Chapter 7: Algal and Microalgal Compounds in Cosmeceuticals

A significant focus during the 21st century has been avoiding synthetic products and replacing them with suitable natural products in our daily life. Many substances used in these synthetic products are absorbed through the skin by the body, making them hazardous to the environment, as well as to the human body. The cosmetics industry is a huge market for the exploration of natural product-based organizations, since there is scope to improve almost all the manufacturing methodologies of cosmeceutical production. Algae are photosynthetic thallus-like organisms that possess a wide range of bioactive compounds that contribute to products such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and nutritious feeds, which are valuable for human health and wellness. They are wealthy resources of vital nutrients, such as amino acids, proteins, vitamins, pigments, minerals, and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. These ingredients are employed in cosmetic formulations either as excipients, additives or active substances. Apart from that, these algae are very fast growing and there is always a sustainable approach to use it in the cosmetic industry as an alternative to many synthetic ingredients. This chapter will deal with algal-based cosmeceuticals in terms of their secondary metabolites, bioactive compounds and pharmacological potential, and the market products obtained from them.