MARINE INGREDIENTS
Maximising efficacy of algae extracts in skin care
Laura Szymczak - Ultra Chemical, US Dr Lucyanna Barbosa Barros – Bicosome, Spain
Tapping into nature for the benefits it can offer in skin care has been an approach used for centuries. There could be elements of nature, such as plants and seaweed, that have been around for millions to billions of years and have never been researched for their use in applications such as personal care. Once their skin care advantages are discovered, if they demonstrate strong efficacy, it could catapult them to becoming the next megatrend. This is what has been seen with algae. Its use in skin care dates back centuries. It has been applied for fat reduction, skin improvement and in procedures for anti-ageing that resemble modern thalassotherapy. Only recently has it become a trend as formulators and consumers learn more about this miracle ingredient. Microalgae are photosynthetic organisms and
are natural superfoods that turn the sun’s energy into proteins, antioxidants and microelements. There are between 200,000 and 800,000 species that exist and in many different genera. Of those, approximately only 50,000 species are described.1
As the species of these microalgae
differs, so does the genetic composition, which allows them to provide a variety of skin care benefits. They are abundant sources of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, antioxidants and essential fatty acids (EFAs), and have the capability to be readily absorbed to nourish, moisturise, and rejuvenate the skin. In addition, certain algae are exposed to habitats with high oxidative stress, priming them to build protective systems against reactive oxygen species (ROS) and free radicals. Outside the benefits that algae and
microalgae impart when it comes to skin care, 25 20 15 10 5 0 Inflamed skin Bicoalgae ω3 1% Bicoalgae ω3 3%
there is an additional draw with microalgae, since they can involve an eco-innovative and sustainable process, which protects aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. This helps to generate products that are not only natural, but nature-friendly. Microalgae can be grown in a bioreactor, which eliminates the need for sea harvesting. It also allows for greater yields from smaller areas, is readily renewable, and can be carbon neutral or negative. While microalgae have many impressive
advantages, there could be challenges to overcome when formulating with the material for skin care, such as odour, oxidation and colour. Stabilising their isolated powerful bioactives can be difficult, but if successful in doing so, it can help to overcome these challenges. A successful way to stabilise these bioactives is in a double encapsulation. Something not always considered when
working with microalgae is whether the active ingredient is getting delivered into the viable epidermis, where they exert their benefits. If it does not reach the targeted layer, that active may not be working optimally in providing the efficacy it could have on skin. There are various reasons why an active
is not successfully migrating to its target. It could be due to the molecular weight being larger than what can penetrate the highly impermeable stratum corneum, the ionic charge of the material, or its lipid solubility. Traditional delivery systems, such as liposomes, microemulsions or cyclodextrins, can have limitations when it comes to skin penetration. There is now innovative technology
350 300 -44% -97% 250 200 150 100
Figure 1: Average result of concentration of IL-1B (left) & (right) IL-8 in skin samples (N=8) Healthy skin
www.personalcaremagazine.com Healthy skin Inflamed skin Bicoalgae ω3 1% Bicoalgae ω3 3%
in personal care that offers biomimetic targeted delivery of actives, such as microalgae, to specific layers of the skin, inspired by lamellar bodies, the skin’s own biological transporters. Bicosome® is composed of two lipid assemblies: internal smart discs that carry the active and an external lipid vesicle enclosing the discs, thereby double encapsulating the active ingredient. When Bicosomes are applied on the skin, its outer vesicle fuses on the skin surface, the way a liposome would, but the advantage is that it will release the smart disks which penetrate selectively through the narrow inter-corneocytes spaces of the stratum corneum reaching target skin layers. Once there, Bicosomes respond to internal stimulus and release the active molecules, where their own lipid structure is slowly integrated into the skin lipid matrix, reinforcing its architecture. Smart discs are designed to reach specific
skin layers where the active ingredient needs to be by tailoring the affinity of the smart discs with the environment of the target skin layers.. In addition to the delivery functionality, the
double encapsulation provides protection to the actives and allows for an active to reach the skin without damaging the stratum corneum the way other common personal care actives can. Bicosomes have been used in two
microalgae-based technologies, both which target different aspects of anti-ageing: Bicoalgae® ω3 (omega-3) which addresses ageing and skin disorders related to chronically inflamed skin and Bicoalgae® XT for wrinkle reduction, firmness, and other anti-ageing benefits.
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October 2021 PERSONAL CARE
Generation of IL-1ß (pg/ml)
Generation of IL-1ß (pg/ml)
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