A novel study conducted by the nutraceutical division of Lubrizol has found that its beauty from within-focused curcumin ingredient, CURCUSHINE, can improve skin apperance and enhance radiance.
Published in the journal Agro FOOD Industry hi-tech, the study assessed how daily supplementation with the microencapsulated, anti-ageing Ayurvedic extract impacted facial skin health parameters — including luminosity, appearance of wrinkles and imperfections, redness and markers of oxidative stress.1
The results of this study highlight the wide-spanning potential of curcumin in nutricosmetic applications.
Curcumin: the star of the show?
Curcumin, a plant-based bioactive ingredient and Ayurvedic staple, has a long history of use in natural health.
Touted for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, the nutraceutical has previously been acknowledged in a diverse range of health applications, including cognition, metabolic health, active nutrition and immune balance.
Now, the nutraceutical is soaring in popularity within the beauty from within sector — with research suggesting it can tackle everything from skin inflammageing to wrinkles.
According to the FMCG Gurus' "Navigating Beauty from Within, 2025" report, there has been a market shift towards approaching beauty through nutricosmetics, as they can promote inner radiance and outer glow.
"It's clear that consumers are increasingly interested in supplements that encourage a radiant complexion, hair growth and overall outer appearance," notes Isabel Gómez, Global Marketing Manager for Lubrizol Nutraceuticals.
There's also been a major emphasis on preventive measures for ageing, with a proactive approach now becoming popular in younger adults — including Gen Z and Millennials.
"Prejuvenation, the concept of maintaining a youthful appearance and preventing the signs of ageing before they occur, has really risen as a trend, and ingredients like curcumin are great for this purpose," Gómez states.
However, curcumin in its natural form often exhibits a low solubility and bioavailability profile, meaning more efficacious, encapsulated forms are rising in popularity.
To assess how its microencapsulated curcumin form, CURCUSHINE, could benefit skin parameters, Lubrizol conducted a study with 63 healthy female volunteers aged between 21 and 50 over a 42 day study period.
Curcumin improves skin health
After daily supplementation with either 2g of CURCUSHINE or a placebo for 42 days, participants taking the nutraceutical experienced:
- Significant improvements in skin appearance
- A reduction in the appearance of winkles
- A decrease in wrinkle volume by 10.32% on average
- A 19% increase in skin luminosity
- An 8% reduction in brown spots
- A boost in skin homogeneity (69%)
According to Lubrizol, a previous in vitro study has also highlighted the superior antioxidant and protective effects of CURCUSHINE on human dermal cells — suggesting its protective capacity on key skin health proteins such as collagen and elastin.
"We believe that CURCUSHINE's potential in supporting skin rejuvenation is mostly down to the microencapsulation technology used, which enables curcumin to be easily absorbed within the body," comments Gómez.
"It's antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties can be seen through a noticeable improvement in skin luminosity and improvements in skin tone uniformity — along with a reduction in harmful reactive oxygen molecules and inflammation," adds Alan Connolly, Lubrizol's Nutraceuticals R&D Manager.
"We believe that these mechanisms contribute to the modulation of collagen synthesis, though further studies will need to be conducted to confirm this," he states.
Due to its water dispersibility, CURCUSHINE can be easily incorporated into a range of nutraceutical and nutricosmetic applications — including tablets, capsules, gummies and powder sachets — as well as functional food and beverage products.
Lubrizol's team will be on hand to discuss CURCUSHINE at Vitafoods Europe 2025.
Reference
1 Efficacy of oral curcumin extract microcapsules on skin appearance