In an era where sustainability and innovation are key drivers in the cosmetics and personal care industry, Active Concepts has introduced a new advancement with their latest product, ACB Sal-Vation. Derived from sugar beets and prunes, ACB Sal-Vation is formulated to provide a sustainable and effective alternative to traditional salicylic acid, which faces increasing scrutiny and regulatory challenges globally.
By utilizing the natural properties of benzoic acid from prunes and succinic acid from sugar beets, Active Concepts has developed a solution that reportedly matches salicylic acid's efficacy and addresses concerns regarding skin sensitivity and regulatory compliance.
Active Concepts is committed to sustainable sourcing through partnerships with family-owned farms in Northern Ohio and California. These farms prioritize regenerative and organic farming practices, ensuring that the ingredients in ACB Sal-Vation are both high-quality and environmentally friendly. The company's dedication to sustainability extends to the development process, where cutting-edge technology and rigorous research have converged to create a product designed to meet the evolving demands of global markets.
In this CosmeticsDesign Q&A, we spoke with Morgan Drohan, Technical Marketing Specialist at Active Concepts, to delve into the inspiration behind ACB Sal-Vation, the company's R&D process, and the sustainable practices that position this ingredient as a compelling option for cosmetics and personal care product formulators.
CDU: What inspired Active Concepts to develop ACB Sal-Vation as an alternative to salicylic acid, and what was the R&D process like?
Morgan Drohan (MD): Active Concepts, a global leader, prides itself on staying attuned to regional concerns. Our European team has voiced their hesitation about promoting ingredients containing salicylic acid, while our Asian team has highlighted worries about carry-over ingredients or "undeclared" salicylic acid. Recognizing the need for a superior solution, we introduced ACB Sal-Vation—our answer to these challenges.
Our innovative R&D Team proposed using succinic acid from sugar beets and benzoic acid from prunes as a superior alternative to salicylic acid. Recognizing the potential, our Technical Marketing Team seized the idea, knowing it would fill a crucial market gap. Collaborating closely, both teams developed this effective yet gentle alternative, aiming to provide a groundbreaking solution for global markets.
CDU: How are benzoic acid and succinic acid sourced from prunes and sugar beets, and why are these sources chosen?
MD: The sugar beets and prunes go through a mechanical grinding and milling process, followed by a filtration to isolate desired components. An aqueous extraction is performed at a specific pH and temperature for a set duration of time. Fermentation with Lactobacillus follows, and then a second filtration step is performed. Once sampled by QC, the material is packed, sampled for micro, and is good to go!
Active Concepts selected sugar beets and prunes for their rich natural content of succinic and benzoic acids. These acids offer nearly identical benefits to traditional salicylic acid, with the added advantages of soothing and anti-inflammatory properties. Our focus was on creating a sustainable sourcing method, and sugar beets and prunes emerged as the exceptional heroes in this endeavor.
CDU: Can you elaborate on the sustainable farming practices used in sourcing these ingredients?
MD: Active Concepts choses their suppliers intentionally, making sure each are mindful in their sustainable practices. Our sugar beets are sourced from Northern Ohio (US) and Verona, Veneto (Italy).
In Northern Ohio, the family-owned farm practices regenerative farming, which involves techniques that create healthy soil for flavorful, nutritious crops. This method includes planting multi-species cover crops to enrich the soil, and, therefore, reducing weed competition without chemicals.
In Verona, Veneto, this family-owned farm is organic and does not use any chemicals or pesticides. When it comes to our prune sourcing, we source from Western California (US) and Laives, Alto Adige (Italy).
In California, this farm started way back in 1916, claiming they were growing organically before “organic” was even a household term. Concerned with the growing use of chemicals in agriculture, they started back in the 1980s utilizing compost and cover crops in a proud effort to grow healthier products.
Additionally, this farm sponsors local educational scholarships and programs aimed at empowering young people in the agriculture field. Lastly, our prune supplier in Laives, Alto Adige boasts many certifications, one including that their production is environmentally friendly and healthy.
CDU: How does ACB Sal-Vation compare to traditional salicylic acid in treating acne and other skin issues?
MD: Salicylic acid primarily focuses on loosening corneocytes and disrupting cellular junctions, making it an effective exfoliant and acne deterrent. However, benzoic acid and succinic acids operate through different mechanisms which allows for not only the inhibiting P. acnes, but also providing soothing properties for those with sensitive skin.
Benzoic acid, like salicylic acid, does have a lipophilic nature allowing it to remove intercellular lipids. However, its smaller molecular size allows for better penetration into the skin, potentially enhancing its exfoliating, rejuvenating, and renewing effects.
Succinic acid moreso focuses on anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, combining the exfoliation and acne-fighting benefits of benzoic acid with the soothing and anti-inflammatory benefits of succinic acid, we created an efficacious alternative.
CDU: How is the shift towards natural and gentle ingredients influencing the adoption of ACB Sal-Vation?
MD: The personal care industry is increasingly embracing natural ingredients. With ACB Sal-Vation, an all-natural alternative to traditional salicylic acid that delivers the same renowned efficacy, we anticipate widespread acceptance and adoption in all diverse markets.
CDU: How does ACB Sal-Vation help brands navigate regulatory differences and/or address cultural biases against salicylic acid, particularly in the US?
MD: Interestingly, the US market shows less hesitancy towards salicylic acid compared to Europe and Asia. So, where does ACB Sal-Vation fit in? While salicylic acid remains a recognizable ingredient, it's becoming overused.
ACB Sal-Vation, as a sustainable and natural alternative, offers US markets a chance to stand out with next-gen technology in an oversaturated personal care sector. Moreover, since many of our US customers also sell internationally, eliminating the salicylic acid concern will simplify their operations and expand their market reach.
CDU: What future innovations can we expect from Active Concepts in sustainable personal care ingredients?
MD: Active Concepts is committed to leading the way in sustainable personal care innovations. By leveraging cutting-edge technology and our unique capability to conceptualize, manufacture, and locally supply raw materials, we consistently stay ahead in this dynamic industry.
Our innovation pipeline is robust, and we are excited to unveil groundbreaking products in the coming months that will redefine sustainable personal care.