Assessment of Cosmetic and Dermatological Properties and Safety of Use of Model Skin Tonics with Kombucha-Fermented Red Berry Extracts

Abstract

Kombucha is a health-promoting beverage that is produced by fermenting sweetened tea using symbiotic cultures of bacteria belonging to the genus Acetobacter, Gluconobacter, and yeast of the genus Saccharomyces. This study compared the cosmetic and dermatological properties of the extracts of the following redberries: R. rubrum, F. vesca, and R. idaeus, and their ferments, which were obtained by fermentation for 10 and 20 days using tea fungus. For this purpose, the fermented and non-fermented extracts were compared in terms of their chemical composition using the HPLC/ESI-MS chromatographic method, demonstrating the high content of biologically active compounds that were present in the ferments. The antioxidant activity of the tested samples was evaluated using DPPH and ABTS tests, as well as by evaluating the scavenging of the external and intracellular free radicals. The cytotoxicity of the extracts and the ferments, as well as the cosmetic formulations, were also determined by conducting Alamar Blue and Neutral Red tests assessing the cell viability and metabolism using skin cell lines: fibroblasts and keratinocytes. In addition, application tests were conducted showing the positive effects of the model cosmetic tonics on the TEWL, the skin hydration, and the skin pH. The results indicate that both the extracts and the ferments that were obtained from kombucha can be valuable ingredients in cosmetic products.

Kombucha fermentation as a modern way of processing vineyard by‐products into cosmetic raw materials

“…Similar correlations were observed by Ziemlewska et al [35]. The smallest deviations from the physiological pH of the skin were found for tonics with added extracts, while the largest differences were shown by formulations with ferment, due to the acidic environment of the ferment itself.…”

“…There were also no relevant changes in TEWL level considering fermentation time (10 and 20 days). Ziemlewska et al evaluated the TEWL and skin hydration of model skin tonics with red berry extracts and its Kombucha ferments [35]. Similar to our study, they found that formulations containing the extract or ferment showed a more favourable moisturizing effect compared to the base tonic, but formulations containing kombucha ferments, R. ruburum and R.idaeus, after 10 days had less beneficial effect on skin hydration compared to tonics with plant extracts.…”

“…In addition, when comparing the contents of the compounds, these authors identified a lower content of selected phenolic compounds, i.e. gallic acid, gallocatechin, catechin, epicatechin, in both berry extracts and their Kombucha ferments after 10 and 20 days of fermentation compared to the content in grape stem extract and ferments [35]. Among the soluble carbohydrates identified in grape stems extract and ferments, xylose was the major compound, but visible amounts of glucose and fructose were also detected.…”

Anti-Inflammatory and Protective Effects of Water Extract and Bioferment from Sambucus nigra Fruit in LPS-Induced Human Skin Fibroblasts

“…Although this solvent is not very effective for isolating various phenolic compounds, the water extract is safe for cells and microorganisms and can be subjected to fermentation. Kombucha, which is the mixture of a symbiotic culture of bacteria from the Acetobacter and Gluconobacter genera and yeast belonging to Saccharomyces, was used to trigger the fermentation because our previous works have shown its effectiveness in inducing beneficial changes in plant material [ 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 ].…”

Kombucha as a Potential Active Ingredient in Cosmetics—An Ex Vivo Skin Permeation Study

“…In recent years, there has been growing interest in using as many raw materials of natural origin as possible in cosmetic products. New technologies for the use of plant raw materials are increasingly being sought, so that they are characterized by the greatest possible amount of biologically active compounds [ 1 ]. There is also growing interest in the use of plant ferments in cosmetic preparations.…”