A water and an acetone extract of the Icelandic brown algae Fucus vesiculosus were evaluated as potential natural sources of antioxidant compounds in skin care emulsions. To assess their efficacy in inhibiting lipid oxidation caused by photo- or thermoxidation, they were stored in darkness and room temperature as control conditions, and compared to samples stored under accelerated conditions (light and room temperature, or darkness and 40 degrees C). The presence of extracts in the skin care emulsions induced remarkable colour changes when the emulsions were exposed to light, and more extensively under high temperature. High temperature also caused greater increments in the droplet size of the emulsions. The analysis of the tocopherol content, peroxide value and volatile compounds during the storage revealed that, whereas both water and acetone extracts showed (at 2mg/g of emulsion) protective effect against thermooxidation, only the water extract showed antioxidant activity against photooxidation. Practical applications: This research is the basis of developing natural antioxidants derived from seaweed to limit lipid oxidation in skin care products.