Search Results (27)

Improving the quality of compounds in medicinal and aromatic plants is crucial due to their uses in the pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and food sectors. One way of influencing plant composition is through exposure to different light conditions. Therefore, a two-year field study (2023–2024) was conducted to investigate the impact of coloured shading nets on the physiology, essential oil (EO) content, and composition of three Mentha genotypes: Mentha × piperita ‘Multimentha’, Mentha × piperita ‘Fränkische Blaue’, and Mentha rotundifolia ‘Apfelminze’. In addition to an unshaded control, the Mentha plants were grown under red and blue shading nets. Plant height and vegetation indices were collected weekly. Biomass accumulation, EO content, and composition were determined for each harvest. Both red and blue shading were found to influence the physiological responses and EO compositions of the plants, with red shading promoting slightly higher p-menthone levels in ‘Fränkische Blaue’ and ‘Multimentha’, while blue shading slightly increased carvone levels in ‘Apfelminze’. While EO content varied across harvest seasons (spring, summer, and autumn), ‘Fränkische Blaue’ responded to red shading, demonstrating an increased EO content. The findings suggest that targeted use of coloured shading nets can modulate EO quality. However, genotype-specific responses highlight the necessity of further research to define shading applications for different species and genotypes. Full article

In recent years, there has been growing consumer interest in foods and cosmetics containing ingredients of natural origin. During the production process, a by-product of pomace is generated, which is regarded as a dispensable product by the food industry. However, studies have clearly indicated that fruit and vegetable pomace is a valuable source of many nutrients, whose beneficial effects on human health and appearance may represent an added value in its secondary use. Incorporating pomace into cosmetic products enhances their aesthetic value and can enrich them with naturally occurring polyphenols, which is in line with the circular economy model. In the present study, we determined selected mechanical properties of lip balms containing different amounts of grape pomace, for example, the kinetic friction against artificial leather, hardness, penetration performance, maximum shear force, and sample penetration resistance. Moreover, the antiradical activity against DPPH and the total phenolic content were determined, and the colour parameters were analyzed. All tests were conducted on lip balm samples containing 1, 3, and 5% fruit pomace and a control sample. Analysis of the penetration performance showed no statistically significant differences between the individual samples. However, differences in the values of other physical properties were noted. Moreover, the antiradical activity against the synthetic radical DPPH and the total phenolic content increases the value of lip balms with increasing amounts of pomace added. The colour of the lip balms also darkens with increasing amounts of pomace added. The innovative use of grape pomace is in line with sustainable development, and its properties enhance the effects of lip balms. Full article

The essential oil isolated from clove (Syzygium aromaticum) is used in food, medicine, cosmetics, agriculture, and aromatherapy for its antimicrobial, antioxidant, and analgesic properties. This systematic review, following the PRISMA 2020 methodology, evaluates the application of clove essential oil in meat and meat products to determine its effectiveness in preventing oxidative damage and improving product quality. A search was performed in various databases, obtaining 639 studies. After removing duplicates and applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 43 relevant articles were selected. Studies published between 1999 and 2024 that evaluated clove essential oil in meat for human consumption were included, excluding research on extracts other than essential oil or supplements for animal feed. The studies suggest that clove essential oil improves parameters such as oxidative stability, colour preservation, and the reduction in reactive compounds such as thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, thereby increasing the shelf life and safety of meat and meat products. Oxidation is reduced through free radical inhibition and lipid protection. The main variability detected includes the type of meat, application method and storage conditions. The concentrations used ranged from 2.65 mL/kg to 5%. Although variability in methodologies and concentrations used is a limitation for meta-analysis, the findings support the potential of clove essential oil as a natural alternative for preserving meat products, responding to consumer demand for safer foods free of synthetic preservatives. Full article

As far as history tells, people have set efforts both to improve the conditions and to change the visual outfit of the skin, nails, and hair. The first information on nail cosmetics is found in ancient China and Egypt, where various nature-derived compositions were used for changing the colour of the nails. Nowadays more mechanically and chemically durable systems for nail polishes are elaborated. This review focuses on the latest achievements in the field of UV-curable nail polishes. Herein, the polymerization mechanisms of various systems (acrylates, as well as epoxides and thiols) occurring in nail polishes are described. Besides plausible side reactions of the polymerization process are characterized. Thus, the main drawbacks for forming a uniform, perfect layer are illuminated. For effective curing, the choice of photoinitiators may be crucial; thus, various types of photoinitiators as well as their main advantages and disadvantages are characterized. Ensuring effective adhesion between the substrate (human nail) and the polymer film is one of the challenges for the nail polish industry—thus the plausible interactions between the adhesion promoters and the keratin are described. Regarding the film-forming agents, a comprehensive overview of the composition of the traditional UV-curing nail polishes is provided, but the main emphasis is devoted to alternative, nature-derived film-forming agents that could introduce renewable resources into nail cosmetics. Additionally, this review gives short insight into the latest innovations in UV-curing nail cosmetics, like (1) nail polishes with improved pealability, (2) covalently polymer-bonded dyes and photoinitiators, thus reducing the release of the low-molecular compounds or their degradation products, and (3) UV-curing nail polishes as delivery systems for nail treatment medicine. Full article

