Work

Commercial use of algal biomass in European cosmetics: species diversity and sustainability challenges

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: The European cosmeceutical sector increasingly promotes algae-derived ingredients as sustainable, natural alternatives to synthetic compounds. However, a comprehensive understanding of which algal species are currently used in commercial products, and how they are sourced, remains limited. This study systematically identifies algal species utilized in European cosmetic products by integrating company-level data from the Rubisko Hub (formerly the Phyconomy database) with product-level ingredient analyses based on International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients (INCI) listings. From 49 identified companies, 31 disclosed species-level information. A total of 62 species were identified at the company level, with 58 confirmed through INCI analysis of individual products. Macroalgae accounted for approximately 87% of species usage, with brown algae (Heterokontophyta, Phaeophyceae) dominating the dataset. Of the 37 companies that disclosed production methods, 77.5% relied on wild harvesting, with the remainder engaged in aquaculture or a combination of both approaches. The most frequently used species were the macroalgae Laminaria digitata , Fucus vesiculosus and Chondrus crispus . While seaweed biomass may provide a natural alternative to synthetic cosmetic products, the predominance of wild-harvested macroalgal biomass, including slow-growing or habitat-forming species, raises questions regarding long-term resource sustainability. By quantifying these trends, this study provides a necessary baseline for ecological risk assessment and guides future evidence-based sustainability strategies in the European seaweed cosmetics sector.

Source: Algal Research

DOI: 10.1016/j.algal.2026.105027