The beauty world is witnessing a fascinating new era marked by a rising awareness of the interconnectedness of our skin and our brain health. Innovative cosmetic companies are exploring this connection and formulating products with neurocosmetic ingredients designed to act on the nervous system to promote mental wellbeing and skin health.
This article explains neurocosmetics, how they work, and what benefits to expect. It also recommends top skincare solutions with neurocosmetic ingredients.
What Are Neurocosmetics?
Neurocosmetics represent a technologically advanced skincare approach based on mounting scientific evidence of bidirectional communication between the skin and the brain.
The skin receives stimuli from the outside world, such as a change in temperature or the pleasant effects of a soothing lotion. Its dense network of sensory nerve endings communicates this information to the central nervous system and the brain, triggering the release of specific neurotransmitters, immune reactions, and emotional states.
On the other hand, mental and emotional states impact our skin’s appearance and wellbeing via neural, immune, and hormonal pathways. Blushing, skin rash, and goosebumps are the most immediate evidence of the brain-skin connection.
Neurocosmetics design innovative skincare formulations that modulate these brain-skin pathways, lifting the mood, reducing stress and inflammation, and improving skin health.
How Do Neurocosmetics Work?
Neurocosmetics use ingredients that interact with the skin’s neural receptors to achieve emotional wellness, which in turn affects skin health.
The skin contains keratinocytes, melanocytes, and immune cells that directly communicate with nerve endings. They can stimulate the release of neurotransmitters and neuromodulators, including beta-endorphins, serotonin, dopamine, and substance P. These ingredients promote wound healing, regulate skin inflammation, and modulate the skin’s response to psychological stress.
Disruptions in the skin-brain axis, often driven by stress, inflammation, or gut dysbiosis, can contribute to various skin pathologies, including eczema, rosacea, and psoriasis.
By interacting with the skin’s neurosensory system, neurocosmetics aim to restore emotional homeostasis and enhance the skin’s resilience and appearance.
Neurocosmetics Ingredients
Neurocosmetic ingredients have the potential to provide psychological relief and improve complexion. The following are active ingredients commonly used in neurocosmetic products.
Neuropeptides
Neuropeptides are natural or synthetic compounds that modulate neurotransmitter activity. Neuropeptides play a role in relaxing muscle contractions (like Botox), enhancing skin resilience, promoting skin repair, and improving hydration. Common neuropeptides include:
- Acetyl hexapeptide-8 (argireline)
- Palmitoyl peptide
- Copper tripeptide-1
- Sh-pentapeptide-5
Plant Adaptogens
Adaptogens are plant extracts, oils, and other botanicals that increase endorphins, lower cortisol, promote relaxation, and minimize stress-induced skin aging signs. Examples are:
- Rhodiola extract
- Lavender essential oil
- Chamomile essential oil
- Cannabidiol (CBD)
- Nutmeg
Neuroprotective Antioxidants
Antioxidants are compounds that combat environmental damage, free radicals, and oxidative stress, the leading causes of premature skin aging. Specific antioxidants have neurocosmetic potential and may influence mood and sleep regulation (e.g., melatonin). Other neuroprotective antioxidants include:
- Cucumber seed oil
- Wild indigo
- Citrus oils
- Rosemary extract
- Vanilla fruit extract
Biotics
Our microbiome plays a vital role in supporting the immune system, contributing to approximately 70% of its function and microbial genes outnumber human genes by about 150 to 1. The gut microbiome also influences mood regulation, with around 50% of the body’s dopamine and 90–95% of its serotonin produced in the gut.
Chronic stress and poor dietary habits can disrupt the gut microbiome and impair the production of these key neurotransmitters. Low serotonin levels have been linked to digestive issues and increased gut permeability, which may trigger local and systemic inflammation. This inflammatory response can compromise the skin barrier and lead to skin inflammation.
A well-regulated microbiome plays a crucial role in maintaining the gut-skin-brain axis, which is responsible for the homeostasis of these three interconnected systems. Biotics are microbiome-friendly ingredients that support the diversity and amount of gut and skin microorganisms.
