Nowadays, cosmetics and personal care products are considered essential commodities of our life, and their use has increased exponentially both in males and females in the last decades. The personal care market is largely driven by skin care products that are designed for beautifying, preventing skin from imperfections and protecting skin against the damaging effect of UV rays. Skin cosmetics, like topical formulations (i.e. creams and lotions) are generally based on water and oil as the main components in addition to other chemical functional ingredients, such as surfactants, emulsion stabilizers, skin conditioning agents, preservatives, fragrances and active ingredients like antioxidants and UV filters.
As a result of the regular use of personal care products, many chemical compounds are continuously released into the environment, posing a serious threat to ecosystems and human health. The widespread presence of surfactants, preservatives and chemical UV filters in aquatic ecosystems (i.e. seawater, rivers, lakes, groundwater and drinking water) derives from recreational activities and the inefficiency of wastewater treatment plants to eliminate them. These chemicals tend to bioaccumulate in marine sediments and bioconcentrate in living organisms (i.e. fish, seafood), becoming part or our food chain. Additionally, humans are exposed daily to these emerging contaminants through oral intake and percutaneous absorption. Their bioaccumulation in human fluids, such as urine, semen, breast milk and the bloodstream, has been recently reported. Although the real magnitude and potential effects of the input of these molecules and their metabolites into the human organism are still uncertain and a subject of research, latest results demonstrated that many of these chemicals exhibit hormonal activity, negatively influencing the reproduction systems of organisms and causing adverse health effects.
Consequently, not only is there a growing demand from consumers for chemical-free cosmetics but also from authorities to move towards sustainable raw materials to minimise the impact of cosmetic products on biodiversity. Therefore, the exploration of safe and sustainable natural alternatives is crucial. Lignin is the most abundant polyphenolic compound present in nature. Although there are several types of lignin in terms of chemical structure and molecular weight, depending on the origin and extraction processes, Kraft lignin represents the largest source of lignin since it is present in the black liquor which is generated as a side stream during cellulose pulp manufacturing in the papermaking process, which is usually burned for energy. In addition to its industrial availability, its structural features and diverse functional properties like antioxidant and UV protection capacity make it especially attractive for evaluation as a bio‐active alternative for cosmetics and personal care products.
BIO4CARE project aims to develop an innovative and safe bio-sourced ingredient from kraft lignin that can replace chemicals in skin and suncare products, thus increasing the sustainability of skincare formulations in the cosmetic industry.
