Over time, gravity relentlessly takes its toll on the skin, with sagging skin being one of the most common manifestations of ageing. However, according to Gattefossé, gravity’s side effects on the skin might be prevented. The Lyon-headquartered company has designed EleVastin [1], a targeted solution to fight gravity-induced skin sagging.
Renewed skin’s elastic potential
According to Gattefossé, the new ingredient boosts key proteins involved in the synthesis and maintenance of functional elastic fibers: elastin, fibrillin-1 and fibulin-5. It also protects elastic fibers against their degradation by elastases.
“Through this mechanism of action, it ensures an increase of the density of elastic fibers coupled with an augmented skin elasticity. These last outcomes have been obtained using an advanced spheroid model developed in our cell culture laboratory,” explains the company in a statement.
Ex-vivo and in-vivo tests
The efficacy of EleVastin has been assessed ex-vivo using a model of 3D dermal microtissue free from any exogenous matrix developed in partnership with BioMeca.
The ingredient was also tested in vivo at a concentration of 1% only, on 37 volunteers using a novel and original method specifically developed in-house. According to Gattefossé, it proved its capacity to reduce drooping of the lower face. “Skin elasticity is significantly improved versus placebo. Facial contours are better defined, and deep vertical wrinkles are significantly reduced.”
“The clear reproducibility of the results obtained with EleVastin on different types of skin models is a true assurance of the ingredient’s efficacy," explains Laurie Canel, Product Marketing Leader - Personal Care Actives.
100% natural origin content
The ingredient is extracted from the leafy stems of the Murraya koenigii tree, which are manually harvested from fertilizer-free plots in the preserved environment of La Reunion island. The plant has been used for hundreds of years in ayurvedic medicine and in cuisine.
A rich pool of synergistic phytomolecules is obtained using an innovative blend of solvents from plant origin and gentle extraction process. This results in a 100% natural origin content according to the norm ISO 16128 and a COSMOS approved ingredient.
“The phytochemical content of Murraya koenigii is both very rich and well described, which has made it possible to adopt a methodical research strategy for plant extraction. By adjusting the polarity of the solvents, we have been able to target more specifically certain molecular families such as flavonoids, phenolic acids or alkaloids. In parallel, in our laboratories, and also in partnership with experts in proteomics and biomechanics, we have developed innovative in vitro evaluation models. They enabled us to achieve a very comprehensive demonstration of the biological efficacy,” says Boris Vogelgesang, R&D Director Cosmetic Actives.
