08.24.21
For German multinational chemical company BASF, the eyes certainly have it. The eye area is the first part of the body to reveal visible signs of fatigue, stress, unhealthy lifestyles and aging. As a result, timeworn-eyed consumers are seeking safe and easy-to-use products that can protect their eye contours and enhance their skin luminosity.
BASF’s Care Creations has developed a new ingredient based on the organic-certified marine algae, fucus vesiculosus. That ingredient, which company chemists are calling Seanactiv, works to improve eye contour appearance within the first week of application.
How it Works Down to a Science
Algae are photosynthetic organisms that can grow under extreme conditions. Due to the tides, fucus vesiculosus spends as much time living underwater as it does on rocks or sand, making it particularly resistant to different conditions and temperature variations. The seaweed used in Seanactiv is harvested manually under government license, in line with good collection practices that ensure regeneration of the biomass. It is extracted via a gentle, selective procedure that concentrates the active fucoidan molecule present in the algae. This sulphated polysaccharide is characterized by fucose monomers and has long been known for its beneficial properties in food, health, and beauty.
Why It Works
In a clinical study with 24 healthy female volunteers between ages 18 and 65, Seanactiv formulated at 1% in a cream was shown to improve the appearance of dark circles within one week, with a decrease in skin pigmentation intensity of 11 percent. At the same time, skin roughness was reduced by 14%, leading to a visually perceptible improvement in the appearance of crow’s feet. Seanactiv was also shown to visibly improve skin luminosity of the eye area for a fresher, healthier complexion.
Water-soluble Seanactiv is 99.8% from natural origin and complies with the COSMOS standard for natural and organic cosmetics.
Further information is available at www.care-chemicals.basf.com.