Thanks to increasing consumer interest in holistic, natural products from responsibly sourced ingredients, there’s a global trend that’s now starting to make its presence felt in the beauty world.
Demand for plant-based substances is moving beyond the realms of the diet and into both personal care and “beauty from within” or nutricosmetics.
With both segments being driven by the rising popularity of vegan lifestylers, today’s shoppers want products for their skin and hair that provide the same nutritional benefits as the foods they consume.
Sustainability is a guiding principle, too, creating market opportunities for products that are beneficial for human health, well-being and the environment.
Harness the power
This interest is even more evident when superfoods come into play, as they are rich in vitamins, minerals and/or secondary plant metabolites. One such superfood is the pomegranate, which is a real micronutrient winner thanks to its content of calcium, magnesium, sodium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, B vitamins and vitamin E.
Pomegranate is a nutraceutical powerhouse that’s rich in polyphenols, secondary plant compounds with unique antioxidant and age-defying properties that have a positive effect on both skin and hair.
With Pomanox, Euromed offers a pomegranate extract that’s standardised to a naturally high punicalagin content (up to 30%), and one that promises several evidence-based properties relating to cardiovascular and metabolic health, sports nutrition, mood and cognitive health, skin and hair beauty.
Extracted from locally grown and processed Spanish pomegranates using a proprietary, ecofriendly and water-only technology, this botanical compound is formulated as a powder, is also available as a certified organic product and contains variable amounts of powerful punicalagin phenolics, making it ideal for nutricosmetic applications.
Fighting free radicals
From our first wrinkles to pigmentation problems and uneven skin, men and women have different demands when it comes to skincare. According to a study by Harvard University, facial skin has a certain inherent density during the first decades of life.1
During these years, skin continually produces collagen and squalane, keeping wrinkles at bay. In older skin, however, as collagen production declines, fine lines begin to appear.
Sunlight, air pollution, stress and an unhealthy diet can also have a negative impact on the appearance of skin. This is because of the free radicals that form when skin is subjected to harmful environmental factors and by the natural process of ageing.
Damage limitation
One of the most important triggers of skin ageing is UV radiation, to which we expose ourselves — often unwittingly — whenever the sun shines. With Pomanox, Euromed offers a proven solution that may reduce the damage caused by UV radiation.
With its effectiveness indicated in a study done in collaboration with the Eurecat Technology Center, a leading research company in Catalonia, Pomanox can reduce hyperpigmentation by decreasing melanin synthesis.2
Its tyrosinase-inhibiting effect is comparable with that of commercial tyrosinase inhibitors, such as thiazolidine.
Pomegranate is a rich source of phenolic compounds, including ellagitannins such as ellagic acid and punicalagin. These compounds are able to inhibit tyrosinase activity, suggesting that the polyphenols can also inhibit melanin synthesis.
Furthermore, Pomanox has the potential to reduce the oxidative stress caused by excessive UV radiation. By positively modulating hyaluronic acid metabolism, Pomanox may also help improve the skin dryness caused by UV rays.
Another factor that plays an important role in the ageing process is ever-decreasing collagen levels. This protein is responsible for firm, connective tissue and skin elasticity.
When collagen levels drop, the skin loses its strength and structure. However, Pomanox could help to maintain skin elasticity by positively modulating collagen metabolism and providing a protective effect against UV-induced oxidative damage.
The significant inhibition of the MMP-1 activity observed in the study, which prevents collagen breakdown, provides additional support to the reported efficacy.2
Supporting hair health
The polyphenols in Euromed’s pomegranate extract not only have a positive effect on skin, but can also promote hair health. The ageing process and environmental influences can make hair dry, dull and brittle, thus contributing to accelerated hair ageing.
The regenerative effect of Pomanox on hair was recently investigated in a clinical study: a group of men with age-related hair loss received either Pomanox capsules or a Pomanox hair lotion.
After a 60-day test phase, both treatments significantly improved hair regeneration, which was more pronounced with the capsules than the lotion.3
The researchers found better hair strength, increased hair density and thickness, and an improved speed of hair growth in the participants. Such results are hugely encouraging for the vast number of people who suffer from age-related hair loss.
Buoyant beauty market
An increasingly ageing global population means that, according to the World Health Organization, two billion people are expected to be older than 60 by 2050.
However, these people don’t just want to reach old age, they also want to enjoy a good quality of life too. As healthy ageing and maintaining a youthful appearance are both important issues for this target market, beauty-from-within concepts are creating huge opportunities in the fast-growing skincare segment.
In 2019, the global nutricosmetics market was worth $6055.22 million, but a sales potential of $10,799.36 million is forecast by 2027.4 Thanks to its wide range of botanical extracts for beauty products, Euromed is well-equipped to meet this demand.
References
- www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/In_Brief_Retinol_helps_reverse_normal_skin_aging.
- R. Marine, et al., “In Vitro Evaluation of Pomanox and Other Natural Extracts Effects on Different Parameters Associated with Skin Health” (Eurecat Technology Centre, 2020).
- www.euromed.es/euromed/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Folleto-8pag-POMANOX_v03lr.pdf.
- www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/10/14/2108223/0/en/Worldwide-Nutricosmetics-Industry-to-2027-Strategic-Recommendations-for-New-Entrants.html.
