Eastman plunges into natural active ingredients
traditionally been associated with packaging materials, but this is
rapidly changing as the company hones its personal care portfolio
with its first ever natural active ingredient.
NutriLayer is said to be a powerful antioxidant that should answer ever-growing demands for active anti-aging ingredients. But being derived from rice bran it also answers another key industry trend - demand for natural-based ingredients.
All of this means that the product is being marketed as a premium, natural active for topical skin and face creams, sun screens and lip care.
"NutriLayer helps personal care brands meet consumer demand for holistic, natural treatments that yield touchable, visible results," said James McCaulley, Eastman's global market development manager for the company's personal care division.
The ingredient is extracted from non-GMO rice and is not chemically altered, which deliberately positions is towards the fast-growing naturals market.
"Rice has a positive image with almost everyone because it is both a food staple and also has a close association with health and well-being," said Eastman spokesperson Sandra Reid who was promoting the launch of the ingredient at last week's In-Cosmetics show, in Barcelona, Spain.
Key to the ingredients development is a patent-pending process that has been used to gently refine the rice bran so as not to lose any of its natural properties.
The company says that the ingredient is ideal for rich night creams and lighter day creams, helping to form a protective barrier on the skin that entraps water and locks in skin moisture.
In addition to the moisturizing properties, naturally occurring bran wax, squalene and phytosterols, together with tocopherols andd tocotrienol are multiple forms of vitamin E that are abundant in the ingredient, which in combination help to slow the oxidation of the skin's natural lipids and moisturizers.
According to the company, in vivo tests it has carried out have proved that the ingredient inhibits UV-induced oxidative stress, providing long-term protection against damaging environmental effects that lead to photo-aging and ultimately visibly reducing the appearance of wrinkles in the skin.
Those tests lasted one week and the company says that it is now planning to carry out further tests over a 12 week period.
Currently the company is in discussions with a number of major cosmetics companies and is expecting that NutriLayer will appear in a premium skin care product by the beginning of next year.
Hitting two of the biggest trends in the personal care market at the current time - anti-aging and naturals - this active ingredient is likely to be one to look out for.
Currently the naturals market in the US is predicted to grow 58 per cent by 2009 to reach a value of $7.9bn, while the market for anti-aging products continues to be the largest growth area within the market.
