Scientists create deep red cranberry lipstick with antimicrobial properties

Researchers have developed a deep red lipstick with antimicrobial properties by adding cranberry extract to the formulation.

Their deep red cream quickly inactivates disease-causing viruses, bacteria and a fungus that come in contact with it, as reported in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.

Recent studies have reported that lipstick formulas incorporating natural colorants, such as red dragon fruit, can result in products with both vibrant colours and antimicrobial activity, while cranberry extract has been shown to inactivate viruses, bacteria and fungi.

Ángel Serrano-Aroca and colleagues used cranberry extract to create a deep red lip tint with antimicrobial properties, first mixing cranberry extract into a lipstick cream base, which contained shea butter, vitamin E, provitamin B5, babassu oil and avocado oil.

In experiments, the reddened cream was added to cultures containing different viruses, bacteria and one fungal species. Both enveloped and non-enveloped virus types were completely inactivated within a minute of contact with the cranberry-containing cream. The multidrug-resistant bacteria, mycobacteria and fungus were substantially inactivated within five hours of applying the cream.

The researchers suggest that their novel lipstick formula could offer protection against a variety of disease-causing microorganisms.

The authors acknowledge funding from the Fundación Universidad Católica de Valencia San Vicente Mártir and the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation.