Consumer interest in sustainable alternatives to conventional cosmetic ingredients continues to grow. With its type-1 collagen Neosilk, PolyNeo is successfully combining effectiveness and responsibility in a wide range of applications.
Countless market and opinion research studies have confirmed for many years now the ongoing trend towards sustainable products in all areas of life. Younger generations in particular are now also asking questions about the nature, origin and environmental impact of individual cosmetic ingredients. These questions are just as important to many consumers as their interest in caring for their skin and rejuvenating its appearance. This is proving to be a challenge for the cosmetics industry.
Up until a few years ago, the main focus was still on the development process and, more crucially, on the question of whether manufacturers were using animal testing to verify the effectiveness and tolerability of their products. The fact that substances such as elastin, glycerin, creatine or retinol are of animal origin was largely ignored. This is increasingly no longer the case, which is why functionally equivalent alternatives are now being demanded like never before for the development of new cosmetic products.
One ingredient that has now become almost indispensable for modern anti-ageing cosmetics is collagen. This structural protein that is also found in human connective tissue forms a type of supportive framework for the layers of skin above it. As it breaks down naturally as part of the skin ageing process, characteristic lines appear that anti-ageing products are designed to counteract with the use of collagen as an ingredient. Conventional collagen, especially the type-1 collagen that is relevant to the cosmetics industry, has been – and still is – primarily sourced from cow hide, pig skin and cattle and pig bones. Despite the fact that these are generally by-products from the food industry, conventional collagen does not meet the requirements of an optimally sustainable production process.
With Neosilk, PolyNeo has successfully developed a type-1 collagen that is produced sustainably from natural silk fibres through simple extraction using distilled water, thus doing away with the use of animal-based raw materials. This means that animals are not harmed or otherwise negatively affected by the production process. Neosilk now forms an important basis for the development and production of numerous cosmetic products. Current examples of Neosilk's versatility include the 303 Body Re-Shaping Cream developed by the Italian cosmetics manufacturer 303, as well as the 303 Eye Contour Cream with quinoa seed extract and aloe vera. The rich Body Re-Shaping Cream's primary effect – thanks to the Neosilk collagen – is to tighten the skin on particularly affected areas of the body, such as the abdomen, legs and buttocks. It also eliminates skin blemishes caused by localised fat deposits. The 303 Eye Contour Cream cares for and repairs the skin around the eyes, reducing wrinkles and minimising dry and dark spots with natural ingredients. In all the applications for which it is used, Neosilk impresses with its regenerative effect on the skin structure, its high purity and bio-compatibility, and therefore its anti-allergenic properties.
“With Neosilk, we are offering our customers another high-value component for innovative products”, says Eduard Albrecht, Managing Director of Polyneo GmbH in Frankfurt am Main. “With its unique combination of the tried-and-tested effect of a type-1 collagen and sustainable sourcing, it establishes the foundation for products created in line with the needs and requirements of attractive target-group markets.”
