Christine Esposito, Managing Editor12.01.21
The sustainability conversation has expanded, reflecting a much broader definition. With a multifaceted ingredient like Ethicskin™, beauty brands can have a positive impact on skin health as well as people and the planet.
Christine Esposito: Today’s beauty brands are tasked with creating great products that delight consumers, but they must formulate with care for the environment. Add to that, there is growing pressure for brands to contribute to the greater good. It is a tall order, do you agree?
Siham Bouhrir: I totally agree. Consumers all over the world are becoming increasingly aware of issues surrounding sustainability; and recently, we’ve seen an increased interest on ethics and meaningful purchases. The sustainability conversation has expanded, reflecting a broader definition that not only includes the environmental concerns, but also the increasing social awareness.
The cosmetic industry has a peculiarity, which is that the consumer has a very intimate and personal relationship with the product, and this creates a bond with the product and the major brand, which leads to even higher expectations on this matter. Consumers want something that makes them feel good physically and emotionally. They do not want to consume anything that makes them feel bad about the effect their purchase may have on the environment or on local producers. It is thanks to this growing ‘activism’ of consumers that brands and companies in our industry are paying more and more attention to issues related to employees, suppliers, and especially local producing communities.
CE: Provital has a new ingredient, a multifunctional active that has shown great efficacy related to skin health, and it also addresses modern needs around sustainability and ethical sourcing. I’ve heard it referred to as a “Swiss army knife” ingredient.
SB: Yes, Ethicskin™ is a more than a multi-faceted cosmetic ingredient. It is also a groundbreaking project that aims to broaden the limits of sustainability and ethics in the beauty sector. It represents a new way of acting where biodiversity and environmental conservation go hand in hand with social and economic growth, and where traditional knowledge and natural resources are valued and rewarded fairly. And all thanks to our long-lasting collaboration with Mujeres y Ambiente, an ethical initiative—with the objective of improving the livelihoods of local farmers in Mexico—that was supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and awarded with their Equator Prize 2020.
The resulting well-aging active is a totally traceable cosmetic ingredient sustainably obtained from the flowers of the locally know as Mexican Arnica, that has been certified as a 100% Natural Origin on the ISO16128, Halal Certified and COSMOS Approved, as well as being Vegan-compliant. Plus, with the development of Ethicskin™, we were the first cosmetic ingredient supplier to achieve an Internationally recognized certificate of compliance (IRCC) for the Nagoya Protocol.
All in all, Ethicskin™ is positively contributing to a better future in many ways. That is why we say that we are transcending skin ethics with a new “broad-spectrum ethos.”
CE: Can you break down Ethicskin™’s benefits, staring with performance?
SB: Ethicskin™ triggers multiple mechanisms in the skin by selectively modulating the gene expression in epidermal and dermal cells. Some of the modulated genes are directly involved in epidermal hydration, skin barrier or microbiota regulation. Other genes participate in cellular homeostasis activities, like mitochondrial functionality, oxidative stress, and growth factors. And, as a good multifunctional, it also acts on age-related impairments like hyperpigmentation and the so-called inflammaging.
On the clinical study, Ethicskin™ demonstrated its multifunctional efficacy on a highly inclusive panel with men and women from different ethnicities. It visibly improves skin hydration, barrier, firmness, elasticity, age spots, redness, wrinkles and skin glow. In addition, our scientists evaluated firmness in 30 facial points, creating a color facial mapping where a global firming effect throughout the face can be observed for all skin types.
CE: Have you looked at how it performs across a range of skin types?
SB: Yes, for Ethicskin™, the clinical study was performed in line with its ethos theme, including both men and women from different ethnic backgrounds, African, Asian, Caucasian and Latino with phototypes ranging from 2 to 6. The multiple parameters that I just mentioned were evaluated at different times over 2 months, as usual comparing a placebo formulation to our active at 2%.
CE: Earlier you mentioned Mujeres y Ambiente. Can you share more about this initiative?
SB: Mujeres y ambiente is a community-based initiative founded by Doña Eulalia Moreno in 2010. Doña Eulalia and her daughters strive to improve the livelihoods of local communities through a micro-enterprise focused on the sustainable cultivation of vegetables, and medicinal and aromatic plants.
Provital’s collaboration with them started in 2014 with the cultivation of Agastache mexicana (Agascalm™) in line with the Access Benefit Sharing (ABS) philosophy—bringing together private enterprise, academic institutions, government ministries, researchers and scientists to recognize the importance of natural resources, biodiversity and sustainable practices as well as the value of traditional and indigenous knowledge.
With Ethicskin™, we went one step further by obtaining the first IRCC* under the Nagoya Protocol for a cosmetic ingredient. Under this protocol, producers in Querétaro’s rural regions signed a first-of-its-kind agreement between Mexico and Spain, giving access to the genetic resources of plants cultivated in Mexico for traditional medicine, and fairly compensating rural producers for their labor and inherited knowledge.