Lily (Lilium Asiatica Hybrida) is a globally known perennial herbaceous bulbous flower, popular for its large, colourful flowers and high economic and ornamental value. However, pollen generation is a severe issue that reduces the cosmetic value of lilies. In this study, the MADS transcription factor LiAG1 was isolated and identified from the Lilium Asiatica Hybrida ‘Ice Pink Queen’, a male-sterile variety obtained through several years of hybridisation in our laboratory. qRT-PCR revealed that LiAG1 expression was greater in lily anthers, especially during the half-opening stage. The transient expression in tobacco demonstrated that LiAG1 was located in the nucleus. In the ‘Ice Pink Queen’ lily, suppression of LiAG1 using TRV-VIGS (tobacco-rattle-virus-mediated virus-induced gene silencing) resulted in the disappearance of most of the tapetum layer and the absence of the microsporangia. Overexpression of LiAG1 in transgenic Arabidopsis and tobacco resulted in narrower and more involute leaves, plant dwarfing, earlier blooming, and better pollen viability. Overall, our results suggested that LiAG1 might play an important role in flower development, especially anther development, of Lilium Asiatica Hybrida ‘Ice Pink Queen’. Full article

Aloe vera is well known for its biological properties as a bioflavonoid anti-inflammatory and antibacterial agent. It has been used frequently in the food sector as a food coating due to its hygroscopic properties and as an ingredient in the lucrative cosmetic industry. Studies have also included aloe vera as an eco-friendly green solution based on these properties. The current research focuses on the use of aloe vera gel in printing pastes as an alternative sustainable solution to synthetic thickeners, evaluating its wet performance and ease of fabric stitching, and has been inspired by studies that similarly used this substance and measured its effect on the fabric’s coefficient of friction and antimicrobial action. In the current study, printing pastes with natural colourants, such as saffron, curcumin, and annatto, and aloe vera gel thickener derived from natural leaves from Crete increased the fabric’s mechanical resistance to abrasion compared to the untreated pastes. The measured performance did not differ substantially from prints with traditional synthetic pastes, hence tolerating the substitution with the non-contaminant variant. The enhanced resistance to abrasion and wear extends the fabric’s serviceable life and resulting garments, decreasing the need for high industry processing volumes and, as a result, reducing pollution. The resistance to wear was evaluated using the dominant method in textile testing of the Martindale apparatus, which measured the cycles to failure, weight loss, and general appearance deterioration using the official photographic standards. Full article

Antioxidants are added to foods to decrease the adverse effect of reactive species that create undesirable compounds that destroy essential nutrients and, therefore, lower the nutritional, chemical and physical properties of foods. This study was carried out to determine the antioxidant properties of flowers and plant stems with leaves of Echinacea purpurea grown with mulches of different colours and thicknesses. Coneflowers were grown in the Experimental Station of the Agricultural University in Kraków, Poland. The mulching materials used were black, green and brown colours of 100 g/m² and 80 g/m² density. In plant material, e.g., flowers or plant stems plus leaves the proximate analysis, the total polyphenol content and the ability to scavenge free radicals (ABTS, DPPH and FRAP) were determined. The results show that flower samples had a higher content of compound proteins, ash and phenolic compounds. The mulching colour and density did not affect the proximate analysis of the E. purpurea plant. Based on the result of this study, E. purpurea is a potential source of natural antioxidants and can be used to improve the antioxidant activity of various food products as well as in cosmetics within the pharmaceutical industry. Full article

