Cosmetic potential of boiled water of Hijiki (Sargassum fusiforme) grown in the ocean in Okinawa, Japan

Abstract

\n Okinawa has most beautiful ocean that attracts tourists and it was recorded over 10 million foreign tourists visited Okinawa in 2018. The ocean surrounding Okinawa has various species of marine algae that could be raw material for cosmetic products because it has high concentration of phenolic compounds contributing antioxidant activity. There is an urgent need to create Okinawa’s unique brands for cosmetic products using marine algae grown in the ocean of Okinawa. Some of marine algae including popular seaweed food, Mozuku (Cladosiphon okamuranus Tokida) and Hijiki (Sargassum fusiforme), had high oxygen radical absorbance capacity and tyrosinase inhibition. In the food processing of Hijiki, there is a boiling step needed. And this Hijiki liquor is wasted 15 tons per year. To take advantage of this residue, development of cosmetic products derived from Hijiki liquor should be required. Hijiki liquor had the effect of decreasing melanin pigmentation and no cytotoxicity in a three-dimensional human skin model. Therefore, there is a high possibility that Hijiki liquor is a great material for cosmetic products.