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In an era dominated by beauty and aesthetics, where the pursuit of youth and vitality extends beyond surface glamour, a new category of targeted nutritional ingredients has emerged. Dubbed nutricosmetics (or cosmeceuticals), these functional foods, beverages and supplements transcend the boundaries of traditional wellness and prove that beauty begins from the inside. From skin-nourishing tomato extracts to full-spectrum collagen and wrinkle-reducing gummies, FoodBev's Phoebe Fraser speaks to some of the companies innovating in the ‘beauty from within’ category.

Monteloeder

“Consumers are increasingly looking for products that can offer visible results beyond basic skin care and are willing to pay a premium for those that offer advanced formulations and ingredients,” explained Danay Cubero, branded sales manager for Europe at Monteloeder.

Monteloeder, a SuanNutra company focused on innovation and science, has launched Eternalyoung – a nutricosmetic enriched with pomegranate, sweet orange, desert ginseng and gotu kola. The combination renders a holistic, ‘inside out’ approach that Monteloeder says promotes better skin moisturisation, radiance and elasticity. The botanical blend contains several polyphenols that work synergistically to provide anti-ageing benefits for the skin.

Cubero shed light on a prevalent industry challenge, emphasising the need for robust scientific validation to support the claims made by companies about their branded ingredients. “The scarcity of scientific backing makes it challenging for brands to stand out in a crowded market where consumers are increasingly curious, educated, engaged and sophisticated about the products they use,” she said. “In vitro studies, as well as a recent clinical trial, have endorsed the cosmeceutical blend’s capacity to enhance skin barrier function and stimulate regeneration.”

Complife Italia published the results of a research study on Eternalyoung last year. The 12-week randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study involved 60 women aged 35-69, all showing signs of sun-induced and chronological skin ageing, including mild to moderate wrinkles and dark spots.

Each participant took a hard gelatin capsule containing 225mg of the Eternalyoung complex or a placebo daily for 12 weeks. The study analysed several parameters of skin health via various measurement methods and found that the botanical blend intervention visibly and structurally improved the skin and reduced signs of ageing, without side effects.

Gelita

As consumers become increasingly well-informed, they are looking for products with proven health benefits, resulting in ‘beauty from within’ manufacturers striving to create formulations backed by scientific studies.

Oliver Wolf, marketing manager at Gelita, told FoodBev: “At Gelita, such an approach is one of our highest priorities when developing ingredients. That’s why our bioactive collagen peptides (BCPs) have been the subject of numerous studies to provide scientific validation.”

Gelita’s Verisol formulation is a specifically optimised BCP that interacts with fibroblasts in the skin and stimulates these cells to produce more collagen. Five published clinical trials have confirmed that 2.5g of Verisol is the optimal dose to achieve noticeable benefits for wrinkle reduction, skin elasticity, cellulite reduction, and hair and nail health.

“Other collagen peptides are often recommended at a much higher daily dose,” Wolf explained. “This means the cost per dose of Verisol in the final product is much lower and provides manufacturers with more flexibility.”

Lubrizol

US-based provider of speciality chemicals, Lubrizol, offers several functional formulations and active ingredients designed to deliver aesthetic benefits.

“The beauty sector is seeing increased interest in health-enhancing ingredients as consumers seek a more holistic approach to protect themselves against future disease outbreaks,” explained Isabel Gómez, global marketing manager for nutraceuticals at Lubrizol Life Science. “This has shifted consumer focus towards products offering additional benefits such as improved gut health, improved sleep, stress and immunity support, while also improving the appearance of the skin.”

The company offers Curcushine, a bioavailable microencapsulated curcumin that protects skin ageing. The capsules are composed of whey protein, curcumin, maltodextrin, rosemary extract and ascorbic acid. Curcumin is the main bioactive polyphenol found in turmeric and has been shown to delay skin ageing by protecting its structures and proteins, such as collagen and elastin, from oxidative and inflammatory damage.

The ageing process is often linked to the gradual build-up of molecular damage caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS). Excessive ROS levels can activate enzymes like hyaluronidase, collagenase and elastase, leading to additional skin damage. Curcumin has been found to decrease ROS in cells.

The potential of curcumin is limited by its low bioavailability. In this respect, Curcushine microcapsules’ innovative delivery system transforms curcumin into a bioavailable product due to the natural encapsulant matrix that protects and embeds the curcumin. Lubrizol said that Curcushine has been proven to significantly reduce ROS and glycation levels in human dermal cells, thereby preventing skin ageing.

Lycored

Lycored’s portfolio boasts a variety of formulations designed to work across different skin types, ages and ethnicities.

“One of the biggest trends in cosmeceutical beauty is inclusivity,” Caroline Schroeder, marketing communications manager at Lycored, explained. “We strive to empower people to feel comfortable in their own skin, so finding solutions that work across ages and ethnicities is one way to achieve this.”

