Beauty in a Bottle

EVERY civilization boasts of remedies and concoctions to improve both body and mind, and enhance beauty and prolong youthfulness. Traditional practices all over the world have dietary recommendations to help protect the skin from the effects of the sun, alleviate the effects of sun and wind exposure to the skin, and even to cool or warm the body, depending on the weather.

There will never be a magic elixir to turn back the ravages of time, yet many of these ‘beauty secrets’  were passed on from one generation to the next, and trickled down through centuries to become custom and tradition. As in pharmaceutical development, these traditions are the bases for a number of nutricosmetics that are in the market today. Beverages with anti-aging ingredients remain one the fastest growing segments in the beauty-from-within category.

Awareness of how personal health is impacted by food consumption is rising, even as many more consumers are being exposed to new diets and foods as a result of changes in lifestyles and improved disposable incomes. Growth in nutricosmetics beverages will be powered by growing urbanisation,  an  aging population, greater spending power, and the need to look youthful and attractive through safe and natural methods.

Whilst many companies promote their nutritious and functional food products, today’s media-orientated consumers are also increasingly sceptical about health claims, more conscious of food safety and need to develop trust in a manufacturer before becoming loyal customers. The target market consists of consumers who are internet-savvy and they know how to comparison-shop. It’s essential therefore that  beauty  beverage  industry  resists making unsubstantiated claims – not only will they face censure from regulators, but they also will get flak from irate consumers.

Skin science, but not always

For a beverage maker considering a launch into the beauty-from-within category, there are many  reputable suppliers of ingredients that are associated with improving skin suppleness, reducing the effects of sun damage and enhancing the youthful appearance of consumers.  Specific ingredients and
combinations of these ingredients support this demand. They include antioxidants and  polyphenols,  collagen, omega-3 oils, probiotics, carotenoids, and plant-based  ceramides.  The roles of these
specialised ingredients involve free radical scavenging activity, reduction of chronic inflammation, stimulating immunity, and supporting healthy skin cell renewal and strong dermal structure.

Antioxidants target oxidative stress to help protect the skin internally from damaging free radical activity. Sun exposure and smoking trigger free radicals that lead to collagen degradation and premature aging. There is a growing body of research showing specific micronutrients and antioxidants that may potentially mitigate and destroy free radical activity produced by UV irradiation. Antioxidants  include  Coenzyme  Q10 (CoQ10), selenium, glutathione peroxidase, and zinc. Two or more antioxidants may be stabilised and combined to enhance activity for skin photo-protection.

A number of polyphenols stimulate immunity to enhance skin photo-protection and reduce the effects of UV irradiation to potentially renew or repair photo-damaged skin. Polyphenols that are said to combat cell-damaging free radicals resveratrol, green tea catechins and extracts froAIr Jordan Outdoor Basketball Shoes