Plants in cosmetics

By using a multidisciplinary and integrated approach, the course aims at providing the students with an overview on the main plant species used in cosmetics for skin and hair care, with special focus on their taxonomy, macro-(micro)morphology and phytochemical profile of the used plant parts. Furthermore, attention will be paid to the different sources of plant material used to produce cosmetic ingredients, including conventional horticultural production, wild harvest in developing countries and biotechnological methods. In addition, on account of the variety of sources, the students will deepen several ethical and scientific issues that are generally not considered or underestimated, such as the sustainability of the supply chain, the preservation of biodiversity, etc.

At the end of the course, students will have acquired the basic knowledge and have to demonstrate their understanding of the main plant species used in a cosmetic skin and hair care products, with in-depth insights into their taxonomy, the used plant parts, the morpho-anatomy of the secretory structures, the bioactive compounds contents, as well as their benefits in the cosmetic sector. Finally, this course will provide the students with the knowledge on the different sources of plant cosmetic ingredients, as well as on the ethical and scientific issues posed by the variety of their sources of origin.