BODY CARE 47


Microalgae supporting skin’s own hyaluronic acid


Guoda Burneike - Azeco Cosmeceuticals Simone Stasi - Active Cells Biotechnology


A new paradigm in cosmetic research and development is the use of biotechnological processes like enzymatic hydrolysis and microbial fermentation to bioactivate natural ingredients, thereby boosting their potency and bioavailability.1 One novel example is a dual bioactivated marine microalgal extract derived from Tetraselmis suecica fermented with Saccharomyces boulardii.2


Tetraselmis suecica is a unicellular


green microalga rich in high-value phytoactives (pigments such as chlorophylls and carotenoids, vitamins like α-tocopherol, minerals, and polysaccharides) that are beneficial for the skin.3,4 By subjecting this nutrient-dense biomass


to a two-step bioactivation process including enzymatic hydrolysis and probiotic fermentation, the extract’s active components are released and transformed into more bioavailable forms.4


The


result is an ingredient with enhanced anti-ageing efficacy, capable of stimulating the skin’s own hyaluronic acid (HA) production, inhibiting HA degradation, regulating sebum, and providing antioxidant protection in a single, multifunctional solution.4


This article analyses the mechanisms behind these benefits – from the molecular impacts of enzymatic and fermentative bioactivation to the in vitro and in vivo data demonstrating improvements in endogenous HA levels (+17%), hyaluronidase inhibition (up to 61%), and sebum reduction (−21% in 28 days). It also discusses the importance of supporting endogenous HA versus topical HA application, and the broad relevance of these combined activities for ageing skin.


Dual bioactivation process: enzymatic hydrolysis & fermentation Enzymatic hydrolysis and probiotic fermentation act jointly to amplify the microalga’s bioactive potential. In the first step, the T. suecica biomass is treated with specific hydrolytic enzymes that break down complex biomolecules (e.g. proteins, polysaccharides) into smaller, biologically active fragments. This controlled enzymatic breakdown


liberates intracellular molecules such as sulfated polysaccharides, carotenoids, and polyphenols that would otherwise be less accessible due to the rigid microalgal cell wall and high molecular weight of certain compounds.4 By converting macromolecules into more


absorbable forms (e.g. sugars, peptides, acids), enzymatic bioactivation increases the extract’s


www.personalcaremagazine.com


Figure 1: Tetraselmis suecica and Saccharomyces boulardii


concentration of actives that can interact with cellular targets. Following hydrolysis, the second step


introduces the probiotic yeast S. boulardii to ferment the hydrolyzed microalgal substrate. During fermentation, the yeast metabolizes sugars and other nutrients, secreting a suite of postbiotic metabolites, e.g. organic acids, peptides, amino acids, vitamins and antioxidant, into the extract.


This bioconversion further enriches the


phytocomplex with new bioactive substances and amplifies the activity of the original microalgae compounds. Notably, S. boulardii is known to produce bioactive metabolites with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and other beneficial activities.5 Through this dual bioactivation, the resulting


fermented Tetraselmis suecica extract is a bioavailable phytocomplex rich in both the microalga’s activated molecules and the yeast’s postbiotic compounds. The manufacturer’s analyses indicate that this process boosts the extract’s functional performance across multiple skin anti-ageing endpoints.4 In practical terms, the enzymatically


hydrolysed and fermented extract can deliver a higher payload of active ingredients to the skin compared to a non-bioactivated extract, leading to superior biological effects.1 The sustainability aspect is an added bonus


– the microalgae are sustainably farmed (with CO2


sequestration), and the fermentation is a low-


waste, solvent-free process, aligning with clean beauty and eco-friendly principles. The two-step bioactivation thus serves as both a performance enhancer and a green technology, transforming a marine algal biomass into a potent multifunctional anti-ageing active.


January 2026 PERSONAL CARE MAGAZINE


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72