Partnerships among government agencies, private entities, academic organizations, and local communities have been formed thanks to this project—and the benefits are beginning to appear in the form of business, employment, research, technology transfer, and capacity-development opportunities.
For instance, the local communities, in partnership with the local state university, and supported by Provital, came together around their shared vision for an integrated watershed management, including the use of soil and water resources, between the upstream and the downstream areas of the watershed, with the common goal of enhancing natural resource conservation and improving the standard of living for its inhabitants.
CE: What a great project! Do you see this type of project and ingredient development process as the future of the beauty product formulation?
SB: Yes I do. In fact, at Provital, we are especially proud to be part of such a game-changing project that will start to widen the positive impact that our industry can have on the people and our planet. Moreover, with such an eco-ethical project behind, a formulation with Ethicskin™ is directly attracting the most ‘activist’ of consumers, while also also offering many in vitro, and particularly, in vivo proof, that will broaden the possibilities for different claims and different targets with just one active.
Further, Ethicskin™ opens several meaningful business possibilities around our collaboration with Mujeres y Ambiente, as in, the brand or product manufacturer could extend the collaboration with the communities into their final products and integrate ethics in other points of the value chain by, for example, helping these communities to sell their locally manufactured products through the brand’s online platforms, or cooperating in the development of products for their market, offering training, etc. We strongly believe that rural activities must move from just selling primary sector goods to survive and that it is almost necessary to expand their businesses in order to ensure a sustainable income.
In the case of the communities from Mujeres y Ambiente, they now produce for a very local audience, but if some cosmetic brands around the world were supporting them on that sense, they would be creating a very positive impact at a very low cost, because, the highest difficulty for a brand when creating a solid sustainable development project, is to set up the initial structure and network between all players and entities, and to get a stable base where to start. But that is already settled in this project, we could provide and facilitate those connections!
CE: Are there experts locally in the US that can share more about Ethicskin™’s sustainability and performance, and how it can fit into a brand’s formulation?
SB: We are all about sharing. Actually, “Do Care” is a proactive and inviting statement that emphasizes Provital’s purpose, reaffirming its responsibility and strong commitment to care for nature and people. And we believe that we care by partnering with our clients and co-creating with them to meet their needs, so we work really hard to achieve the best service experience for our clients. That is why we are in constant communication with North American Distributor Centerchem Inc., so that they can provide all the technical information about Ethicskin™ and its eco-ethical project in the way that best fits to each and every client. This creates a big and cohesive team of experts at the service of the clients of the US.
Christine Esposito: Today’s beauty brands are tasked with creating great products that delight consumers, but they must formulate with care for the environment. Add to that, there is growing pressure for brands to contribute to the greater good. It is a tall order, do you agree?
Siham Bouhrir: I totally agree. Consumers all over the world are becoming increasingly aware of issues surrounding sustainability; and recently, we’ve seen an increased interest on ethics and meaningful purchases. The sustainability conversation has expanded, reflecting a broader definition that not only includes the environmental concerns, but also the increasing social awareness.
The cosmetic industry has a peculiarity, which is that the consumer has a very intimate and personal relationship with the product, and this creates a bond with the product and the major brand, which leads to even higher expectations on this matter. Consumers want something that makes them feel good physically and emotionally. They do not want to consume anything that makes them feel bad about the effect their purchase may have on the environment or on local producers. It is thanks to this growing ‘activism’ of consumers that brands and companies in our industry are paying more and more attention to issues related to employees, suppliers, and especially local producing communities.
CE: Provital has a new ingredient, a multifunctional active that has shown great efficacy related to skin health, and it also addresses modern needs around sustainability and ethical sourcing. I’ve heard it referred to as a “Swiss army knife” ingredient.
SB: Yes, Ethicskin™ is a more than a multi-faceted cosmetic ingredient. It is also a groundbreaking project that aims to broaden the limits of sustainability and ethics in the beauty sector. It represents a new way of acting where biodiversity and environmental conservation go hand in hand with social and economic growth, and where traditional knowledge and natural resources are valued and rewarded fairly. And all thanks to our long-lasting collaboration with Mujeres y Ambiente, an ethical initiative—with the objective of improving the livelihoods of local farmers in Mexico—that was supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and awarded with their Equator Prize 2020.
The resulting well-aging active is a totally traceable cosmetic ingredient sustainably obtained from the flowers of the locally know as Mexican Arnica, that has been certified as a 100% Natural Origin on the ISO16128, Halal Certified and COSMOS Approved, as well as being Vegan-compliant. Plus, with the development of Ethicskin™, we were the first cosmetic ingredient supplier to achieve an Internationally recognized certificate of compliance (IRCC) for the Nagoya Protocol.
All in all, Ethicskin™ is positively contributing to a better future in many ways. That is why we say that we are transcending skin ethics with a new “broad-spectrum ethos.”
