ASTAXANTHIN

📋 Quick facts

Description: ASTAXANTHIN — potent antioxidant, anti-aging (algae-derived carotenoid).

All Functions: potent antioxidant, anti-aging (algae-derived carotenoid)

Quick Facts:

• Category: active

Proven Benefits At A Glance:

• Astaxanthin is a natural reddish-orange pigment produced by microalgae, bacteria, and yeast
• It has significantly higher antioxidant power than vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, and other common antioxidants
• Human studies show it can improve skin moisture and elasticity when taken orally
• Research suggests potential benefits for skin aging, eye health, and cardiovascular function, though more human studies are needed
• Most natural astaxanthin comes from the microalga Haematococcus pluvialis

⚗️ Chemical Overview

(6S)-6-hydroxy-3-[(1E,3E,5E,7E,9E,11E,13E,15E,17E)-18-[(4S)-4-hydroxy-2,6,6-trimethyl-3-oxocyclohexen-1-yl]-3,7,12,16-tetramethyloctadeca-1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15,17-nonaenyl]-2,4,4-trimethylcyclohex-2-en-1-one has been reported in Phaffia rhodozyma and Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous with data available.

Source(s): LOTUS – the natural products occurrence database, via PubChem

📊 Comedogenicity

🛡️ Safety rating

Safety tier is a starting heuristic from regulatory status and comedogenic rating, not a dermatological verdict — see our Terms for the full disclaimer. Research confidence reflects how many real cited studies back this ingredient, not the strength of their findings.

🌍 Regulatory Status

💧 Skin Type Compatibility

Derived from this ingredient’s irritancy potential and comedogenicity rating against the needs of each skin type — e.g. oily and acne-prone skin are marked down for pore-clogging ingredients, sensitive skin for irritants. A starting heuristic, not a dermatological verdict.

⚠️ Don’t Combine With

📚 Research & Evidence

🔬 The Science

Astaxanthin is a carotenoid—a family of pigments made by plants and microorganisms. What makes it stand out is its antioxidant capacity. In lab tests, astaxanthin showed 100–500 times higher oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) than alpha-tocopherol (a form of vitamin E), and roughly 10 times stronger free radical-fighting activity than alpha-tocopherol, alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lutein, and lycopene combined (Pharmacol Res, 2021). Natural astaxanthin also performs better than synthetic versions at reducing oxidative stress and free-radical damage (J Basic Microbiol, 2022). For skin specifically, here’s what human evidence shows: #1: Oral astaxanthin supplementation significantly improved skin moisture content and skin elasticity compared to placebo in randomized controlled trials (Nutrients, 2021).

However, #2: the same analysis found it did not significantly reduce wrinkle depth (Nutrients, 2021). The proposed mechanisms behind astaxanthin’s skin benefits include photoprotective effects (helping shield skin from sun damage), antioxidant activity, and anti-inflammatory action (Nutrients, 2018; Nutrients, 2021), though the sources note these mechanisms are still being studied. Beyond skin, research abstracts mention potential neuroprotective, cardioprotective, and antitumoral properties based on lab and animal studies (Pharmacol Res, 2021), with suggestions it could support brain health and cardiovascular function (Molecules, 2022; J Basic Microbiol, 2022). These findings are promising but come largely from non-human research. The sources emphasize that long-term safety data and more human clinical trials are still needed to fully understand astaxanthin’s health effects (J Basic Microbiol, 2022; Molecules, 2022).

📄 Related Research

Matched by search — not necessarily verified support for every statement above.

• Donoso A et al. (2021). “Therapeutic uses of natural astaxanthin: An evidence-based review focused on human clinical trials”. Pharmacol Res.
• Davinelli S et al. (2018). Astaxanthin in Skin Health, Repair, and Disease: A Comprehensive Review. Nutrients.
• Kumar S et al. (2022). Astaxanthin: A super antioxidant from microalgae and its therapeutic potential. J Basic Microbiol.
• Bjørklund G et al. (2022). The Role of Astaxanthin as a Nutraceutical in Health and Age-Related Conditions. Molecules.
• Zhou X et al. (2021). Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on the Effects of Astaxanthin on Human Skin Ageing. Nutrients.

🧴 Products Containing ASTAXANTHIN

• L’Oréal, L’Oreal Consumer products, Magic Lotion Super Éclaircissante-mains et pieds
• L’Oréal, L’Oreal Consumer products, Magic Lotion Super éclaircissante-Visage
• ordinary suncream
• Mixa Lait corps nourrissant Effet soleil