Oral Supplementation of Astaxanthin on Skin Photoaging, Hydration and Elasticity

Inclusion criteria: * Females who are 30 to 55 years of age * Half of the women will have Fitzpatrick skin type 1-3 and the other half of the women will have Fitzpatrick skin type 4-6 Exclusion criteria: * Individuals with a known allergy to astaxanthin or other carotenoids (such as zeaxanthin, lutein, lycopene). * Individuals who are unwilling to discontinue carotenoid supplementation for at least 1 month prior to enrollment * Individuals unwilling to restrict intake of foods like shrimp, salmon, mangos, carrots, and tomatoes during the study. * New supplementation within 4 weeks with tocopherol * Individuals who are unwilling to stay consistent with a facial cleansing regimen. * Those who are unwilling to discontinue topical hydroquinone, retinoid or benzoyl peroxide for 2 weeks prior to enrollment * Individuals who are pregnant or breastfeeding. * Individuals who have changed any of their hormonal based contraception within 3 months prior to joining the study. * Current tobacco smoker or a tobacco smoking history of greater than 10 pack-years