Thyme essential oil is a natural, non-toxic and bioactive plant extract, which has fragrance, antibacterial and
antioxidant abilities, and it can be applied in cosmetics industry. However, with high volatile and water-insoluble proper⁃
ties, thyme essential oil is restricted to the cosmetics industry, and it is susceptible to light, oxygen, humidity and tempera⁃
ture. This paper summarizesd the common extraction method and main chemical components of thyme essential oil, and the
thyme essential oil's fragrance, anti-anxiety, whitening and moisturizing, acne removing, anti-inflammatory, sunscreen, an⁃
ti-aging and hair care effect when applied in cosmetics industry. In addition, this paper discusseds the four key technolo⁃
gies of processing thyme essential oil in cosmetic industry, such as microcapsule, nano-capsule, micro-emulsion and nanoemulsion, furthermore, which will provide a theoretical reference for the application of thyme essential oil in cosmetics. |