Lycopene ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is used mainly as an antioxidant and oil-soluble colorant, adding a red to orange tint while helping protect lipid phases from oxidation. In skin care, it is also used as a skin-conditioning antioxidant.
What does Lycopene do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is used mainly as an antioxidant and oil-soluble colorant, adding a red to orange tint while helping protect lipid phases from oxidation. In skin care, it is also used as a skin-conditioning antioxidant.
Is Lycopene clean?
From a clean beauty perspective, it is generally well tolerated and has little restricted-list friction when supplied in a compliant carrier. Sensitivity concerns are usually more about the surrounding oil, solvent, fragrance, or oxidation state than the molecule itself.
Is Lycopene sustainable?
This material is commonly sourced from tomatoes or other plant materials, and it can also be made through biotechnology or synthesis. Plant-derived supply has a favorable profile when extraction solvents and agricultural inputs are managed well, and the molecule is not known for environmental persistence.
Is Lycopene COSMOS-approved?
It is permitted in COSMOS-natural and COSMOS-organic formulas when sourced and processed according to the standard, including compliant solvents and carriers. It fits Green Chemistry best when obtained from renewable biomass or fermentation, with low-residue extraction and readily degradable supporting materials.
How does Lycopene work chemically?
This molecule is a lipophilic C40 tetraterpene carotenoid with an extended conjugated double-bond system, which explains both its color and radical-quenching behavior. It is typically used at low levels in the oil phase, often around trace to 0.1%, and it is sensitive to oxygen, light, and heat, so formulas often pair it with stabilizing antioxidants and opaque or air-limiting packaging.
Last updated 2026-05-13