The greatest desire of humanity has always been to achieve eternity. This desire has spurred scientific research to study increasingly advanced solutions in order to prolong life and improve its quality. This commitment is even stronger today because the average global population is aging: it is estimated that by 2040, there will be over 1.3 billion people over the age of 65. This phenomenon is increasingly affecting developing countries, with a much faster aging rate compared to developed countries.
With the increase of the average lifespan, not only duration but also the quality of life become increasingly important. The focus is on “aging well” through a holistic approach that emphasizes the search for a mind-body balance and the adoption of a “healthy” lifestyle.
This trend also closely affects the cosmetics industry, driven to seek products that can prolong skin’s youth as long as possible. This research involves ingredients and two main areas of focus: effectiveness and research. As consumers become more attentive to ingredients and seek a better understanding of product efficacy, there is a growing interest in science and technologies that can create innovative and advanced active ingredients.
THE BUZZWORD: BIO-HACKING
The adoption of behaviors that can slow down aging is well exemplified by the growing popularity of bio-hacking. Bio-hacking is a term that is increasingly used in the healthcare sector and refers to the “reprogramming of the environment around us and within us to improve longevity or physical and mental performance.” It encompasses a set of “lifestyles and behaviors” that is projected to reach 63.7 billion dollars by 2028, with a CAGR of 19.4%. The success of bio-hacking in the healthcare sector goes hand in hand with advancements in anti-aging research, particularly the discovery that the rate of aging is controlled by genetic pathways and biochemical processes preserved in evolution, such as cellular senescence.
As consumer attention towards ingredients grows, with more and more interest in where they are sourced and action, the beauty industry is witnessing an increase in sustainability claims and the use of innovative technologies that take engineered and lab-grown ingredients to a new level. Market data confirms this seeing as the launch of stem cell-based anti-aging products has grown by 15% since 2018.
In the beauty industry, some companies have already started to seize the opportunities offered by this era of longevity and embrace the path paved by this new trend that combines science, nature, and technology. Provital is one of them.
Capturing this unfading fervor for life and combining nature and science to capture the essence of immortality, the Spanish company distributed in Italy by Faravelli has studied Altheostem™: an active ingredient that combats skin aging through the power of plant stem cells and embodies a new approach to treating skin aging.
Already in 2020, the Spanish company had gathered all sustainable ingredients obtained from plant stem cells in the “Provital Stem Cell Collection,” but Altheostem™ goes above and beyond. It is an extract from the flowers of Althaea rosea obtained through a biotechnological process that is 100% traceable and eco-responsible. Altheostem™ is derived from stem cells from the petals of laboratory-cultivated Althaea rosea. This immortal source of the active ingredient has been standardized in total polyphenols.
TESTED EFFICACY
Provital has conducted four different tests demonstrating how Altheostem™ selectively reduces the vitality and number of senescent cells by inducing their apoptosis. This process is then transferred to the skin’s anti-aging biological pathways, resulting in positive effects on skin aging. In vivo tests carried out on a panel of women aged between 45 and 65, after 28 and 56 days of treatment, have shown that the active ingredient significantly improved skin’s brightness and elasticity and had a plumping and anti-wrinkling effect. The end result was skin that looked several years younger.
COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES AND STORYTELLING
An active ingredient like Altheostem™ also offers unique opportunities in terms of communication. It’s perfect for companies looking for a new type of beauty product that goes beyond the “traditional” limits of effectiveness and customization, combining technology, science, and nature, known as Cosmetics Dermo-Hacking, it represents an opportunity for brands that want to take communication to the “next level” by educating consumers about the benefits of biotechnological ingredients in terms of effectiveness and sustainability.
Using an active ingredient like Altheostem™ allows you to meet the demands of informed and demanding consumers with a “new” beauty product that is effective and natural. As dermocosmetics are increasingly linked to health rather than beauty itself, and brands that rely on scientifically supported claims are perceived as “safer, more effective, and transparent,” using an active ingredient like Altheostem™ allows you to combine the perceived safety of natural origin ingredients with claims backed by science.
And then there’s Artificial Intelligence. “Tailor-made solutions” can be studied through apps and AI by calculating the improvement of the skin’s condition after using a product containing the active ingredient. In doing so, brands can bring the high-tech customization narrative to an even higher level and even calculate “how long the consumer should apply an Altheostem™-containing product to achieve a healthier appearance and younger-looking skin.”
Youth is no longer a matter of age.