Multidisciplinary Bioanalytical Approach to Assess the Anti-Aging Properties of Flower Petals—A Promising Sustainable Cosmetic Ingredient

The increasing demand for natural, safe, and sustainable ingredients is driving innovation in cosmetic science. This study assessed the anti-aging potential of 17 petal extracts using a multidisciplinary bioanalytical approach. In vitro spectrophotometric assays evaluated anti-wrinkle (anti-elastase), anti-pigmentation (anti-tyrosinase), and antioxidant (DPPH, ABTS) activities, while cytotoxicity was tested on HaCaT keratinocytes. Chemical profiling using HPTLC and UHPLC–MS/MS identified 17 phenolic compounds. For the first time, petals from prairie rose (Rosa setigera Michx.), common peony (Paeonia officinalis L.), horse-chestnut cultivars (Aesculus hippocastanum L., Aesculus × carnea Zeyx.), lilac (Syringa vulgaris), mock-orange (Philadelphus pubescens Loisel), orange lily (Lilium bulbiferum L.), garden tulip (Tulipa gesneriana L.), ivy geranium (Pelargonium × peltatum (L.) L'Hér. ex Aiton), and wallflower (Erysimum × cheiri (L.) Crantz) were studied for their skin anti-aging properties. Prairie rose, peony, and ivy geranium extracts showed strong anti-elastase activity; rose and peony also demonstrated high antioxidant potential, while lilac exhibited significant anti-tyrosinase effects. Key phenolic constituents—caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, and gallic acid—were further examined via molecular docking, which confirmed their inhibitory properties by revealing inhibition mechanisms. All extracts were confirmed to be non-toxic in zebrafish acute toxicity assays at relevant concentrations. This integrative strategy effectively links chemical composition with biological activity, offering valuable insight into the development of safe, plant-derived anti-aging agents for sustainable cosmetic applications.