Authors : Sourav Saha, Meheria Hazari, Surabhi Chaudhuri
DOI : 10.1201/9781003342687-10
Volume : 10
Issue : 1
Year : 2024
Page No : 215-249
Cosmetics plays an important role in the daily lives of both men and women, which helps to make the cosmetics industry a highly profitable one, with a multibillion dollar annual turnover. However, some cosmetics products contain several ingredients, which can have a harmful impact on the skin and hair. Some ingredients like parabens, hydroquinone, BHT (butylated hydroxyl toluene), and BHA (butylated hydroxyl anisole) may have short-term benefit, but in the long run, it causes irreversible damage to skin and hair. These synthetic chemicals can cause darkening of skin and hyperpigmentation, early aging, and wrinkling of the skin, and in some cases, extensive use causes skin cancer. Therefore, exopolysaccharides are being explored as a promising alternative to the harmful synthetic chemicals present in cosmetics, without any type of harmful long-term impact on the skin or hair. The most commonly used microbial exopolysaccharides are hyaluronic acid, levan, xanthan gum, gellan gum, and cellulose. These exopolysaccharides are the most widely used as an alternative to the regular chemical preservatives and moisturizing agents found in various creams and lotions. The beneficial characteristics of microbial exopolysaccharides such as the antimicrobial effect, antioxidative effect, protection from the harmful radiations of the sun, and the biocompatibility of the substances help to make them a better cosmetics vehicle used in products of daily use.