Development of Cosmetic Emulsion Using Blueberry Fruit Extract and Agarose from Gracilaria verrucosa

The need for natural cosmetic ingredients has been increasing over the world nowadays. Agarose, a natural polymer from red seaweeds, has high hydrophilic character and a function of scaffolder. As skin moisturizer, agarose is adequate for percutaneous absorption. While, blueberry fruits extract possesses rich procyanidins and anthocyanins which show health benefits, anti-oxidant effect, anti-aging and anti-melanogenesis. Stability, sensory preference, skin trouble of the emulsion formula are important for cosmetic product development. In this study, we manufactured an emulsion formula for skin moisturizers using the two ingredients and tested emulsion stability and skin trouble. Total phenolic contents of the blueberry fruits extract were evaluated as well as tyrosinase inhibitory and collagenase inhibitory activities. $IC_{50}$ values of blueberry fruits extract for anti-tyrosinase and anti-collagenase activities were 168 and $112{\mu}g/mL$, respectively using gallic acid as a control ($64.8{\mu}g/mL$). The stability (pH and viscosity) of the formula containing 2% blueberry fruits extracts and 0.1% agarose was measured at five different temperatures (room temp., $25^{\circ}C$, $55^{\circ}C$, $45^{\circ}C$, $55^{\circ}C$) under the sun light at 2 day intervals for 12 days. There has been little pH change at the different temperatures. According to the sensory evaluation, there was no significant flavor, discoloration and physical changes of the formula at $25-65^{\circ}C$. These results suggest that emulsion formula containing blueberry extract and agarose could be used as a candidate for lotion and essence products.

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