For patients eligible to undergo breast-conserving surgery (BCS) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy, accurate preoperative localisation of tumours is vital to ensure adequate tumour resection that can reduce recurrence probability effectively. For this reason, we have developed a 3D-printed personalised breast surgery guide (BSG) assisted with supine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and image 3D reconstruction technology, capable of mapping the tumour area identified on MRI onto the breast directly using dual positioning based on the manubrium and nipple. In addition, the BSG allows the colour dye to be injected into the breast to mark the tumour region to be removed, yielding more accurate intraoperative resection and satisfactory cosmetic outcomes. The device has been applied to 14 patients from January 2018 to July 2023, with two positive margins revealed by the intraoperative biopsy. This study showed that the BSG-based method could facilitate precise tumour resection of BCS by accurately localising tumour extent and margin, promoting the clinical efficacy in patients with breast cancer as well as simplifying the surgical process. Full article

Apricot stones have high commercial value and can be used for manufacturing functional foods, cosmetic products, active carbon, and biodiesel. The optimal processing of the stones is dependent on the cultivar and there is a need for methods to sort among different cultivars (which are often mixed in processing facilities). This study investigates the effectiveness of two low-cost colour imaging systems coupled with supervised learning to develop classification models to determine the cultivar of different stones. Apricot stones of the cultivars ‘Bella’, ‘Early Orange’, ‘Harcot’, ‘Skierniewicka Słodka’, and ‘Taja’ were used. The RGB images were acquired using a flatbed scanner or a digital camera; and 2172 image texture features were extracted within the R, G, B; L, a, b; X, Y, Z; U, and V colour coordinates. The most influential features were determined and resulted in 103 and 89 selected features for the digital camera and the flatbed scanner, respectively. Linear and nonlinear classifiers were applied including Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA), Decision Trees (DT), k-Nearest Neighbour (kNN), Support Vector Machines (SVM), and Naive Bayes (NB). The models resulting from the flatbed scanner and using selected features achieved an accuracy of 100% via either quadratic diagonal LDA or kNN classifiers. The models developed using images from the digital camera and all or selected features had an accuracy of up to 96.77% using the SVM classifier. This study presents novel and simple-to-implement at-line (flatbed scanner) and online (digital camera) methodologies for apricot stone sorting. The developed procedure combining colour imaging and machine learning may be used for the authentication of apricot stone cultivars and quality evaluation of apricot from sustainable production. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many brands to stop using cosmetic testers to avoid the risk of spreading the infection, jeopardising the future of cosmetic testing. Consequently, consumers must find alternative methods to conduct their information searches and, more importantly, the prospects of shopping online without going to the store to test the product. With the enormous prospects of social media cosmetic electronic word of mouth (eWOM), it is imperative to examine the influence of cosmetic eWOM on social media and for cosmetic marketers to understand the antecedents that result in cosmetic consumers making a purchase. The adapted information adoption model was validated through structural equation modelling based on 341 eligible surveys. The results confirmed that information quality, source credibility, information usefulness, and information adoption are the key antecedents in eWOM on Instagram when investigating purchase intentions in the colour cosmetic industry. This study is one of the pioneers in empirically testing the relationship between information quality and source credibility on information usefulness and, subsequently, the relationship between information usefulness, information adoption, and purchase intentions in a western market based on the cosmetic industry. These new insights provide practical implications for a cosmetic marketer, suggesting the key variables leading to purchase intentions in cosmetic eWOM, which can be utilised in marketing techniques. Full article

Honey is popular among consumers for its composition and healing properties. The aim of the paper is to study the differences in honey preferences across various age generations in Slovakia. The study is based on primary data obtained by conducting an online questionnaire survey on a sample of 1850 Slovak consumers of honey in 2022. Multiple correspondence analyses and non-parametric tests were applied to study the differences in preferences across selected age cohorts (Generation Z, Generation Y, Generation X and Silver Generation). The results show that Silver Generation tends to consume honey due to its nutritional values and prefers to consume monofloral honey of a dark colour, while Generation Z does not use honey in cosmetics or consume it due to its nutritional values and are inclined to prefer polyfloral honey. The utilisation of honey in cosmetics was associated mostly with Generation X. Younger consumers (Generation Z and Generation Y) have a very low awareness of creamed honey and honey with additions in comparison to Silver Generation or Generation X. In addition, the results reveal that propolis, royal jelly and bee pollen were the most attractive additions for honey across all age cohorts in Slovakia, while spirulina and chilli were the least attractive additions. Full article

