ALGAE INGREDIENTS
T
he group called algae includes some of the most primitive life on planet earth, covering a vast swathe of species, from the slick of slime on a wet rock to majestic 30m-tall giant kelp, whose ‘forests’ provide essential marine ecosystems. This diverse group of organisms has long been utilised by humans for food, medicine, fertiliser and industrial products – and the beauty industry is no stranger to the power of the slippery stuff. “Algae and seaweeds are packed with vitamins and minerals, amino acids and micro-nutrients, elements that are essential for the proper functioning of the body and cells,” Amandine Werle, Marketing Specialist at Clariant Active Ingredients, tells Cosmetics Business.
“Seaweeds are considered a superfood and they have also been used in traditional medicine for their anti-irritation, antibacterial and health- improving properties. By bringing these elements directly to the skin cells, cosmetic ingredients derived from seaweeds can contribute to efficiently improve skin health.” Meanwhile, Irene Montaño, International Sales Manager at Mibelle Biochemistry, adds that single-cell microalgae “are excellent candidates to be grown in a sustainable way without altering the ecosystem”.
SMALL BUT MIGHTY Jordi Ayats, Marketing Manager at Barcelona-located Algaktiv, the skin care ingredients business of microalgae specialist Greenaltech, sheds some light on why algae – specifically microalgae, as opposed to macroaglae (or seaweeds) – provide such an excellent basis for active cosmetic ingredients.
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Microalgae are packed with concentrated biochemistry
“Microalgae are these single-cell organisms that just need water, nutrients and a little bit of light to grow; and then they just do everything by themselves!” he tells Cosmetics Business. “They have these amazing active ingredients that have come all the way down from 3.5 billion years ago – and they really haven’t changed that much.”
He further explains that these unicellular ancestors of terrestrial plants have a distinct advantage over their multicellular descendents: “While
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