With the growing demand for environmental sustainability, the cosmetics industry is increasingly turning to natural ingredients with high bioactivity and efficacy. Rice, a staple food in many cultures, particularly in Asia, is renowned for its nutritional and medicinal benefits, as well as its skincare properties. Numerous studies have emphasized the multifunctional benefits of rice in skincare, ranging from its ability to enhance hydration to its effectiveness in addressing signs of aging, positioning it as a promising ingredient in cosmetic formulations. Recently, fermentation has emerged as an innovative technique that significantly enhances the bioactive potential of rice. This process amplifies the production of beneficial compounds, such as organic acids, amino acids, polyphenols, polysaccharides, vitamins, and minerals. Previous studies have shown that rice fermentation products (RFPs) exhibit a range of skincare benefits, including moisturization, antioxidation, anti-inflammation, whitening, and anti-aging effects. This review provides an overview of the fermentation process and advantages of RFPs, followed by a detailed analysis of their key bioactive components and the diverse skincare benefits they offer. Moreover, we discuss the challenges related to the standardization, component analysis, and efficacy evaluation of these products, and we conclude with potential future research directions to fully explore the skincare potential of RFPs.

Objectives: Sialic acid (SA), a naturally occurring compound abundantly found in birds’ nests, holds immense promise for skincare applications owing to its remarkable biological properties. However, its low bioavailability, poor stability, and limited skin permeability have constrained its widespread application. Methods: To overcome these challenges, SA was encapsulated within nanoliposomes (NLPs) by the high-pressure homogenization technique to develop an advanced and efficient transdermal drug delivery system. The skincare capabilities of this novel system were comprehensively evaluated across multiple experimental platforms, including in vitro cell assays, 3D skin models, in vivo zebrafish studies, and clinical human trials. Results: The SA-loaded NLPs (SA-NLPs) substantially improved the transdermal penetration and retention of SA, facilitating enhanced cellular uptake and cell proliferation. Compared to free SA, SA-NLPs demonstrated a 246.98% increase in skin retention and 1.8-fold greater cellular uptake in HDF cells. Moreover, SA-NLPs protected cells from oxidative stress-induced damage, stimulated collagen synthesis, and effectively suppressed the secretion of matrix metalloproteinases, tyrosinase activity, and melanin production. Additionally, zebrafish-based assays provided in vivo evidence of the skincare efficacy of SA-NLPs. Notably, clinical evaluations demonstrated that a 56-day application of the SA-NLPs-containing cream resulted in a 4.20% increase in L*, 7.87% decrease in b*, 8.45% decrease in TEWL, and 4.01% reduction in wrinkle length, indicating its superior brightening, barrier-repair, and anti-aging effects. Conclusions: This multi-level, systematic investigation strongly suggests that SA-NLPs represent a highly promising transdermal delivery strategy, capable of significantly enhancing the anti-aging, barrier-repair, and skin-brightening properties of SA, thus opening new avenues for its application in the fields of dermatology and cosmeceuticals.

Skin aging is a major consideration regarding cosmetic skin care. The cosmetic field is seeking new active ingredients able to slow down the appearance of signs of age. Some lichens and more specifically the genus Cetraria s. str. presents an interest as a source of active molecules because it is already being used in traditional and modern medicines. To better evaluate the potential of C. islandica as anti-aging skin care, we investigated some key aspects to protect skin from external aggression and to avoid skin alteration, which would exacerbate signs of age. Among them, our results reveal (i) antioxidant capacities; (ii) anti-inflammatory properties on human keratinocytes once stimulated, as shown by a decrease in IL-6, IL-8, CXCL9, CXCL10, and CCL5; (iii) a downregulation of MT1-MMP, which corresponds to decreased tissue remodeling; and (iv) an inhibition of human tyrosinase, which could correct the appearance over time of age-related skin spots. Altogether, these results highlight the potential use of C. islandica in anti-aging skin care.