When choosing cosmetic products, stylish women are not only attracted by product features and brands, but the appearance of the products, especially, the color plays a very crucial role in people’s selection process. Color is believed to be the primary element seen by the senses, and it has played an important part in consumers’ acceptance for millennia in order to improve their actual appearance and quality.
The demand for clean, effective, and beautiful organic pigments for cosmetics is reshaping the beauty industry. Formulators are seeking plant based pigments for cosmetics that offer not just color, but also functional benefits. This guide will explore the top natural pigments, with a special focus on the remarkable phycocyanin skin benefits.
The Palette of Plant-Based Pigments for Cosmetics
Photosynthetic organisms such as cyanobacteria, microalgae, macroalgae, and plants can synthesize a wide range of light-absorbing compounds. Pigments are molecules that can absorb light in the visible spectrum, resulting in a colour reflection visible to the human eye. Natural pigments have an important function not only for these organisms (which cannot survive or produce energy without them), but also for the environment (as oxygen and biomass primary producers), and for society (since these species have been utilized as colorants for millennia). More recently, the push towards clean label products, sustainability, and environmental awareness has resulted in a shift in industry expectations, as well as the rescue of hitherto known natural pigment sources that may be used to replace synthetic colorants.
A Formulator’s Guide to Natural Pigments for Cosmetics: The Skin Benefits of Phycocyanin
When choosing cosmetic products, stylish women are not only attracted by product features and brands, but the appearance of the products, especially, the color plays a very crucial role in people’s selection process. Color is believed to be the primary element seen by the senses, and it has played an important part in consumers’ acceptance for millennia in order to improve their actual appearance and quality.
The demand for clean, effective, and beautiful organic pigments for cosmetics is reshaping the beauty industry. Formulators are seeking plant based pigments for cosmetics that offer not just color, but also functional benefits. This guide will explore the top natural pigments, with a special focus on the remarkable phycocyanin skin benefits.
The Palette of Plant-Based Pigments for Cosmetics
Photosynthetic organisms such as cyanobacteria, microalgae, macroalgae, and plants can synthesize a wide range of light-absorbing compounds. Pigments are molecules that can absorb light in the visible spectrum, resulting in a colour reflection visible to the human eye. Natural pigments have an important function not only for these organisms (which cannot survive or produce energy without them), but also for the environment (as oxygen and biomass primary producers), and for society (since these species have been utilized as colorants for millennia). More recently, the push towards clean label products, sustainability, and environmental awareness has resulted in a shift in industry expectations, as well as the rescue of hitherto known natural pigment sources that may be used to replace synthetic colorants.
| Pigment Source | Color(s) | Key Bioactive | Primary Skin Benefit |
| Phycocyanin (from Spirulina) | Vibrant Blue | Phycocyanin | Antioxidant, Soothing, Hydrating |
| Beta-Carotene (from Algae/Carrots) | Orange, Yellow | Carotenoids | Antioxidant, Photoprotection |
| Chlorophyll | Green | Chlorophyll | Purifying, Deodorizing |
| Anthocyanins (from Berries) | Red, Purple, Blue | Anthocyanins | Antioxidant, Anti-aging |
The Top 5 Phycocyanin Skin Benefits
The spirulina extract, particularly phycocyanin has been proposed as a promising source of pigments for skin benefit cosmetic uses. Binmei is one of the few enterprises worldwide with patents to industrially extract phycocyanin from spirulina and has 9 different patents about phycocyanin. Phycocyanin has been optimized in the past few years in terms of production, extraction, and application of pigment extracts. Binmei Phycoycanin, as a natural blue colorant, comes from spirulina algae cultivated in the Inner Mongolia Plateau, Binmei Phycoycanin contains protein content as high as 65%-72%, incorporating phycocyanin into cosmetics can provide numerous nutritional phycocyanin skin benefits.
Powerful Antioxidant Protection
Phycocyanin is a potent antioxidant that helps neutralize free radicals caused by environmental stressors like pollution and UV exposure, preventing premature aging. Inside cyanobacteria cells, these compounds are in charge of collecting exceeded energy from photosynthetic metabolism, preventing detrimental consequences and cell damage, and can be isolated and employed for a similar purpose in human skin, where extended exposure to sunlight (UV radiation and high light intensity) can cause cell damage.
Deep Hydration & Moisture Retention
As a hydrophilic (water-loving) pigment-protein, phycocyanin helps the skin retain moisture, making it an excellent ingredient for serums and lotions to combat dryness. Because of their water solubility, these blue hydrophilic pigments can be used in skincare products, particularly serum, and lotions.
Soothing & Anti-Inflammatory Action
Its natural anti-inflammatory properties can help calm irritated skin, reduce redness, and soothe sensitive skin conditions. Pigments from microalgae and cyanobacteria are known for several bio-activities, especially phycocyanin as natural colorant features and vibrant colors have increased market interest in recent years. These pigments have already been seen as skin tonics, with a capacity for skin protection benefits and prevention and slow-down of skin-associated disorders, due to their recognized antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-aging, antitumoral, and photoprotector activity.
Natural Photoprotective Support
Studies show phycocyanin can help mitigate some of the harmful effects of UV radiation on the skin, acting as a supportive ingredient in sun care and daily-wear products.
Revitalizing & Remineralizing
Being a protein complex, it delivers essential amino acids and minerals to the skin, helping to revitalize, nourish, and improve overall skin health and radiance. Most of commercial cosmetics claim a large range of phycocyanin skin benefits properties, including antioxidant, revitalizing, remineralizing, moisturizing, protecting alongside cleansing and shining action, both for hair and for skin.
The Phycocyanin Color: A Touch of Natural Luxury
Beyond its benefits, the phycocyanin color itself is a key feature. It delivers a stunning, pure, and vibrant sky-blue that is impossible to replicate with other natural sources. Its water-solubility makes it perfect for creating beautiful, transparent serums, gels, and toners. With the concept of cosmeceuticals, the use of phycocyanin as a source of components has even more potential skin benefits due to its diverse range of produced compounds. Fatty acids, polyphenols, peptides, polysaccharides, and pigments are examples with clearly delineated potential for health uses that can be found. When it comes to cyanobacterial pigments, such as carotenoids and phycocyanin, it is possible to combine their bioactive capacity, varied colors, and cosmetic enhancement characteristics (e.g., moisturizer, stabilizing agents) to pique the interest of the natural cosmetics industry, which typically apply these compounds in the form of extracts.
Sourcing the Best: The Importance of Organic Phycocyanin
For brands committed to the highest standards, choosing organic pigments for cosmetics is non-negotiable. Binmei offers certified organic phycocyanin, cultivated in pristine, controlled environments without the use of pesticides or synthetic additives. This ensures the ultimate purity and safety for your formulation. Natural ingredients have been used for skin benefit cosmetic reasons since before the notion of cosmetics, and they have long been prepared from mineral materials, herbal pastes, and oils.
In this review, recent cosmetic applications of phycocyanin are revised, by highlighting its ability in improving skin appearance and health. Phycocyanin stands out as a sustainable bioactive colorant with health-promoting properties, and an important active ingredient of natural skin benefits cosmetics products. Currently, phycocyanin has been incorporated in topical skin-care formulations, such as moisturizing, anti-wrinkles, antiaging, and antiacne agents. Furthermore, phycocyanin is used by cosmetic formulators to promote healthy sunscreen protection, treat skin pigmentation disorders, and heal wounds.
