Cosmeceuticals

Abstract

The term cosmeceutical refers to a category of skincare products that are purported to have active ingredients whose physiological or pharmacological actions are capable of inducing cosmetic enhancements to the skin. Given a demand for brighter, healthier, younger‐appearing skin, and relatively limited regulatory control, thousands of different cosmeceutical formulations have found their way onto store shelves and onto the skin of hopeful consumers, despite a lack of scientific evidence. This chapter summarizes new and old, common and rare cosmeceutical ingredients; their uses and side effects; and the science, where available, behind the claims.