They include prebiotics (nutrients that feed beneficial microbiota), probiotics (beneficial gut and skin microorganisms), and postbiotics (byproducts of prebiotic fermentation). Many innovative skincare solutions incorporate prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics to strengthen the skin barrier and improve skin health.
Note: Read our article on neurocosmetic ingredients to learn about other potent neurocosmetic agents and how they transform the skin.
Neurocosmetics Products
The following recommendations include products for a complete skincare routine. They incorporate versatile ingredients that harmonize sensory neuron activity with emotional responses to calm, smooth, and rejuvenate the skin.
Vibrant Cleanse
Cleanse is a biome enzyme cleanser for all skin types. It is a gentle exfoliating face wash designed to remove dead skin cells and impurities without stripping the skin of essential oils. Citrus oils like sweet orange, mandarin, and lemon peel oil are the star neurocosmetic ingredients in Cleanse. They help regulate feel-good neurotransmitters, serotonin and dopamine, easing nervousness and anxiety and lifting the mood.
Apply Vibrant Cleanse in the morning and evening as the first step in your skincare routine.
Vibrant Tone
This clarifying biome toner balances sebum production and clears the skin to prepare it for the active ingredients in serums and moisturizers. It incorporates a carefully combined blend of pore-cleansing, inflammation-relieving, and barrier-repairing ingredients. Neurocosmetic agents include:
- Lemongrass hydrosol – Uplifts, refreshes, and slightly cools the skin, helping to calm red and irritated skin and reduce stress.
- Rosemary extract – Its antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties help lower stress and soothe the skin.
Vibrant Defense
Defense is crafted for blemish-prone skin by creating Gut Brain Skin Synergy™ with anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and sebum-controlling ingredients, such as bakuchiol, retinal (retinaldehyde), niacinamide, zinc PCA, mandelic acid, and totarol. Defense also contains microbiome supporting ingredients like L. plantarum, Black BeeOme™, and Bio-Fense™, and neurocosmetic ingredients, nutmeg and vanilla fruit extracts.
- Nutmeg fruit extract – This natural adaptogen both stimulates and sedates the nervous system, depending on what the body needs. It relieves stress and anxiety, helping to soothe irritated skin.
- Vanilla fruit extract – Its uplifting fragrance stimulates the olfactory system (part of the brain that participates in mood regulation), triggering the release of neurotransmitters that promote relaxation.
Apply Defense after toning and before moisturizing the skin.
Desert Vibe
This moisture-boosting serum is formulated with nourishing ingredients that promote hydration and strengthen the skin barrier, such as beta-glucan, Gotu Kola, and prickly pear. Its neurocosmetic ingredients are:
- Neurophroline™ (wild indigo extract) – Decreases cortisol produced by skin cells and stimulates the release of beta endorphins, lifting the mood and repairing stressed skin.
- Wonerage™ (monk fruit) – Restores nerve-cell communication to improve barrier function and reduces the release of pro-inflammatory neuropeptides, soothing stressed and inflamed skin.
Vibrant Restore
Restore is a clarifying moisturizer for normal and oily skin. It is infused with potent neurocosmetic ingredients, including probiotics and prebiotics, citrus oils, chamomile, niacinamide, and other beneficial compounds. They help soothe redness, reduce imperfections, provide deep hydration, and enhance skin barrier function.
Neuro Vibe
Neuro Vibe is a rich facial oil formulated with 21 superfood oils, including avocado, jojoba, pomegranate, rosehip, evening primrose, and chia, among others. It also includes the Cannabis sativa (hemp) seed oil, known for its potent neurocosmetic properties. It stimulates oxytocin production to enhance skin vitality, combat skin-aging zombie cells, and promote overall wellness.
Apply 2-3 drops of Neuro Vibe after toning, in the morning and evening. Massage gently on the face and neck, avoiding the eye area.
What Are the Benefits of Neurocosmetics?