Lycored has developed several tomato extracts designed to support beauty from the inside out. Extracted from red tomatoes, the company’s flagship product, Lycomato, is designed to support healthy skin, aid in the skin’s natural resistance to external stressors like the sun, and increase overall smoothness, density and thickness. Another tomato extract, Lycored’s Lumenato – taken from golden tomatoes – is formulated to support skin structure. It protects the structural benefits of collagen by nourishing the skin, promoting calmness and enhancing the skin’s natural resilience.

Schroeder added: “Choosing the right ingredients that support beauty from within depends on the specific needs and goals of each individual. If a more comprehensive approach is desired, Lycomato encompasses benefits beyond skin health, including prostate, bone and heart health, immunity and vision support. If needs are more targeted around skin health, Lumenato is the best option. It supports healthy cell signalling and supports skin structure, allowing the skin to age beautifully.”

Seppic

“Beauty now encompasses more than just physical appearance; it’s also a complete entity that emanates from within and spreads outwards,” Seppic’s active ingredients product manager for nutrition activity, Alice Barbier, and Margaux Jacob, market and digital manager for beauty care, told FoodBev.

The ingredient manufacturer has several targeted nutraceutical solutions, including Ceramosides. The patented lipidic extract of wheat provides an efficient source of ceramides – fatty acids that protect the skin and prevent dryness and infection. Its efficacy has been clinically studied showing improvements in skin moisturisation, elasticity and wrinkles in 15 days.

Last year, Seppic launched SepiBliss Feel, an active ingredient made from coriander seed oil, extracted from seeds that are sustainably cultivated in France. “The active ingredient in this draws its benefits from coriander, which supports happiness molecules (ß-endorphins and oxytocin), stressed keratinocytes and neuronal extensions.” Barbier and Jacob explained. “A unique feel-good soothing coriander seed oil, that acts both on skin and mind for an ultimate wellbeing experience.”

Sirio

Global nutraceutical company Sirio has unveiled the “world’s first” full-spectrum collagen-based gummy, named Perfect Glow. The company said the gummy provides visible effects on skin elasticity, smoothness and glow.

“This gummy contains 500mg of collagen peptides, which is the highest inclusion rate to ever go to market in a gummy, and 10mg of UC-II to help replenish the body’s natural collagen in just one dose per day,” Sara Lesina, general manager at Sirio Europe and Americas told FoodBev.

Perfect Glow gummies contain traditional ingredients to improve physical appearance – collagen type I and III – but also with the addition of UC-II (collagen II), which means they help maintain a youthful function of joints.

“We observe a significant trend where formulary combinations are crafted not only for specific beauty enhancement but also incorporate ingredients that enhance overall active wellness.,” Lesina added.

ADM

55% of global consumers are seeking food and drink products that support their skin health,” Paula Limena, VP of global marketing, health and wellness at ADM, told FoodBev. “Research also shows that dietary supplements are among the top three categories where consumers want to see claims for skincare support, demonstrating demand for ingestible beauty products.”

Through R&D, ADM has developed two probiotic formulations that support different aspects of skin health. Its AD formulation can provide support for dry, itchy skin, clear skin and skin vitality, while its Smooth Skin formulation aids clear skin and overall skin health.

“Additionally, our probiotic solutions are helping to disrupt the skincare industry by supporting the development of innovative ‘beauty from within’ formats, from gummies to tablets and stick packs, and more,” Limena continued. “Ingestible beauty products that taste great and can be easily added to daily routines are important aspects to adherence and reaching wellness goals.”

ADM also predicts that microbiome-supporting solutions will be crucial to delivering skin health support in novel formats, with more prebiotics, probiotics, postbiotics and enzymes coming to the forefront in the years ahead.

Bioiberica

“The rising interest in wellbeing, and the growing acceptance that all aspects of health are intrinsically connected, is creating demand for multi-functional solutions that deliver numerous benefits,” Antonio Vendrell, marketing director at Bioiberica, said. “The tendency toward multi-purpose solutions is also driven by consumers’ fast-paced lifestyles, which necessitate streamlined routines and ultra-convenient products.”

Bioiberica’s Dermial product is a source of glycosaminoglycans, containing a high concentration of hyaluronic acid (60-75%), dermatan sulphate and collagen, which work together to “deliver powerful regenerative, antioxidant and moisturising properties to the skin,” Vendrell explained.

Hyaluronic acid is known to support skin health – it is naturally occurring in the dermis and epidermis layers of the skin, where its main function is to bind water molecules to collagen, trapping it in the skin and keeping it hydrated.

When taken orally, hyaluronic acid is absorbed in the intestines and accumulates in the connective tissue, including in the skin. That is why nutricosmetics, including Bioiberica’s Dermial hyaluronic acid matrix, can help to maintain the health and nutrition of skin by increasing its moisture.

Vendrell observed that Dermial increases type I collagen synthesis – which supports the maintenance of the skin’s structure and that due to its glycosaminoglycan content, it also supports moisture content and skin hydration. It is also shown to increase elastin production by 24% and to enhance skin cell proliferation and migration, which supports skin regeneration.

He concluded: “Moreover, it is effective at a low dosage of 60 mg per day, much lower than the amount needed for pure hyaluronic acid. This low dosage permits the flexible formulation of nutricosmetic solutions.”

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