With the rising public consciousness toward looks and appearance and the surging disposable income of people, especially in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, on account of the rapid economic progress of regional countries, such as India and China, the sales of nutricosmetics are soaring all over the world. Nutricosmetics are basically oral-based natural health products that contain antioxidants and targeted nutrients which are required for the treatment of nails, hair, and skin. In simpler terms, nutricosmetics are nutritional supplements that support the structure and function of the skin. These products can be ingested easily and assist in improving the condition of nails, hair, skin, face, and body.
The surging population of geriatric people is one of the major factors propelling the sales of these products around the world. According to the World Population Ageing 2020 report published by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), the population of people aged 65 years or above will rise from 727 million in 2020 to more than 1.5 billion by 2050. As geriatric people are vulnerable to various chronic illnesses and medical conditions, their mushrooming population is propelling the worldwide sales of nutricosmetics.
These products are sold in the form of functional foods, beauty supplements, or beverages that contain various ingredients and active nutrients, such as proteins, minerals, botanical actives, enzymes, sterol esters, vitamins, and lycopene, which are produced and marketed as beauty aids. The word ‘nutricosmetics’ is derived by combining two words—nutraceuticals and cosmeceuticals. Some of the major micronutrients that serve as nutricosmetic products are omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin C, collagen, coenzymes Q10, glutathione, flavonoids, and carotenes.