FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF HERBAL SUNSCREEN LOTION CONTAINING GREEN TEA EXTRACT AND CARROT SEED OIL

Arpita Khare, Saumya Tamrakar, Fatima Arshi Raza, Manish Dubey*

The present study aimed to formulate and evaluate a herbal sunscreen lotion containing green tea extract and carrot seed oil for effective protection against ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Continuous exposure to UV rays can lead to erythema, hyperpigmentation, oxidative stress, premature skin aging, and an increased risk of skin cancer. The growing demand for herbal sunscreen formulations is attributed to the presence of natural bioactive compounds with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, and photoprotective properties, along with improved safety and consumer acceptance compared with synthetic formulations. The herbal sunscreen lotion was prepared using green tea extract, carrot seed oil, almond oil, zinc oxide, stearic acid, cetyl alcohol, glycerin, vitamin E, Tween 80, propyl paraben, and distilled water by the emulsion method. The formulated lotion was evaluated for its organoleptic and physicochemical characteristics, including appearance, pH, viscosity, spreadability, consistency, washability, dilution, after-feel, skin irritation, rancidity, thermal stability, and sun protection factor (SPF). The formulation exhibited a smooth texture, uniform consistency, satisfactory spreadability, skin-compatible pH, good thermal stability, and no signs of irritation or phase separation. The estimated SPF value of the optimized formulation was 27.4, indicating effective photoprotective potential. The findings suggest that the developed herbal sunscreen lotion containing green tea extract and carrot seed oil is a stable, safe, and promising natural topical formulation for protecting the skin against UV-induced damage.