Objective:

To review commercial products with vegetal ingredients that are used in personal hygiene and cosmetics of daily use. Collect, in the form of a catalog, botanical and pharmaceutical considerations of these extracts.

Method:

A field work was carried out during six months, visiting the areas of hygiene and cosmetics of four pharmacies and of three large commercial areas of Seville. All the products in which a plant name appeared appeared: used the necessary bibliography obtained through databases: Scopus, Web Of Science.

Results and discussion:

We found extracts from 129 different plants distributed throughout the plant kingdom (except for bryophytes). Of these, 116 are seed plants, distributed in 59 different families, being the most important: Asteraceae, Rosaceae, Lamiaceae, Poaceae, Fabaceae, Rutaceae and Sapindaceae.

42% of the plants are herbaceous, the rest are woody and some thallus. Their origins can be related to the agricultural areas traditionally cultivated by man, such as the Mediterranean, Central Asia, India, Southeast Asia, China and Japan. The most used organs in the elaboration of these products are: seeds, fruits, flowers (followed by the leaves).

The most abundant secondary metabolites are: flavonoids (quercetin, kaempferol, hesperidin), vitamins (C), carbohydrates (carrageenans and fuciodans) and lipids (mono and polyunsaturated fatty acids). The main uses are: antioxidant power, aromas and fragrances, nutrients and skin moisturizers, photoprotective effect, hair care and anti-cellulite.

Conclusion:

The vegetable sample that has been found may be representative of the botanical species that appear in cosmetics and skin products, and everyday products of Spain. A scientific basis has also been found that supports the properties and benefits of plant extracts in these products.

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