SYSTEMATIC REVIEW article
Front. Med.
Sec. Dermatology
Volume 12 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fmed.2025.1589691
This article is part of the Research TopicBioactive Compounds Present in Essential Oils - Vol II: Advances and Applications in a Multidisciplinary ApproachView all articles
Evaluating Efficacy, Safety, and Innovation in Skin Care Applications of Essential Oils: A Systematic Review
Provisionally accepted
Camila Pezantes Orellana1
Fátima Andrea German Bermúdez2
José Montalvo1
Tamara Packer1
Andrea Orellana-Manzano3*- 1NovaVita, Guayaquil,Ecuador, Guayaquil, Ecuador
- 2Nutrition and Dietetics Program, Faculty of Life Sciences, ESPOL Polytechnic University, Guayaquil, Guayas, Ecuador
- 3Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL), Laboratorio para investigaciones Biomédicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida (FCV), Guayaquil, Ecuador
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Essential oils have emerged as popular natural alternatives to synthetic ingredients in cosmetic products, drawing attention for their therapeutic potential in treating skin conditions like acne, psoriasis, and atopic dermatitis. This systematic review analyzed 70 studies from the past decade across multiple databases to evaluate their effectiveness and safety in derma cosmetic applications. The research encompassed clinical trials, in vitro studies, and in vivo experiments examining various essential oils in different cosmetic formulations, including lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia), chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla), peppermint (Mentha piperita), hemp (Cannabis sativa), Euphorbia characias, hierba de San Guillermo (Agrimonia eupatoria) and eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus). Key findings demonstrated that tea tree oil was particularly effective for acne treatment, while lavender and rosemary oils showed promising anti-inflammatory and anti-aging properties. Plant extracts from Ocimum gratissimum and Matricaria chamomilla also yielded positive results for skin health improvement. Various formulations such as gels, creams, and serums showed different levels of effectiveness in enhancing skin hydration, elasticity, and overall appearance. While the clinical evidence suggests significant potential for essential oils in cosmetic and dermatological applications, researchers emphasize the need for more comprehensive, long-term clinical trials to establish their efficacy and safety profiles fully.
Keywords: Essential oils1, cosmetic product2, bioactive compounds3, Skin Conditions4, Dermocosmetic application
Received: 17 Mar 2025; Accepted: 18 Jun 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Pezantes Orellana, Andrea German Bermúdez, Montalvo, Packer and Orellana-Manzano. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Andrea Orellana-Manzano, Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL), Laboratorio para investigaciones Biomédicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida (FCV), Guayaquil, Ecuador
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.