Herbal cosmeceuticals: New opportunities in cosmetology

Cosmeceuticals are defined as cosmetic products designed to improve and enhance the physical appearance, beauty, health as well as to treat the skin ailments. The main objective of the present review is to document various plants along with their active phytochemicals like alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, sterols, triterpenes, tannins, etc. responsible for activities like antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, sunlight protection, skin regeneration, de-pigmentation, anti-dandruff, anti-hair fall, anti-lice, etc. This study also provides an overview of geographical distribution, environmental attributes, extraction and isolation procedure of active phytochemicals responsible for biological activity. This review further tries to assess the regulatory scenario of cosmeceuticals as they are placed under the subclass of cosmetics under Europe and Japan regulations , whereas in US regulations, cosmeceuticals are placed under the subclass of drugs. The application of nanotechnology in formulating cosmeceuticals (nano-cosmeceuticals) has also seen the light of the day. It can be viewed as a “new paradigm” in the cosmetic industry.