The natural colour of hair shafts is formed at the bulb of hair follicles, and it is coupled to the hair growth cycle. Three critical processes must happen for efficient pigmentation: (1) melanosome biogenesis in neural crest-derived melanocytes, (2) the biochemical synthesis of melanins (melanogenesis) inside melanosomes, and (3) the transfer of melanin granules to surrounding pre-cortical keratinocytes for their incorporation into nascent hair fibres. All these steps are under complex genetic control. The array of natural hair colour shades are ascribed to polymorphisms in several pigmentary genes. A myriad of factors acting via autocrine, paracrine, and endocrine mechanisms also contributes for hair colour diversity. Given the enormous social and cosmetic importance attributed to hair colour, hair dyeing is today a common practice. Nonetheless, the adverse effects of the long-term usage of such cosmetic procedures demand the development of new methods for colour change. In this context, case reports of hair lightening, darkening and repigmentation as a side-effect of the therapeutic usage of many drugs substantiate the possibility to tune hair colour by interfering with the biology of follicular pigmentary units. By scrutinizing mammalian pigmentation, this review pinpoints key targetable processes for the development of innovative cosmetics that can safely change the hair colour from the inside out. Full article

Anthocyanins are widespread and biologically active water-soluble phenolic pigments responsible for a wide range of vivid colours, from red (acidic conditions) to purplish blue (basic conditions), present in fruits, vegetables, and coloured grains. The pigments’ stability and colours are influenced mainly by pH but also by structure, temperature, and light. The colour-stabilizing mechanisms of plants are determined by inter- and intramolecular co-pigmentation and metal complexation, driven by van der Waals, π–π stacking, hydrogen bonding, and metal-ligand interactions. This group of flavonoids is well-known to have potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, which explains the biological effects associated with them. Therefore, this review provides an overview of the role of anthocyanins as natural colorants, showing they are less harmful than conventional colorants, with several technological potential applications in different industrial fields, namely in the textile and food industries, as well as in the development of photosensitizers for dye-sensitized solar cells, as new photosensitizers in photodynamic therapy, pharmaceuticals, and in the cosmetic industry, mainly on the formulation of skin care formulations, sunscreen filters, nail colorants, skin & hair cleansing products, amongst others. In addition, we will unveil some of the latest studies about the health benefits of anthocyanins, mainly focusing on the protection against the most prevalent human diseases mediated by oxidative stress, namely cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, and diabetes. The contribution of anthocyanins to visual health is also very relevant and will be briefly explored. Full article

An obvious sign of ageing is the loss of hair colour due to a decrease or lack of melanin in hair fibres. An examination of the lipid levels and structure of grey hair determined using µ–FTIR revealed a high correlation between the characteristics of lipids located in the cuticle and the water dynamics of the fibres. Therefore, a deep study based on external and internal lipid extraction, an analysis using thin layer chromatography coupled to an automated flame ionisation detector, calorimetric analyses and the physico-chemical evaluation of the delipidated fibres were performed. Hairs were evaluated to identify changes in the organisation of these lipids using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and their effect on the water dynamics of the fibres. The primary differences observed for the lipid extracts from white hair compared to brown hair were the lower amount of the internal lipids extracted, which were primarily composed of free fatty acids (FFAs) and ceramides, with a higher content of lower phase transition peaks, indicating increased unsaturated compounds that promote higher fluidity of the lipid bilayers. The virgin white fibres exhibited lower levels of embedded water, with lower binding energies and higher water diffusion, indicating higher permeability. The IR study confirmed the low lipid levels and the greater disorder of white hair. These results may be of interest for cosmetic treatments to which patients with grey hair may be subjected. Full article

Many industries use various dyes to beautify their products and discharge the waste into the water without proper treatment. Such wastewater is not only dangerous for aquatic life but it is also toxic to human life and can cause numerous problems, such as skin diseases, and some dyes are carcinogenic or even mutagenic as well. Rhodamine-B (RhB) is one of those synthetic organic dyes which is widely used in textile, paper making, leather manufacturing, stained glass work, cosmetics, and many other industries owing to its high tinting strength, high stability, and bright colour. Therefore, it is essential to either remove or reduce its concentration before releasing it into aquatic streams, as well as to minimize or control the cause of several diseases. Several physical and chemical methods have been used for the removal of different dyes from wastewater; nevertheless, adsorption is one of the best techniques used for the removal of dyes due to its high efficiency and low cost. In this regard, we used Chamaecyparis lawsoniana (C. lawsoniana) fruit as a bio-adsorbent for the removal of RhB from an aqueous solution. An 85.42% dye adsorption was achieved at optimized conditions (pH 2, 40 ppm initial dye concentration, 105 min, and 50 mg adsorbent). Adsorption occurs by pseudo-second-order kinetics, according to kinetic studies. Several samples from various sources, including tap water, distilled water, river water, and filtered river water, were tested for RhB removal, and the study revealed good results even in river water. Thus, C. lawsoniana fruit can be used for its real-world application. Full article