Biotech beauty has emerged as the latest buzzword shaking up the beauty industry, praised for its ability to create innovative ingredients with a smaller environmental footprint. However, that hasn’t stopped researchers from exploring the potential of plant-derived ingredients in skincare products. A new study that examined rutin, a plant pigment that can be found in certain fruits and vegetables, found that it has impressive UV absorption properties, which potentially means it could be used as a natural ingredient for developing natural sunscreen formulations to meet the needs of consumers and environmental protection associations who are trying to limit the use of chemical sunscreen filters.The study, published last month in Cosmetics, explored rutin’s physicochemical properties and stability, skin permeability, and efficacy in sunscreen. The plant-based ingredient is already being used in cosmetics, but the study also found that it can enhance the sun protection factor (SPF) of sunscreen formulations, especially when combined with organic UV filters.“Among the flavonoids, the multifaceted properties of rutin (antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, for instance) make it a promising candidate for inclusion into cosmetics/dermocosmetics, particularly in photoprotective products, combined with its biocompatibility (safety), relative stability, and low cost,” the authors noted. “Overall, rutin shows potential as a bioactive compound for use in photoprotective formulations toward environmental-friendly sunscreens, i.e.