The sourcing of raw materials with low environmental impact, e.g., “upcycled” ingredients from short supply chains, has currently become necessary, and agri-food waste represents a very attractive hub to produce innovative cosmetic extracts. In this paper, an integrated approach considering all the different steps, starting from material selection, extraction, chemical characterization, biological activity evaluation, and environmental impact calculation, was adopted to obtain innovative, sustainable, and effective cosmetic raw materials from food waste. As case report, a supercritical CO₂ extract obtained from wild-strawberry-processing waste after jam production (WSWSCO₂ extract) was developed. The fatty acids profile of the waste material and WSWSCO₂ extract was investigated via a GC–MS method, and mainly polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) such as linoleic and linolenic acids were detected. Furthermore, the ability of the WSWSCO₂ extract to inhibit 5α-reductase type 1 expression in skin fibroblasts was assessed, confirming significant efficacy at the dose of 5 mg/mL. Finally, in view of the eco-sustainability approach, the environmental impact related to WSWSCO₂ extract was calculated using a life cycle assessment (LCA) analytical approach, considering different parameters and indicators (e.g., carbon footprint) and verifying the eco-friendly approach in extract development and production. Although further research is needed, for example, to check the full composition of the extract and its effect on skin cells, these results suggest that the WSWSCO₂ extract may represent an innovative and sustainable ingredient for cosmetic applications especially in topical preparation for the treatment of some androgenic-related discomfort, such as acne and androgenic alopecia, reflecting the potentiality of the holistic and pioneering approach related to ingredient development presented in this study for the cosmetic sector.

The growing regulatory scrutiny and the emerging trends towards natural products and clean labels have led to a particular focus on food supplements’ composition, including excipients. The objective of this study is to establish a methodological approach combining conventional techniques, i.e., tapped density and flowability testers, with more objective and quantitative ones to identify alternative powder excipients that can replace conventional ones in the development of solid-dose formulations without affecting their processing, workability, and mechanical properties. In the first phase, the alternative powder excipients were characterized in terms of cohesiveness, compressibility, and flow function coefficient. We then evaluated the possibility of using selected excipient combinations to totally and/or partially replace the conventional excipients within three nutraceutical formulations. Glyceryl behenate at 1–3% w/w could be considered as a viable alternative lubricant to magnesium stearate without compromising the rheological properties of the mixtures. Fructo-oligosaccharides showed a free-flowing behavior comparable to calcium phosphate and microcrystalline cellulose, improving the flowability and compressibility of the formulations. The study of powder rheology could be advantageous to formulate new products or reformulate existing ones in a time- and money-saving way, leading to high-quality products that can appeal to consumers in terms of health-functional effectiveness.