Her bold cherry red lipstick might not only attract attention from across the bar, but also protect you from nasty germs.
A Spanish research team has developed a cranberry-infused lipstick that can fight viruses and even protect the wearer from flu, Covid and even Ebola.
It uses compounds in the fruit called polyphenols that can deactivate viruses by changing proteins in their membranes.
As experts fear that Covid will circulate among the population for years to come, along with regular annual nuisances like the flu, scientists hope that the lipstick could be a fashion-friendly substitute for an inner mask.
Scientists from Valencia have developed a cranberry-based lipstick that can help ward off viruses such as influenza, Ebola, herpes, hepatitis A and polio.
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Previous research on cranberry extract is sparse, but studies show it has antimicrobial properties, prompting researchers to investigate it further.
In 2020, researchers from Madrid discovered that cranberry has antibacterial effects against pathogens that can cause gingivitis.
Another 2012 study by Australian researchers found that cranberry juice protects against Staphylococcus aureus — a germ that about 30 percent of people carry in their noses that can cause infections.
Further research by Canadian scientists found that cranberry juice inactivated two other viruses.
The healing properties of cranberries are due to polyphenols in the fruit that interact with virus membranes and change their glycoproteins, completely deactivating them.
The berry has also proven to be very powerful in the fight against E. coli and Candida albicans.
Researchers at the Catholic University of St. Vincent Martyrs in Valencia blended cranberry extract into a lipstick cream based on shea butter, vitamin E, provitamin B5, babassu oil and avocado oil to create a deep red lipstick color.
They sampled their mixture by adding it to petri dishes containing various viruses, bacteria and an infection-causing fungus called Candida albicans.
Researchers tested the lipstick mixture on two mock viruses, one representing Covid, influenza, Ebola and herpes and the other representing hepatitis A, polio and norovirus.
Enveloped viruses have a membrane while non-enveloped viruses do not.
Within less than a minute of coming into contact with both virus variants, the lipstick blocked them — a much shorter time than any other previously published antimicrobial lipstick study, the researchers found.
Within five hours of application, the multi-resistant bacteria – mycobacteria – and the fungus were significantly weakened.
The research team hopes their work will support existing research on limiting the spread of germs and disease and help create natural antimicrobial cosmetics.
The results were published in the journal ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces.
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
