Carica papaya L.  This species belongs to the Caricaceae family. Giant herbaceous plant, whose fruit is the papaya.

Typically found in tropical humid climates, it is native to Central America, the lower slopes of Andean regions and the Amazon basin.

Papaya extract is useful in protecting the integrity of the skin against oxidative processes and in cosmetic products with a purifying action.

Papaya also contains α-hydroxy acids (AHA). The hygroscopicity of these active ingredients enables them to absorb and retain water, and their hydroxyl group content has a moisturising and exfoliating action.

For this reason, papaya extract is useful in formulating cosmetics that have a moisturising action, and for stimulating cell regeneration due to its exfoliating action.