IPB Student Creates Body Scrub Made from Seaweed

Seaweed is one of the seafood commodities scattered across the waters of Indonesia. In Indonesia, there are approximately 555 out of 8642 species of seaweed found in the world. One type of seaweed that has the potential to be developed is Sargassum sp. This type of seaweed contains active components which have high antioxidant content.

Body scrub is a skin cleanser that can protect the skin from free radicals and lift dead skin cells. Currently, body scrubs on the market use chemicals as a thickener. The use of chemicals in cosmetics is considered bad as it can cause long-term side effects.

Because of that, Rima Nur Fadhilah, student of Department of Aquatic Product Technology, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences Institute of Agriculture (IPB) is trying to utilize the full potential of seaweed to be applied in a body scrub. According to her, the chemicals in the body scrubs can be replaced with natural ingredients of seaweed.

"Sargassum sp. has a high antioxidant content. These antioxidants can inhibit reactive oxygen and free radicals in the body. Therefore, I am interested in doing research making herbal cream formula by utilizing the active ingredient extract brown seaweed Sargassum sp.," said Rima.

In addition to utilizing the active antioxidant compounds, Rima also take advantage of the commercial carrageenan, which is also derived from seaweed, as an emulsifier and thickening agent. She conducted research with the title "Body Scrub Formula from Brown Seaweed Extract Sargassum sp. and Carrageenan". This study was conducted under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Ir. Sri Purwaningsih MSi and Dr.Azrifitria, MSi. Apt.

Based on observation, the content of ethanol extract from brown seaweed that Rima used has antioxidant activity with value Inhibition Concentration 50 (ic50) of 56.60 ppm. "This shows a relatively strong antioxidant activity," she said.

The research concludes that the best herbal body scrub formula is with the addition of 1% carrageenan. Body scrub produced had a pH value, viscosity, and the scatter in accordance with the standard.

Rima expect the results of this research can provide information on alternative materials for body scrub from brown seaweed Sargassum sp. "I also hope this study can be continued by testing the stability of a cream scrub and scrub cream formula testing against probandus," said Rima. (FM)