The US specialty chemicals group Ashland has launched ‘Forzango biofunctional’, a new cosmetic active ingredient for people with active lifestyles. According to the company, the ingredient is obtained from the bark of the South American Kondurango vine using supercritical CO₂ extraction. Supercritical CO₂ extraction is considered a gentle process in which carbon dioxide penetrates solid materials as easily as gas and extracts the substances contained within them as if it were a liquid. The active ingredient obtained in this way is said to help the skin cope better with the stresses of sport, exercise, sun exposure and an active everyday life. It has been developed for a generation that no longer separates the care of physical health from the care of beauty.

Promoting the body’s own self-detoxification

According to Ashland, ‘Forzango’ is based on a ‘comprehensive endurance programme’ with four areas of action: the ingredient is said to support the body’s own cleansing processes and the skin’s self-detoxification, promote cellular respiration, strengthen the skin barrier and antimicrobial defences, and improve the skin’s feel under stress-related strain. The company is thus tapping into a trend in which consumers are increasingly linking physical fitness, wellbeing and beauty. In clinical trials involving 30 women and men, the skin felt less rough and showed clear signs of improved oxygenation. 80 per cent of participants agreed that their skin felt more comfortable, whilst 60 per cent felt it looked smoother.

Cultivated by smallholder farmers in Colombia

The active ingredient is oil-soluble, free from preservatives and is recommended for use in formulations at a concentration of one per cent. According to Ashland, ‘Forzango’ is 100 per cent of natural origin, readily biodegradable, suitable for vegan cosmetics and approved under the COSMOS standard. The kondurango plant grows in the Andes at altitudes of between 1,400 and 2,100 metres. To ensure a supply of raw materials, the plant – which was previously only harvested in the wild – is now cultivated by ten smallholder farming families as part of a special cultivation project in Colombia’s Valle del Cauca. They grow the kondurango shrub under long-term contracts, with technical support and using organic methods. The active ingredient can be used, for example, in face primers and sun protection sticks for sport, in cooling sprays and gels, as well as in creams and aftershave products.

Source: Ashland