Extraction and development of red dragon fruit (hylocereus polyrhizus) for cosmetic application

This study aims to evaluate the natural pigment extract from red dragon fruit for application in cosmetics. Aqueous extraction from both pulp and peel of red dragon fruit were performed by varying extraction temperature. The color pigment content was determined based on the absorbance using Ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) at 535 nm. The result shows that the color intensity decreased with increasing temperature. In addition, the extract shows decreased in total betacyanin content over time as it exposed to light. The extracts were powdered with corn starch and white clay and the stability of obtained color powder was studied. In conclusion, the natural pigment extracted from red dragon fruit using water as a solvent has a high potential to be used as a natural colorant.