Alcoy (Alicante), October 26, 2023.-
In Spain, the cosmetic market is one of the strongest, presenting historical figures, according to data from Stanpa, with an effervescent growth of 10.6% and a total consumption of 9,250 million euros. A consumption that comes hand in hand with a consumer increasingly aware of climate change, in search of sustainable products with low environmental impact. The planet faces a continued increase in population and consumption that implies an accelerated increase in pollution. To give an example, in aspects such as resource extraction, we have gone from consuming 28.6 Gigatonnes (Gt) of materials in 1972 to more than 100 Gt today (Circularity Gap Report, 2022).
In response, the Market is in a process of reinvention with the help of research with the development of new launches with increasingly eco-friendly initiatives, encompassing changes in both the production process and the products developed. Being that sectors such as organic cosmetics are estimated to reach a turnover of €43,245M by 2010 with a growth of 9.1%. (Beauty Proof, 2022)
In this sense, last year, the INNATUR project was born from AITEX, focused on the optimization of green extraction processes in order to obtain active ingredients and stabilize them in cosmetic formulations, giving rise to products with high added value. A project that has the support of the Conselleria d’Economia Sostenible, Sectors Productius, Comerç i Treball of the Generalitat Valenciana, through the IVACE (IMAMCA/2022/6).
Considering the cosmetic sector, every launch must go hand in hand with an in-depth literature and market search to achieve success. The latest trends have borne fruit in the use of resources that would otherwise have been discarded, showing interest in more than 25% of consumers (Mintel Market Sizes, 2022). In this way, the project was based on upcycled resources from the agri-food industry with the aim of achieving a considerable reduction in the use of virgin raw materials, as well as giving companies’ by-products and/or waste a second life by acquiring a solution with a 365º vision within the context of the Circular Economy.
The research in turn led to the selection of those botanical sources capable of providing effectiveness. Among the wide variety of functionalities, the high antioxidant potential stands out. Its origin dates back to the natural ability of plant species to produce secondary metabolites, such as polyphenols that serve as adaptation and survival mechanisms. These molecules act on the user’s skin by sequestering free radicals that cause damage, exerting a powerful anti-aging function. In this way, the extraction method was optimized in different species of plants and waste in search of obtaining the highest yield, taking into account physicochemical aspects such as polarity, molecular structure or the number of hydroxyl groups.
Once the extraction method was optimized, it was stabilized with the aim of maintaining the maximum properties of the asset for a longer period of time. For this, Spray Dryer technology was used, giving rise to encapsulated extracts in powder format with a yield of encapsulated polyphenols of 70%, therefore consolidating itself as a protection process against thermolabile active ingredients.
As a prior phase to incorporating the active ingredient into cosmetic formulations, an in-depth analysis must be carried out to allow us to glimpse its subsequent effectiveness in the final product.
As a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic, concern for the health and mood of consumers has increased, launching a search for products that promote personal well-being and positivity. The oxidation-reducing power of these active ingredients is capable of preventing skin conditions related to inflammation, damage or aging, and, therefore, promoting a feeling of well-being. In the present project, the developed extracts were analyzed obtaining a high antioxidant power, among which the upcycled orange peel extract stood out, where in vitro studies showed a decrease in cellular stress by 22% as a guarantee of its high potential.
At the same time, waste such as shells or bones were used as exfoliating particles, providing an alternative to the use of plastic microspheres currently restricted after the new microplastic legislation launched by the ECHA (European Chemicals Agency) which is reflected in the Regulation (EU ) 2023/2055.
Finally, these active ingredients were in turn introduced into final cosmetic formulations, giving rise to products of proven effectiveness. Among the featured products are: a waterless shampoo with pomegranate and watermelon peel extract, with sebum-regulating power; a body scrub with coconut particles and orange peel extract, which improves transepidermal water loss, while promoting hydration; an eye contour with pomegranate peel extract, with anti-aging potential; and a serum with orange extract with regenerating potential.
A project that covers all the production links of a cosmetic product from the development of the active ingredient to the production of the final product with proven effectiveness, which, in turn, conforms to the ecological and sustainable claims of consumers and the planet. Serving as an innovative way for companies that allows them to fall within the guidelines of the Circular Economy. This project has the support of the Conselleria d’Economia Sostenible, Sectors Productius, Comerç i Treball of the Generalitat Valenciana, through the IVACE (IMAMCI/2022/6).
Issuer: AITEX
For more information:
Anna Buis965542200 · ABuis@aitex.es
