56 FRAGRANCE
Integrating cosmetic actives into fragrance concentrate
Christophe Marin, Jennifer Buzzi, Juliette Séry – Expressions Parfumées ABSTRACT
Cosmetic product claims are regulated by requirements that they must be supported by adequate and verifiable evidence and that the message communicated to consumers must be honest, fair, and not misleading.1
This is reflected
in European claim substantiation guidance, which emphasizes consistency between the claim wording and the level of evidence (instrumental, clinical, consumer perception). In parallel, consumer trends such as ‘skinimalism’ encourage shorter routines and reduced ingredient lists without relinquishing expectations for visible improvement. These constraints create an R&D challenge: achieving multifunctional performance without adding multiple separate active ingredients, while maintaining sensorial excellence. Fragrance has traditionally been treated as a sensorial component that drives product identity and acceptability and is often selected to support the intended sensory positioning and associated product claims. Nevertheless, fragrance concentrates are highly engineered mixtures with intrinsic solvating power and are already present in many leave-on products at low levels (commonly around 0.5–1%). This raises a testable hypothesis for active
perfumery: fragrance could act as a delivery vector for functional materials if the active fraction can be solubilised and stabilised in the perfume concentrate and if its bioactivity
PERSONAL CARE MAGAZINE September 2026
remains measurable at these low use levels. The AgeAura programme was designed to address this hypothesis with a marine-derived active system and a solvent architecture explicitly tailored to perfumery constraints.
Marine macroalgae as a source of multitarget ‘skin longevity’ bioactivity Brown seaweeds are increasingly used as cosmetic bioactive sources because they contain diverse fractions (polysaccharides, polyphenols, minerals and micronutrients) that reflect adaptation to oxidative stress and variable environmental exposure. In the internal blend of bioactive extracts developed, Ascophyllum nodosum is associated with polysaccharide-rich fractions relevant to hydration maintenance and perceived elasticity, whereas Fucus serratus is rich in antioxidant constituents linked to radiance
Expressions Parfumées initiated the AgeAura™ research programme to study how to develop a cosmetic active that could be integrated directly into a fragrance concentrate while preserving (i) olfactory integrity, (ii) physical stability and compatibility across diverse perfume architectures, and (iii) measurable biological activity at low use levels typical of fragranced cosmetics. This patent-pending technology is described as an “active fragrance composition”, combining a deodorized blend of two brown macroalgae extracts: Ascophyllum nodosum and Fucus serratus , with a dedicated solvation system based on specific solvents. The formulation addresses stability and transparency targets, including 4°C and accelerated ageing at 45°C. Internal in vitro dose–response datasets (ABTS, tyrosinase, collagenase, elastase) show retained activity after integration into fragrance matrices, with estimated IC50 values compatible with standard fragrance dosing in finished products. Independent finished-product substantiation by clinical studies includes VISIA-7 instrumental imaging showing a statistically significant reduction in superficial spot index after 28 and 56 days, and a consumer self- assessment questionnaire documenting high perceived sensorial quality and multiple skin- related perceptions at day 56. Instrumental cutometry also demonstrated a significant increase in gross skin elasticity (R2) after 28 days and a significant improvement in elastic recovery (R7) after 56 days of use. Together, these data support the feasibility of “active perfumery” as a science-driven category in which fragrance concentrates are engineered to deliver both sensory value and functional skin benefits.
Ascophyllum nodosum
Fucus serratus
www.personalcaremagazine.com
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 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92
