November 2013, Personal Care
The sea has always been an immense source of precious materials, nutrients and inspiration to humanity as a whole. Throughout the centuries mankind has turned to the sea to obtain products to sustain its life and its evolution. The vast expanse of water covering our planet has been at the origin of life and is fundamental to the equilibrium of physical and biological cycles on Earth. Its oceans and their depths are interwoven with our history as a species as well as being at the very root of legends and myths giving birth to many of our civilisations. Today’s ‘green’ cosmetic industry has turned to the sea in a quest to search for novel ingredients in order to provide elements of improved efficacy, natural origins, innovation and sustainability to modern cosmetic products particularly as regards active materials. It initiated a ‘blue’ trend which is here to stay, offering an exciting and seemingly infinite spectrum of possibilities. As always, it is essential that such product strategies are implemented following a code of respect for the environment, true industrial scale to satisfy the real needs of cosmetic manufacturers which may expand across borders and a renewable approach which does not entail tampering with the ecosystem or altering natural biodiversity.
One particularly interesting and rich group of marine organisms which is capable of providing a wealth of benefits for cosmetic application is microalgae. Microalgae grow thanks to photosynthesis, and thanks to their internal metabolism can produce naturally original and unique compounds and are therefore of huge interest for the cosmetic industry.
Developed from the Cylindrotheca fusiformis microalgae species, a diatom with an elongated silica shell shape,
Natura-Tec’s Marine BlueVital C shows a complex structure of ingredients beneficial to the skin, such as amino acids; eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), an omega-3 that plays a role in inhibiting leukotrienes which are mediators of inflammation;4 carotenoids, particularly fucoxanthin, a major antioxidant and sterols, especially cholesterol, well known for its role in maintaining good skin condition and structure. As a powerful anti-wrinkle active and antioxidant, Natura-Tec Marine Bluevital C acts to remove free radicals and helps prevent cell structure damage in the dermis layer. It stimulates the synthesis of collagen (a protein responsible for supporting skin growth and organisation) and elastin (helping to maintain skin elasticity, tone and texture).