Neurocosmetics employ a holistic approach to skin care, aiming for deeper and more sustainable effects than those provided by traditional skin care. Potential neurocosmetic benefits include the following:
1. Lower Cortisol Levels
Chronically elevated cortisol induces inflammation, gut dysbiosis, and hormonal imbalances, disrupting various bodily functions, such as appetite, sleep, and skin health. Neurocosmetics regulate neurotransmitter release, helping to balance cortisol production and calm stressed skin.
2. Reduced Muscle Contraction
Specific neuropeptide-based formulations, such as acetyl hexapeptide-8 and palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7, inhibit the release of neurotransmitters that regulate muscle contraction. These neurocosmetics act like topical botulinum toxin, helping to relax muscles and minimize wrinkle formation.
3. Decreased Inflammation
Specific neurocosmetic ingredients block the release of pro-inflammatory neuropeptides, decreasing inflammation, redness, and skin sensitivity. Other neurocosmetic agents reduce inflammation by stimulating uplifting and soothing sensations.
4. Balanced Microbiome
Biotics regulate the gut and skin flora, balancing the gut-brain-skin axis and healing the neurosensory pathways. By feeding healthy bacteria and blocking the proliferation of harmful microorganisms, neurocosmetics help clear and brighten blemish-prone skin.
5. Improved Mood
The uplifting, sedating, and calming properties of adaptogens and other soothing neurocosmetic ingredients stimulate the release of feel-good neurotransmitters. They help reduce stress, anxiety, and inflammation and mitigate inflammatory skin concerns.
6. Improved Skin Health
Neurocosmetics are designed to improve skin health, specifically helping with the following conditions:
- Blemish-prone skin
- Rosacea
- Psoriasis
- Eczema
- Pigmentation issues
- Aging signs
What Are the Challenges in Neurocosmetics?
While the field of neurocosmetics is evolving rapidly, it faces significant challenges due to limited long-term studies and a lack of standardized research methodologies.
Limited Research
There is limited scientific evidence supporting many claims made by neurocosmetic products, particularly regarding their direct effects on the nervous system and brain. Individual differences, such as neurocutaneous signaling pathways, skin type, microbiome composition, and psychological baseline, further complicate research, making it difficult to generalize results.
Safety and Efficacy
Neurocosmetics aim to influence the central nervous system and emotional states via the skin’s neural pathways. Cosmetic regulatory bodies need to assess the safety and long-term implications of using such products, whether they may cause psychological dependency, or alter mood in undesired ways.
What Is the Difference Between Psychodermatology and Neurocosmetics?
Neurocosmetics and psychodermatology explore the link between mental and skin health, but they differ significantly.
Psychodermatology is a medical field that focuses on how psychological states influence skin health and how skin disease can, in turn, affect mental wellbeing. It addresses conditions where stress, anxiety, depression, and other emotional factors contribute to the onset or worsening of skin disorders, as well as the psychological impact these conditions can have on individuals.
Neurocosmetics uses data from scientific and medical fields like psychodermatology and neuroscience to develop skincare products that mitigate stress-related skin concerns and improve mood.
What Is the Future of Neurocosmetics?
Neurocosmetics is quickly evolving. Future steps in the development of neurocosmetics include:
- Large-scale, human studies on neurocosmetics.
- Standardized protocols for assessing the effects of neurocosmetic products.
- Developing digital diagnostics and AI tools to predict the efficacy of neurocosmetic products.
- Developing wearable biosensors that detect emotional states via skin and neural responses, which will help create personalized neurocosmetic formulations.
- Focusing on ingredients that follow the circadian rhythm to determine the optimal time for using each product and achieve better results.
- More focus on ingredients with scents that stimulate the olfactory region to provoke a positive response from the skin.
- Creating smart nanocarrier systems for more targeted and effective ingredient delivery.
Conclusion
Neurocosmetics is one of the top trends in the cosmetics industry. With its focus on skin-brain pathways, it aims to redefine skin health and surpass the results of traditional skin care by improving not only the complexion but also emotional wellness.
Try products with neurocosmetic ingredients to join the skincare revolution and achieve a new level of rejuvenated, happy skin.
