SUSTAINABILITY
Pauline Rouaud-Tinguely, David Boudier, Isabelle Cruz, Géraldine Bon, Céline Masson, Delphine Laporte, Solen Le Davadic, Brigitte Closs – Silab, France
Néré seeds: a sustainable source for skin hydration
Two very important expectations of the cosmetics market are hydration and controlled origin1
and are therefore
obligatory requisites for developing innovating active ingredients. It is in this context that Silab began work on the néré, a characteristic and widespread tree in Burkina Faso that can withstand long periods of drought. Using the néré tree’s natural robustness and resistance to drought, Silab has developed a biomimetic ingredient dedicated to barrier function strengthening and hydration of dry skin. Rich in biosaccharides from néré seeds, Nerenyl®
(INCI name: Saccharide
Hydrolysate; SH) is obtained with a responsible, traced and controlled supply chain in Burkina Faso.
Description of the néré tree Parkia biglobosa, better known as locust bean tree or néré, grows in the heart of Africa, in the Sahel-Sudan region. This robust tree can reach a height of 20 metres when fully grown between 30 and 50 years and some trees can reach the age of 100. The tree is characteristic of savannas and woodlands. Its wide crown is parasol-shaped and its roots ensure optimal water uptake. It easily adapts to depleted soil and can withstand long periods of drought, up to seven consecutive months.
The fruit of the néré grows as pods in clusters. The interior of the pods contains a yellow pulp that surrounds about 20 light brown seeds. Néré seeds ripen every year just before the rainy season begins in May (Fig. 1).
The néré tree is considered a genuine
treasure by West African populations. A local saying is “everything, from the roots to the crown, contributes to the survival of mankind”. Several ancestral uses are known: l Its seeds provide soumbala, a condiment used for cooking;
l Its pods are used to decorate and protect the walls of dwellings;
l Its roots are used in folk medicine. Local action
Silab encountered the different partners of its project in the Kassena region in southern Burkina Faso. An association of harvesters in the village of Tiébéle in Nahouri province has enabled Silab to conduct its initial research on cosmetic potentials by providing samples in 2010 (Fig. 2). The abundance of néré seeds enables their use in cosmetics with no danger to biodiversity and local customs. With the help of its Burkina Faso
partner, Sama Bioconsult, Silab has developed a responsible, traced and controlled supply chain, compliant with precise and standardised specifications, according to which each step is subjected to strict controls: l Traceability of trees: before each harvest, trees are marked in order to ensure the precise knowledge of the origin of seeds.
l Monitoring harvests: harvesters are trained in good harvesting practices and packaging so as to preserve the trees’ resources and ecosystem and also to guarantee the quality and traceability of seeds. They also fill in a harvest notebook.
ABSTRACT
Consumers and, increasingly, the global cosmetics market are currently focusing on hydrating skin care products containing natural ingredients of controlled origin. Silab has responded to current market demands by creating a responsible, traced and controlled supply chain for néré seeds in Burkina Faso. Just as the tree has developed an effective strategy to maintain a constant supply of water in spite of an arid environment, Nerenyl® (INCI name: Saccharide Hydrolysate; SH), a natural, eco-designed and biomimetic cosmetic active ingredient, boosts skin hydration.
l Durability of the supply: a contract covering three sliding years stipulates Silab’s commitment to place a minimum yearly order, thereby stimulating local development.
l Securing supplies: a second association of harvesters is assisting in western Burkina Faso in order to duplicate this partnership model.
From harvest to packaging: a standardised process Every morning of the course of two to three weeks, trained harvesters enter néré stands in Tiébelé, where young trees are preferentially harvested. Harvesters examine fruits to select the ideal pods, brown in colour, because these pods contain the ripest seeds and are the richest in active substances. Pods are harvested by hand, taking care not to damage or break
Figure 1: The néré tree in its habitat. 52 PERSONAL CARE February 2016
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