CE: Can you break down Ethicskin™’s benefits, staring with performance?
SB: Ethicskin™ triggers multiple mechanisms in the skin by selectively modulating the gene expression in epidermal and dermal cells. Some of the modulated genes are directly involved in epidermal hydration, skin barrier or microbiota regulation. Other genes participate in cellular homeostasis activities, like mitochondrial functionality, oxidative stress, and growth factors. And, as a good multifunctional, it also acts on age-related impairments like hyperpigmentation and the so-called inflammaging.
On the clinical study, Ethicskin™ demonstrated its multifunctional efficacy on a highly inclusive panel with men and women from different ethnicities. It visibly improves skin hydration, barrier, firmness, elasticity, age spots, redness, wrinkles and skin glow. In addition, our scientists evaluated firmness in 30 facial points, creating a color facial mapping where a global firming effect throughout the face can be observed for all skin types.
CE: Have you looked at how it performs across a range of skin types?
SB: Yes, for Ethicskin™, the clinical study was performed in line with its ethos theme, including both men and women from different ethnic backgrounds, African, Asian, Caucasian and Latino with phototypes ranging from 2 to 6. The multiple parameters that I just mentioned were evaluated at different times over 2 months, as usual comparing a placebo formulation to our active at 2%.
CE: Earlier you mentioned Mujeres y Ambiente. Can you share more about this initiative?
SB: Mujeres y ambiente is a community-based initiative founded by Doña Eulalia Moreno in 2010. Doña Eulalia and her daughters strive to improve the livelihoods of local communities through a micro-enterprise focused on the sustainable cultivation of vegetables, and medicinal and aromatic plants.
Provital’s collaboration with them started in 2014 with the cultivation of Agastache mexicana (Agascalm™) in line with the Access Benefit Sharing (ABS) philosophy—bringing together private enterprise, academic institutions, government ministries, researchers and scientists to recognize the importance of natural resources, biodiversity and sustainable practices as well as the value of traditional and indigenous knowledge.
With Ethicskin™, we went one step further by obtaining the first IRCC* under the Nagoya Protocol for a cosmetic ingredient. Under this protocol, producers in Querétaro’s rural regions signed a first-of-its-kind agreement between Mexico and Spain, giving access to the genetic resources of plants cultivated in Mexico for traditional medicine, and fairly compensating rural producers for their labor and inherited knowledge.
Partnerships among government agencies, private entities, academic organizations, and local communities have been formed thanks to this project—and the benefits are beginning to appear in the form of business, employment, research, technology transfer, and capacity-development opportunities.
For instance, the local communities, in partnership with the local state university, and supported by Provital, came together around their shared vision for an integrated watershed management, including the use of soil and water resources, between the upstream and the downstream areas of the watershed, with the common goal of enhancing natural resource conservation and improving the standard of living for its inhabitants.
CE: What a great project! Do you see this type of project and ingredient development process as the future of the beauty product formulation?
SB: Yes I do. In fact, at Provital, we are especially proud to be part of such a game-changing project that will start to widen the positive impact that our industry can have on the people and our planet. Moreover, with such an eco-ethical project behind, a formulation with Ethicskin™ is directly attracting the most ‘activist’ of consumers, while also also offering many in vitro, and particularly, in vivo proof, that will broaden the possibilities for different claims and different targets with just one active.
Further, Ethicskin™ opens several meaningful business possibilities around our collaboration with Mujeres y Ambiente, as in, the brand or product manufacturer could extend the collaboration with the communities into their final products and integrate ethics in other points of the value chain by, for example, helping these communities to sell their locally manufactured products through the brand’s online platforms, or cooperating in the development of products for their market, offering training, etc. We strongly believe that rural activities must move from just selling primary sector goods to survive and that it is almost necessary to expand their businesses in order to ensure a sustainable income.
In the case of the communities from Mujeres y Ambiente, they now produce for a very local audience, but if some cosmetic brands around the world were supporting them on that sense, they would be creating a very positive impact at a very low cost, because, the highest difficulty for a brand when creating a solid sustainable development project, is to set up the initial structure and network between all players and entities, and to get a stable base where to start. But that is already settled in this project, we could provide and facilitate those connections!
CE: Are there experts locally in the US that can share more about Ethicskin™’s sustainability and performance, and how it can fit into a brand’s formulation?
SB: We are all about sharing. Actually, “Do Care” is a proactive and inviting statement that emphasizes Provital’s purpose, reaffirming its responsibility and strong commitment to care for nature and people. And we believe that we care by partnering with our clients and co-creating with them to meet their needs, so we work really hard to achieve the best service experience for our clients. That is why we are in constant communication with North American Distributor Centerchem Inc., so that they can provide all the technical information about Ethicskin™ and its eco-ethical project in the way that best fits to each and every client. This creates a big and cohesive team of experts at the service of the clients of the US.