Current Status and Challenges in Using Plant-Food Waste in the Cosmetic Industry – A Case Study in the Sri Lankan Context

Abstract

The majority of contemporary research has focused on the cosmetic application in fresh plant materials but there is a lack of critical analyses on the potential of plant waste material for the cosmetic industry. In this regard, this study was conducted with aid the literature from the 2000-2022 period. Accordingly, we can conclude that the nonedible plant materials such as seeds and peels and food wastes contain a significant number of phytochemicals which are the key ingredient of natural cosmetic products, and low-cost as well as non-toxic ingredients for cosmetic products. But using food waste can be challenging since plants are biodegradable, before using for cosmetics it should be tested for any microorganism activity which can affect the skin as well. Then availability and collection of waste such as soaked water, seeds, and peels will be difficult since first of all it has to be consumed in the food used in the cosmetic industry. However, the analysis result of the phytochemical content of plant waste has shown a significant value in the cosmetic industry due to their anti-inflammatory activity, antioxidant activity, anti-tyrosinase, and elastase activity for the skin.