Herbal Cosmetics for Skin and Hair care

1 Natural Product Radiance306 IntroductionNow-a-days, in the whole worldthere is turn to return towards the use ofherbal products and to adopt more naturalway of life. People prefer natural food, Herbal medicines and natural curingpractices for healthy life. There is muchcraze for the vegetable products cultivatedthrough biological/organic farmingwithout using synthetic fertilizers andpesticides. The usage of Herbal cosmeticshas been increased to many folds inpersonal care system and there is a greatdemand for the Herbal Cosmetics . All thishappened due to the excessive use ofsynthetic based products, syntheticchemicals, chemical dyes and their derivedproducts in the last one and half century;their production and usage cause humanhealth hazard with several side-effectsleading to numerous diseases.

2 It alsocaused considerable environmentalpollution and disturbed our system alone is provinginsufficient and there is need tosupplement it with Herbal drugs. The mostappropriate way is to utilize modern aswell as traditional system to look afterthe health of the people. Much awarenessis created amongst the consumers forhealth and better quality lives, which ledtowards more use of Herbal drugs, herbalcosmetics, neutraceuticals and naturaldyes. The new markets are being drivenby fundamental shifts in demand forherbal-based products and renewedconcern about the synthetic-basedproducts. The present paper deals withherbal Cosmetics used for skin and beauty of skin and hairbasically depends on individual s health,diet, habits, job routine, climaticconditions and maintenance.

3 In summer,excessive heat exposure dehydrates the skinand increases melanin content. It causesfreckles, wrinkles, blemishes, sunburns,pigmentation and even body cold in winters also damage skinas cuts, cracks, maceration and infectionare generally observed. Skin disease iscommon ailments of all age groupsbecause of the infection of a variety ofmicroorganism, chemical agents andbiological toxin present in the atmosphereand also due to physical factors,malnutrition and environmentalpollution. Similar problems occur withhair as hair fall and their greying at earlyage becomes a general feature. There areV P KapoorNational Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow 226 001, Uttar Pradesh, IndiaAbstractThe Cosmetics are the utility products used extensively throughout the world formaintaining and improving general appearance of face and other parts of body mouth, handfinger, eye, hair, etc.

4 It includes creams, powders, face pack, lotions, moisturizers, shampoo, hairoil, conditioners, nail polish, etc. Smooth, shinning, healthy skin and hair certainly count for abeautiful woman or handsome man. Numerous chemical toxins, microorganisms, chemicals,infections present in atmosphere cause damage to skin. Cosmetics alone are not sufficient to takecare of skin and body parts, it require association of active ingredients to check the damage andageing of the skin. Herbal Cosmetics are now emerged as the appropriate solution to the currentproblem. Personal care industry is currently more concentrated on Herbal Cosmetics as now-a-daysit is a fast growing segment with a vast scope of manifold expansion in coming years.

5 Herbalcosmetics are the preparations, which represent Cosmetics associated with active bio-ingredients,neutraceuticals or pharmaceuticals. The use of bioactive phytochemicals from a variety of botanicalshave dual function, (i) they serve as Cosmetics for the care of body and its parts and (ii) thebotanical ingredients present therein influence biological functions of skin and provide nutrientsnecessary for the healthy skin or hair. In general, botanicals provide different vitamins, antioxidants ,various oils, essential oils, hydrocolloids, proteins, terpenoids and other bioactive molecules. Avast biodiversity and different climatic conditions of our country provide a variety of botanicals,which can be used in the formulations.

6 Our traditional knowledge about the use of plant wealth asdescribed in Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Tibetan system of medicine, is of great help to identifythe phytochemicals for skin and body care preparations. Necessary efforts are required to associatethe modern cosmetology with bioactive ingredients based on our traditional system of medicineleading to emergence of novel cosmoceuticals for skin and body : Herbal Cosmetics , Skin care, Hair care, Natural colours, Natural code; Int. A61K 7/00, A61K 7/06, A61K 7/13, A61K 7/48 ArticleHerbal Cosmetics for Skin and Hair careHerbal Cosmetics for Skin and Hair careVol 4(4) July-August 2005307 Articleimmense opportunities to usephytochemicals ingredients in thecosmetics for the skin and hair care inaccordance with the principles of bothcosmetic preparation and traditionalsystems of medicine like Ayurveda, Siddha,Unani and is not simple to define the term cosmetic as its scope and applicationto the care of different body parts is verywide.

7 According to one definition (Harry,1962), these are (i) the articles intendedto be rubbed, poured, sprinkled orsprayed on, introduced into, or otherwiseapplied to the human body or any partthereof for cleansing, beautifying,promoting attractiveness or altering theappearance, and (ii) articles intended foruse as a component of any such articles;except that such term shall not main objective (Harry, 1962)of the cosmetic application isDecorative to enhance the generalappearance of face and other body partsto minimize the skin defects to aconsiderable extent. It is applied tomaintain or improve the status of skinand hair. It greatly helps men andwomen to look more impressive, beautifuland smart to a considerably the aim is not always achieveddepending upon the selection ofthe quality product based on the type ofskin ( oily skin, dry skin, normal skinand combined skin) and hair and alsodue to lack of artesian skill.

8 It requiresadequate expertise and artistic skill,which could be achieved other objectives of cosmeticapplication (Harry, 1962) arePsychological, Social and effect of cosmeticapplication is an important value, whichyield mental satisfaction to user. Theskillful use of Cosmetics can often disguiseor minimize the facial and skin defectsand improve the mental level of suffererstowards the life. Grey hair is a commonproblem associated in middle age or evenoften accrues at young age, it may causejeopardize to an individual future,specially a women. Such problem can besolved by the skillful use of hair dyes andconditioners. Social effect of cosmeticsis clearly evident from the existence ofnumerous beauty saloons, beauty parloursand hair dresser s saloons.

9 Now-a-days, itbecomes a routine to visit such saloonsand these are available even in rural regards to clinical effects of Cosmetics ,there exist different opinions for actionof creams and other preparations on theskin. Their application generally check theskin cracking, skin wrinkling, pre-matureageing, minimizing effects of wind burn,sun burn, bacterial infection, etc. It isrelevant to mention here that the soldiersdeputed in conditions of desert areas orextreme cold are supplied with specificpreparation for the their skin CosmeticsHerbal Cosmetics are thepreparations, which represent cosmeticsassociated with active bioactiveingredients or pharmaceuticals.

10 The useof phytochemicals from a variety ofbotanicals have dual function, (i) theyserve as Cosmetics for the care of bodyand its parts and (ii) the botanicalingredients present influence biologicalfunctions of skin and provide nutrientsnecessary for the healthy skin or hair. Ingeneral, botanicals provide dfferentvitamins, antioxidants , various oils,essential oils, dyes, tannins, alkaloids,carbohydrates, proteins, terpenoids andother bioactive are also topically appliedand considered more preferred withcompare to Cosmetics . Personal careindustry is now more concentrated onherbal based Cosmetics as it is a fastgrowing segment with a vast scope ofmanifold expansion in coming Cosmetics are not consideredunder the preview of Drugs andRegulations of Food and DrugAdministrations.