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).
September 2013, Personal Care
Emulsion formulations are a fundamental product type which can be adapted to numerous cosmetic applications, from skin care to makeup, hair care and personal washing. Although cosmetic technology has progressed significantly since the early days of the basic cream or pomade produced in ancient Roman times, modern market and formulating trends are driving the industry towards solutions and ideas which rely on extracting, purifying and utilising the benefits of natural ingredients rather than modifying their structure or characteristics substantially via chemical synthesis.
This ‘back to nature’ or ‘back to the future’ approach to personal care manufacture and development is driven by strong consumer demand for products that are safe, environmentally friendly and are able to provide the advantages of natural ingredients. All this needs to be achieved without compromising the performance that consumers have become accustomed to and, possibly, delivering added benefits. Within this scenario, among the various ingredient categories, emulsifiers represent a particular challenge. They are essential to formulations in order to guarantee stability, generate an effective system and support the sensorial profile of the finished product.
Within this context, Natura-tec has developed three main types of emulsifier which, depending on individual behaviour, are capable of covering a wide range of viscosities for the manufacture of a diverse selection of finished personal care products. Each product is capable of producing different and desirable sensorial profiles, appearance and application characteristics combined with added benefits in terms of enhanced formulation performance.
September 2013, Personal Care
Today’s formulators face challenges posed by a consumer market which has become increasingly conscious of social, economic, technical and ethical issues regarding all aspects of modern life, including those relating to the use and manufacture of finished goods such as cosmetics. The expectations regarding environmental compatibility, sustainability, origins and safety of products are well known within the industry. If we combine this with quality assurance requirements such as traceability and consistency, while also ensuring compliance with international regulations and legislation, whether this actually refers to ingredients or to finished products, developing new personal care formulations in our modern times is by all accounts no mean feat.
All this has stimulated in recent years a mounting quest for alternatives to synthetic or responsibly extracted, derived or manufactured from natural sources.
Natura-tec Plantsil, an ester complex from olive origin, is a unique sensorial agent designed to be used as a vegetable based alternative to silicone. It mimics perfectly the feel of silicones thanks to its balanced formulation of natural derived ingredients. It is a highly stable, almost odourless transparent fluid oil. It imparts a light and soft touch and leaves a dry after feel on skin and hair with an appealing elegant touch.
Natura-tec Abysoft, a triglyceride ester of phytosterols, is an MPE or Multifunctional Performance Enhancing active that combines the benefits of Crambe abyssinica oil with the bio-availability of phytosterols. Based on long chain triglycerides the ingredient presents a unique molecular structure. It contains long chain fatty acids and is concentrated in C22:1 fatty acids, making it highly resistant to oxidation. Due to its high molecular weight, it is also more stable against heat.