Laboratoire PYC launches drink powder to protect skin from pollution

09 Jan 2020 --- In response to increasing numbers of consumers living under oxidative stress from urban and industrialized areas, French nutricosmetics manufacturer Laboratoire PYC has released Skin Pollution Defense. The drinkable supplement taps into the lucrative “beauty from within” trend and is touted as protecting the skin from pollution, from the inside out. The mix of active ingredients targets stress oxidation, brown spots, wrinkles and skin dehydration. These signs associated with aging are made worse in combination with pollution from volatile organic compounds, oxides and particles such as diesel, ozone and heavy metals.

“We wanted to develop a product that meets the problems of the markets we address, whether in China, where high urbanization zones create this type of need, or in European cities where pollution and its impacts have become a growing concern,” Aurelie De Schuyteneer, Marketing Manager at Laboratoire PYC, tells NutritionInsight. Pollution is increasingly a global issue, with over 90 percent of the world’s population living in places where air quality exceeds the World Health Organization (WHO)’s recommended limits.

“Pollutants increase the production of free radicals in the same way that ultraviolet rays do. They aggravate inflammatory skin disorders caused by the sun, for example. The synergy between pollutants and UV rays accelerates extrinsic aging. The hydrocarbonaryl receptors (ahR) are overactivated by the pollutants, and the barrier function of the skin is impaired,” warns De Schuyteneer.

Several Mediterranean extracts, including rosemary and olive leaf, compose the formula developed in Aix-en-Provence. According to the French subsidiary of the Solina Group, Skin Pollution Defense is based on ingredients that have been clinically proven by in vitro and in vivo studies to improve the skin’s appearance and hydration after just two months. “Rosemary extract and olive extract are particularly new in terms of their use in nutricosmetics and are particularly effective on the pollutants tested,” she adds.

Eating pretty
Tapping into the 2020 Eat Pretty trend highlighted by Innova Market Insights, Skin Pollution Defense is a powder preparation, which can be diluted into water, giving consumers a way to drink to their skin health on the go. While topical applications have reigned supreme, the space is experiencing a refocus, with “beauty from within” evolving into a mega-trend. Ingestible beauty, adaptogens and the demand for natural products are emerging trends, expected to influence future NPD.

Large urban environments put oxidative stress on the skin. Consuming a food or beverage, rather than a pill, offers the added benefit of flavor to the consumer. Taste was essential in developing Skin Pollution Defense. “One of the biggest challenges to formulation was to mask the taste of plant extracts,” notes De Schuyteneer. This was achieved with the addition of citrus notes.

“It’s important to return to a basic notion that our body nourishes our skin. This means that all the benefits of foods that can be assimilated are also brought to the skin to maintain its health and then beautify it. It’s on this last point that the concept of ‘beauty from within’ has been developed. It means not only can your diet keep skin healthy, but it can also beautify it,” Fabrice Lefevre, Marketing and Innovation Director at Givaudan Active Beauty, tells NutritionInsight. 

While ensuring that the body is receiving the right vitamins, minerals and nourishment for beautiful skin, Laboratoire PYC does not dismiss the importance of topical treatments. “Cleansing is key to eliminating skin pollution. Cosmetics can only protect the most external layers of the skin. For instance, the smallest particles of matter (less than 2.5 µm) can pass through the pores and reach deep layers of the skin that cosmetics ingredients cannot reach. This is a reason why we recommend complementing topical solutions and dietary ingredients to protect the deep skin layers,” notes De Schuyteneer.

To achieve the best results, Laboratoire PYC recommends taking the supplement regularly to reinforce the body’s defenses against pollution. “Taking food supplements is part of a preventive approach, in addition to a healthy and varied diet,” she concludes.

Blossoming botanicals
Last year, several major players stepped into the botanical beauty space. Givaudan’s Active Beauty arm launched a new botanical skincare product called My Blue Guard High Defence, which contains 95 percent natural ingredients. The product is marketed as a day cream powered by botanical extracts, which can help members of Generation Z achieve “perfect Instagrammable skin.”

In this space, Layn restructured to form a new botanicals division called Plantæ and Robertet released a new patented technology that formulates essential oils into powder form, expanding their applications into nutraceuticals and functional food and beverages.

By Missy Green