As sustainability continues to drive innovation within the cosmetics sector, researchers are investigating underutilized agro-industrial byproducts as potential beauty substances. A current examine printed within the Worldwide Journal of Beauty Science examines cork powder, a byproduct of the cork {industry}, as a viable, multifunctional uncooked materials for private care and make-up formulations.
We spoke to Sandra Mota and Ana Torres, PhD college students who carried out the sensible work on the examine, in addition to the examine’s principal investigator, Isabel Martins de Almeida, and senior researcher, Paulo Silva. These authors of “Overcoming challenges within the improvement of beauty formulations with agro-industrial by-products: The case of cork powder” shared their insights into the examine’s key takeaways and sensible purposes for beauty and private care product producers and suppliers.
Research overview
Carried out by a multidisciplinary workforce primarily based in Portugal, the examine targeted on evaluating the bodily, chemical, microbiological, and beauty suitability of cork powder. The analysis addressed the fabric’s processing necessities, security parameters, and potential purposes in completed merchandise.
The workforce subjected cork powder to a collection of therapies, together with sieving, washing, filtration, and warmth remedy, to fulfill cosmetic-grade requirements. It was examined for particle measurement, pH, oil absorption, moisture content material, and heavy steel concentrations.
The cork powder demonstrated excessive oil absorption, acceptable ranges of hint metals, and remained secure over a 90-day interval each as a uncooked materials and in oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion make-up formulations. The researchers concluded that whereas viable, “remodeling by-products into beauty substances is a stepwise course of that should be fastidiously carried out to make sure optimum efficiency.”
Key takeaways and creator commentary
The examine highlights cork powder’s potential as each a sustainable and multifunctional beauty ingredient. “Portugal is the most important producer of cork on the earth, a renewable useful resource,” stated Mota. “Cork powder is an underused by-product of the cork {industry} and yearly, massive volumes are generated,” she defined, “most of that are generally burned to provide power throughout the {industry}.”
Additional, she added, “whereas this presents some worth, it doesn’t absolutely capitalize on the fabric’s potential.”
Mota defined that cork powder presents distinctive advantages past sustainability, together with the addition of useful advantages to beauty formulations comparable to “mild exfoliation, antioxidant exercise, solar safety issue boosting impact, and pure pigmenting properties.”
From a formulation standpoint, Torres famous that a number of hurdles needed to be overcome. “By-products comparable to cork powder, moreover presenting variable composition, inherently carry a microbiological burden and should comprise contaminants from industrial processing,” she stated. “To beat these obstacles, we standardized procedures to make sure batch reproducibility.”
As a part of the analysis course of, she added, the powder was additionally subjected “to thermal processing to realize microbiological compliance with authorized necessities, with out affecting its high quality.”
Torres emphasised the significance of formulating with appropriate emulsions, as “incorporating cork powder right into a make-up formulation poses challenges.” Due to this fact, she defined, “incorporation in O/W emulsions must be carried out utilizing an satisfactory oily section to make sure product homogeneity.”
Relating to performance, Torres added that cork powder’s “excessive oil absorption capability makes it additionally preferrred for beauty merchandise designed for shiny pores and skin, offering a mattifying impact.” Moreover, she continued, “since cork powder has a color much like pure pores and skin shades, it may be integrated into ornamental cosmetics comparable to foundations and concealers.”
To fulfill security requirements, the researchers used inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to investigate heavy metals. “Every batch was examined for steel content material utilizing extremely delicate strategies,” stated Mota. “The outcomes are documented in a Certificates of Evaluation supplied with each batch of cork powder, guaranteeing transparency and serving to beauty manufacturers meet their regulatory obligations in the course of the security evaluation of beauty merchandise.”
Trying forward, Isabel Martins de Almeida, principal investigator and Paulo Silva, senior researcher, emphasised the significance of provide chain improvement and cross-industry collaboration. “The cork firm Dimas & Silva is presently optimizing the method and the commercial construction to acquire a high-quality materials,” stated Martins de Almeida.
Silva added that “establishing an satisfactory provide chain is required to advance cork powder to market,” and concluded that “partnerships with beauty {industry} suppliers are key” shifting ahead.
Supply: Worldwide Journal of Beauty Science 2025;00:1–12. doi.org/10.1111/ics.13066. “Overcoming challenges within the improvement of beauty formulations with agro-industrial by-products: The case of cork powder.” Authors: S. Mota, et al.
