many plants contain toxic, irritating or allergenic metabolites.

Marketing is constantly looking for new exotic plants to highlight on labels. This creates sustainability issues, because excessive demand for certain plants may lead to deforestation, exploitation of local communities and even the disappearance of some plant species.