Dyes from five flowers have anti-aging and antioxidant potential as cosmetic ingredients, study finds

15 Feb 2022 --- Poland-based researchers have discovered that the dyes derived from five flowers can have bioactive potential. The flower dyes can serve multiple purposes in products as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents with moisturizing properties.

The flowers analyzed were the common poppy (Papaver rhoeas), pomegranate blossom (Punica granatum), butterfly pea (Clitoria ternatea), safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) and globe amaranth (Gomphrena globosa).

Researchers found the flowers contained quinic acid, quercetin, kaempferol-O-glucoside, ellagic acid, ursolic acid, maslinic acid and asiatic acid. 

The study, Flower Extracts as Multifunctional Dyes in the Cosmetics Industry, was recently published in Molecules. 

Common poppy flowers had the strongest antioxidant properties.The common poppy flower was found to have the most potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The study found the common poppy could inhibit lipoxygenase activity by over 80% and proteinase by about 55%. 

Safflower, butterfly peas and the common poppy all displayed the most intense coloring ability and were seen to permanently dye cosmetic products without significantly denaturing or changing color during storage. 

The news is significant for the cosmetics industry, which has seen a massive boom in demand for organic and botanical ingredients.

No toxic effect on skin cells
The researchers tested the flowers’ antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects by examining the dyes’ ability to inhibit the activity of the enzymes lipoxygenase and proteinase, finding that pomegranate blossom and globe amaranth have the greatest effect.

Subsequent examination looked at the cytotoxic effect on human skin by using Alamar Blue and Neutral Red cell viability tests as well as the dyes’ ability to inhibit enzymes responsible for the destruction of elastin and collagen.

At the close of the study, no toxic effects were found on skin cells, indicating the materials are safe for use in topical products such as skin care creams.

The study was conducted by researchers from the Poland-based clean skincare company ONLYBIO.life, the University of Information Technology and Management in Rzeszow, the University of Technology and Humanities in Radom and the Łukasiewicz Research Network, a commercial scientific research group.

Edited by Olivia Nelson