iScience (Dec 2024)
Marine cosmetics and the blue bioeconomy: From sourcing to success stories
- Ana Rotter,
- Despoina Varamogianni-Mamatsi,
- Alenka Zvonar Pobirk,
- Mirjam Gosenca Matjaž,
- Mercedes Cueto,
- Ana R. Díaz-Marrero,
- Rósa Jónsdóttir,
- Kolbrún Sveinsdóttir,
- Teresa S. Catalá,
- Giovanna Romano,
- Bahar Aslanbay Guler,
- Eylem Atak,
- Maja Berden Zrimec,
- Daniel Bosch,
- Irem Deniz,
- Susana P. Gaudêncio,
- Ernesta Grigalionyte-Bembič,
- Katja Klun,
- Luen Zidar,
- Anna Coll Rius,
- Špela Baebler,
- Lada Lukić Bilela,
- Baruch Rinkevich,
- Manolis Mandalakis
Affiliations
- Ana Rotter
- Marine Biology Station Piran, National Institute of Biology, Fornače 41, 6330 Piran, Slovenia; Corresponding author
- Despoina Varamogianni-Mamatsi
- Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology and Aquaculture, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, 71500 Heraklion, Greece
- Alenka Zvonar Pobirk
- University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Pharmacy, Aškerčeva cesta 7, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Mirjam Gosenca Matjaž
- University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Pharmacy, Aškerčeva cesta 7, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Mercedes Cueto
- Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología (IPNA-CSIC), 38206 La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
- Ana R. Díaz-Marrero
- Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología (IPNA-CSIC), 38206 La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
- Rósa Jónsdóttir
- Matis ohf., Icelandic Food and Biotech R&D, Vinlandsleid 12, 113 Reykjavík, Iceland
- Kolbrún Sveinsdóttir
- Matis ohf., Icelandic Food and Biotech R&D, Vinlandsleid 12, 113 Reykjavík, Iceland; Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
- Teresa S. Catalá
- Global Society Institute, Wälderhaus, am Inselpark 19, 21109 Hamburg, Germany; Organization for Science, Education and Global Society GmbH, am Inselpark 19, 21109 Hamburg, Germany
- Giovanna Romano
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn - Ecosustainable Marine Biotechnology Department, via Acton 55, 80133 Naples, Italy
- Bahar Aslanbay Guler
- Faculty of Engineering Department of Bioengineering, Ege University, Izmir 35100, Turkey
- Eylem Atak
- Marine Biology Station Piran, National Institute of Biology, Fornače 41, 6330 Piran, Slovenia
- Maja Berden Zrimec
- AlgEn, Brniciceva 29, 1231 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Daniel Bosch
- Marine Biology Station Piran, National Institute of Biology, Fornače 41, 6330 Piran, Slovenia
- Irem Deniz
- Faculty of Engineering Department of Bioengineering, Manisa Celal Bayar University, Manisa 45119, Turkey
- Susana P. Gaudêncio
- UCIBIO-Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Department of Chemistry, Blue Biotechnology and Biomedicine Lab, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University of Lisbon, 2819-516 Caparica, Portugal; Associate Laboratory i4HB – Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, 2819-516 Caparica, Portugal
- Ernesta Grigalionyte-Bembič
- Marine Biology Station Piran, National Institute of Biology, Fornače 41, 6330 Piran, Slovenia
- Katja Klun
- Marine Biology Station Piran, National Institute of Biology, Fornače 41, 6330 Piran, Slovenia
- Luen Zidar
- Marine Biology Station Piran, National Institute of Biology, Fornače 41, 6330 Piran, Slovenia
- Anna Coll Rius
- Department of Biotechnology and Systems Biology, National Institute of Biology, Večna pot 121, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Špela Baebler
- Department of Biotechnology and Systems Biology, National Institute of Biology, Večna pot 121, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Lada Lukić Bilela
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Sarajevo, Zmaja od Bosne 33-35, 71 000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Baruch Rinkevich
- Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research, National Institute of Oceanography, Tel Shikmona, Haifa 3102201, Israel
- Manolis Mandalakis
- Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology and Aquaculture, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, 71500 Heraklion, Greece
- Journal volume & issue
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Vol. 27,
no. 12
p. 111339
Abstract
Summary: As the global population continues to grow, so does the demand for longer, healthier lives and environmentally responsible choices. Consumers are increasingly drawn to naturally sourced products with proven health and wellbeing benefits. The marine environment presents a promising yet underexplored resource for the cosmetics industry, offering bioactive compounds with the potential for safe and biocompatible ingredients. This manuscript provides a comprehensive overview of the potential of marine organisms for cosmetics production, highlighting marine-derived compounds and their applications in skin/hair/oral-care products, cosmeceuticals and more. It also lays down critical safety considerations and addresses the methodologies for sourcing marine compounds, including harvesting, the biorefinery concept, use of systems biology for enhanced product development, and the relevant regulatory landscape. The review is enriched by three case studies: design of macroalgal skincare products in Iceland, establishment of a microalgal cosmetics spin-off in Italy, and the utilization of marine proteins for cosmeceutical applications.
