Nutricosmetics are nutritional supplements which purposes to support the function and the structure of the skin. Many micronutrients have this effect. Vitamin C, for example, has a well established anti-oxidant effect that reduces the impact of free radicals in the skin. It also has a vital function in the production of collagen in the dermis. Other micronutrients such as some omega-3 fatty acids, carotenes, and flavonoids protect the skin from the damaging effects of ultraviolet light exposure, which may lead to accelerated skin aging and wrinkle formation.
One of the pioneers in this field, and by many considered as the "Father of internal skincare" is the Swedish biochemist Ake Dahlgren. He invented the world's first nutricosmetic in the late 1980s called Imedeen.
Since the 1990s, sales of nutricosmetics have increased dramatically to over 1 billion USD annually.