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Cosmetics
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Functional Molecules as Novel Cosmetic Ingredients, 2nd Edition
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Functional Molecules as Novel Cosmetic Ingredients, 2nd Edition

A special issue of Cosmetics (ISSN 2079-9284).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2026 | Viewed by 2044

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Jing Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Chemical and Material Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
Interests: natural cosmetics ingredients; synthetic cosmetics ingredients; encapsulation and transdermal delivery; skin care; hair care; colloids and emulsions
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Zhong Liu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
Interests: functional cosmetics; targeted drugs; inflammation and autoimmune diseases
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Cosmetics, initially associated with altering one’s appearance, have evolved beyond their traditional beauty role to encompass skin care and the treatment of various skin conditions. With the rise in consumer preferences for novel ingredients with various bioactivities, researchers are actively exploring the development of functional molecules, including synthetic molecules, natural molecules and bio-derived molecules, and they are also exploring the skin-care and hair-care properties of these substances. Additionally, delivery systems of the functional molecules, such as liposomes, nanolipid, noisomes and other novel emulsions, have been investigated and proven to be more efficient than conventional formulations.

For this Special Issue, we invite researchers to provide original research articles that report on the development and production of novel functional molecules such as synthetic molecules, natural compounds, products from microorganisms, or substances derived from these sources for potential cosmetic applications. In addition, articles reporting on the encapsulation and delivery technologies of the functional molecules for cosmetic formulation applications can also be submitted. We also invite the submission of biological properties and clinical studies demonstrating skin or haircare applications and the related molecular mechanisms of these functional ingredients. Review articles discussing the current state of the art in the field of functional molecules for cosmetic applications are also welcome.

You may choose our Joint Special Issue in Molecules.

Prof. Dr. Jing Wang
Prof. Dr. Zhong Liu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Cosmetics is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • synthetic molecules
  • plant extracts
  • natural compounds
  • biotech-derived molecules
  • natural-derived molecules
  • fermentation-derived ingredients
  • biological activity
  • cosmetics
  • encapsulation and delivery technologies of ingredients
  • skin-care
  • hair-care

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 999 KB  
Article
Bioactive Proteolytic Enzymes Chymotrypsin and Papain as Adjuvants to Laser Hair Removal: Reducing the Risk of Paradoxical Hypertrichosis in Women with Facial Hirsutism
by Aikaterini Liatsopoulou, Athanasia Varvaresou and Evangelia Protopapa
Cosmetics 2026, 13(2), 74; https://doi.org/10.3390/cosmetics13020074 - 18 Mar 2026
Viewed by 987
Abstract
Paradoxical hypertrichosis is an adverse effect of photo-epilation, involving the induction of hair growth within treated or adjacent non-treated areas. Given the significant psychosocial burden associated with facial hair growth in women, effective adjunctive strategies to mitigate this phenomenon are required. Chymotrypsin and [...] Read more.
Paradoxical hypertrichosis is an adverse effect of photo-epilation, involving the induction of hair growth within treated or adjacent non-treated areas. Given the significant psychosocial burden associated with facial hair growth in women, effective adjunctive strategies to mitigate this phenomenon are required. Chymotrypsin and papain are bioactive proteolytic enzymes whose activity has been associated with structural alterations in hair follicle components. This study investigated the effect of combining Alexandrite laser with enzyme-assisted hair removal compared with laser alone on the occurrence of paradoxical hypertrichosis. The outcome was assessed by recording the number of laser pulses performed per treatment session. Fifty-nine adult Greek women with facial hirsutism were allocated into two groups: Group I (Laser + Enzymes, n = 30), treated with Alexandrite laser (755 nm) combined with iontophoretic delivery of aqueous chymotrypsin and papain solutions, and Group II (Laser, n = 29), treated with laser alone. After 10 sessions, the combined intervention resulted in a significantly greater change in laser pulse counts compared with laser alone (−18.53 ± 16.31 vs. +1.68 ± 9.61, p < 0.005). This finding suggests that adjunctive iontophoresis of bioactive proteolytic enzymes is associated with reduced laser pulse requirements, which may be considered in the clinical management of paradoxical hypertrichosis in women with facial hirsutism. Larger studies with extended follow-up are warranted. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Molecules as Novel Cosmetic Ingredients, 2nd Edition)
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19 pages, 998 KB  
Article
Bioactive Polysaccharides from Djiboutian Brown Algae: Antioxidant and Anti-Aging Potential for Cosmetic Applications
by Moustapha Nour, Sylvain Petek, Abdourahman Daher, Stéphane Cérantola, Nathalie Cosquer, Eric Deslandes and Valérie Stiger-Pouvreau
Cosmetics 2026, 13(2), 53; https://doi.org/10.3390/cosmetics13020053 - 26 Feb 2026
Viewed by 688
Abstract
Brown macroalgae are a valuable source of bioactive polysaccharides, particularly alginates and fucoidans, with significant potential for cosmetic and pharmaceutical applications. In this study, polysaccharides were extracted from four species (Padina pavonica, Sargassum ilicifolium, S. latifolium, and Turbinaria decurrens [...] Read more.
Brown macroalgae are a valuable source of bioactive polysaccharides, particularly alginates and fucoidans, with significant potential for cosmetic and pharmaceutical applications. In this study, polysaccharides were extracted from four species (Padina pavonica, Sargassum ilicifolium, S. latifolium, and Turbinaria decurrens) collected along the Djibouti coastline. Structural characterization by FT-IR and 1H-NMR revealed pronounced interspecific variability. Alginates displayed distinct mannuronate/guluronate (M/G) ratios, with Sargassum latifolium showing the highest and T. decurrens the lowest, reflecting differences in polymer composition and structural flexibility. Fucoidan spectra exhibited characteristic sulfate bands at 1217–1220 and 840 cm−1, with lower transmission values for T. decurrens indicating a relatively higher degree of sulfation. Biological assays demonstrated that alginate extracts exhibited moderate antioxidant activity, whereas fucoidans showed significantly stronger radical scavenging (DPPH) and ferric reducing (FRAP) capacities, in some cases comparable to vitamin C. Fucoidans also displayed potent inhibition of skin-aging enzymes, with elastase inhibition reaching 62.1% for P. pavonica and tyrosinase inhibition peaking at 63% for S. ilicifolium at 0.5 mg/mL. These results highlight the critical role of structural features, particularly sulfation patterns, in determining biological activity. Overall, Djiboutian brown algal polysaccharides combine antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory properties, confirming their potential as multifunctional and sustainable marine-derived ingredients for cosmetic formulations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Molecules as Novel Cosmetic Ingredients, 2nd Edition)
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