HOMEMADE SKIN MOISTURIZER FROM RICE WASH AND ALOE VERA EXTRACT
MIXTURE
INTRODUCTION
Cosmetics are in high demand due to their widespread use. All of this
occurred because herbal goods have fewer side effects and health risks, and
consumers are becoming more aware of the importance of health and quality
of life, resulting in increased usage of herbal treatments and cosmetics. The
herbal cosmetics formulation is a sophisticated and delicate technological
profile because it preserves the bioactivity of the botanicals during excessive
processing and ensures their availability after application to the skin. It is
desirable for producers to ensure product quality by systematic testing at
their level (Dyneshwari, Patil, et al.,2024).
People have known about the benefits of using plants to maintain healthy
and beautiful skin since antiquity. Women were very sensitive of their
appearance and took great care of their individual skin types. Even today,
many, particularly in rural and hilly areas, choose natural medicines such as
plant extracts for cosmetic purposes such as neem, aloe vera, tulsi, orange
peel, rose, and so on (Shriraj, Patil, et al.,2024).
Herbal cosmetics, sometimes called natural or organic cosmetics, are
beauty products made from plants and botanicals. They are referred to as
products created with plant extracts, essential oils, and other natural
substances that are thought to have skin-beneficial properties. They are
considered safer alternatives to traditional cosmetics because they do not
include potentially hazardous components (Saurabh, Pandit, et al.,2024).
Natural and herbal skincare solutions have become increasingly popular in
recent years. People are becoming more aware of the dangers that chemical-
based cosmetics can cause to their skin, and they are looking for safer
alternatives. Herbal face packs have grown in popularity due to their natural
ingredients and lack of dangerous synthetic additives. They are used to
simulate blood circulation, rejuvenate muscles, and help maintain skin
elasticity while also removing dirt from the pores (Vrushali, Jadhav, et
al.,2024). These herbal face packs frequently include substances like
turmeric, neem, aloe vera, and rosewater, which have long been utilized for
their skin beneficial properties. However, while herbal face packs may
appear to be safe and mild on the skin, not all natural components are good
for everyone.
Plant extracts may be a significant area of research, particularly in the
prevention of skin cancer and the aging caused by ultraviolet (UV) rays.
Several plant components, particularly vitamins and polyphenols, have been
shown to influence signal transduction pathways, yielding photo protective
benefits. Ultraviolet light is classified into three categories: UVA (290-320
nm), UVB (290-320 nm), and UVC (290-200 nm). Ultraviolet B (UVB) light can
cause irreparable skin damage, such as cancer, hyperpigmentation, and
aging, although UVC has no negative effects on the skin and UVA is primarily
ozone-filtered (Patil, Smital, et al.,2024).
Rice (Oryza sativa) is a staple food for about half of the world’s population,
providing virtually all of their daily calories, particularly in Asia. Rice water
left over after soaking or boiling rice is often consumed, but it is also
discarded in various food preparation operations around the world. Extracts
have been employed in both free and Nano encapsulated form to guard
against UVB radiation damage and to treat skin diseases. .(Patil, Smital, et
al.,2024) It contains important nutrients such oryzanol, lecithin, tocopherol,
and tocotrienols. Γ-oryzanol, is a phytosterol found in rice-derived ingredients
for which safety test data are available and is known for its antioxidant
properties. It Is commonly utilized as a sunscreen in cosmetic compositions
in 12% range concentrations. It protects against UV rays induced by lipid
peroxidation, making it suitable for use as a sunscreen. .(Patil, Smital, et
al.,2024)
Traditional medicines are the integral part of human civilization to cure
various ailments. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), up to
80% of the people of the world are dependent on herbs as traditional remedy
to cure various ailments since the beginning of civilization (Arunkumar and
Muthuselvam, 2009). Natural products act as a leading source for the
discovery of new drugs from the origin of Ayurveda (Bhutani and Gohil,
2010). Among the reported medicinal plants, Aloe vera is used as a popular
folk medicine throughout the world (Arunkumar and Muthuselvam, 2009). It
was known as ‘Universal Panacea’ by the Greek scientist 2000 years ago.
Egyptians have designated A. vera as a ‘Plant of immortality” (Sikarwar et
al., 2010). Egyptian book of 550 B.C.E has described that skin diseases can
be cured by using A. vera. “De Materia Medica’, a book of 74 C.E which was
written by a Greek physician, mentioned that A. vera can treat wounds by
healing the skin (Coats and Ahola, 1979). In 1200 CE, for Eczema treatment
Aloe leaves were used (Cole and Chen, 1943). The name of A. vera was
originated from both Arabic and Latin language. Alloch is the Arabic word
which means shining bitter substance from which Aloe word was generated
and vera means true which was derived from Latin language (Basmatker et
al. 2011).
It is a succulent plant with triangular fleshy green leaves bearing white teeth
at the margins. It grows 60-100cm tall. The plant can survive at 40°C
temperature and also below freezing temperature depending on the root
health (Grindlay and Reynolds, 1986). It was native to Northern Africa, but
now it is found to grow in Aruba, Bonaire, Haiti, India, South Africa and
Venezuela also (OAU/STRC, 1985, Yeh et al., 2003, Grundmann, 2012). The
leaf of A. vera contains latex and gel. The juice or sap of A. vera is the latex
present beneath the epidermis layer, which occupies approximately 20-30%
weight of the whole leaf whereas inner part of the leaf bears tasteless and
colourless gel in the form of pulp or mucilage from the parenchyma cells
(Eshun and He, 2004, Klein and Penneys, 1988, Reynolds and Dweck, 1999)
Approximately 420 species of Aloe are available among which A. veru is
considered to be the most active plant for medicinal purposes (Grindlay and
Reynolds, 1986, Atherton, 1998). In western countries, mainly in the USA, A.
vera is cultivated for supply of the latex component of the leaf to
pharmaceutical industries (Lee et al. 2000c). Many investigators have tried
to analyse the active principles of A. vera gel which has been used in various
centuries for its curative and therapeutic properties Moreover 75 active
ingredients from the inner gel have been identified but it was proved that its
therapeutic effects have not been related to each individual component
(Habeeb et al., 2007), Various beneficial effects of Aloe leaf have been
attributed by the polysaccharides found in the leaf (Ni et al., 2004). However
it was reported that biological activities have been associated with
synergistic action of various compounds present in the plant rather than a
single compound (Avitean et al.,2014).
