dsm-firmenich announces the forthcoming commissioning of a brand new Habanolide unit at its production site in south-west France. This new state-of-the-art facility will significantly increase production capacity for this iconic fragrance ingredient, and help meet the fast-growing demand for sustainable products. The new production site will be operational in January 2024.

"This is our first Habanolide production unit in Europe, says Emmanuel Butstraen, President of Perfumery & Beauty at dsm-firmenich. Et will strengthen our strategic position and enable us to offer additional capacity for perfumery in the region. In addition to helping us seize growth opportunities, it will help reduce the carbon footprint of our logistics operations. We will be able to provide a superior service close to our customers in Europe, and help them achieve their own sustainability goals by reducing their Scope 3 emissions."

Spread over four levels, the new facility will feature state-of-the-art technologies guaranteeing the highest safety standards, operational stability, quality, energy efficiency and reduced water consumption. The entire project is being carried out by a dozen local companies, involving some forty subcontractors every day for the past year.

"We are very proud of this new production unit, designed to increase the supply of this powerful, biodegradable musk, which is one of our best-selling ingredients, adds Amaury Roquette, Ingredients Director for Perfumery & Beauty at dsm-firmenich. This facility will enable us to produce Habanolide in Europe, in addition to our existing production line in New Jersey, USA. With this additional project, we are strengthening our global leadership in musks."

Habanolide is an elegant macrocyclic musk with warm, slightly woody notes. It is a key ingredient in the company's palette and is extremely popular in combination with dsm-firmenich's renewable musks such as Helvetolide and Romandolide, as well as the recently introduced captive ingredients Sorbettolide and Casmiwood. This increase in capacity will also benefit Habanolide derivatives, Exaltolide Total and Exaltolide.

dsm-firmenich has extensive experience in the production of musk ingredients. Years dedicated to research and development have made the group a pioneer in the market, earning it worldwide recognition as the "House of Musk".

This expansion project has benefited from a €1 million grant, as part of the national stimulus plan implemented by the French government and the Nouvelle Aquitaine region, to accelerate industrial investment in France.

Crodarom, the French subsidiary of the Croda Group, which produces a wide range of innovative botanical extracts for cosmetics and industrial applications, has just launched Phytessence French Rose EC, a rose flower extract, Rosa gallicawhich reinforces the cutaneous barrier by maintaining skin hydration.

A fundamental pillar of our skin care routine, moisturizing is the first beauty gesture to adopt in every season. In response to climate change and temperature variations, a new technique is emerging: skin-flooding, which involves layering moisturizing cosmetics to lock in moisture and hydrate the epidermis deeply and for a long time. Hydrated skin is more supple and luminous, less prone to tightness and protected from cellular aging. The hydrolipidic film made up of sebum reinforces the skin barrier and limits water loss. Its composition varies according to age, state of health, season and environment. Often richer in sebum during adolescence, this film becomes less present and less effective with age. It is therefore essential to regulate and balance it. 

Obtained by ultrasonic extraction of roses Rosa gallica from French organic farming in glycerine and water (Eco-sound technology), Phytessence French Rose EC has moisturizing and protective properties.

The active ingredient moisturizes the skin and visually improves its quality, regulates sebocyte activity and protects lipid compounds from external aggression, and protects the skin from premature aging by reducing the expression of inflammatory mediators and the glycation phenomenon. 

According to the tests carried out :

• Phytessence French Rose EC cream moisturizes the skin by a statistically significant 5 % compared to the placebo cream. Volunteers confirmed that the cream visually improved skin quality via a questionnaire administered 28 days after application versus placebo. 
• Phytessence French Rose EC reduces lipid synthesis in sebocytes by 61 %.
• Phytessence French Rose EC reduces UVA-induced lipoperoxidation of liposome phospholipids by 70 %. The active ingredient regulates sebocyte activity and protects lipid compounds from external aggression. Its properties are ideal for maintaining skin homeostasis.
• Phytessence French Rose EC reduces PGE synthesis₂ of 50 % and IL6 of 41 % after UVB exposure.
• Phytessence French Rose EC at 3 % reduces glycation by 89 %.

Application patent pending.

Several applications are possible:
- Natural moisturizing serum
- Moisturizing facial mist
- Fresh awakening gel
- Tinted Perfecting Care
- Velvety moisturizing body care

Phytessence French Rose EC is a 100 % extract of natural origin according to ISO16128, preservative-free, Cosmos-certified, quantified in flavonoids.

Enriched with alfalfa galactomannans, Inclusium is, according to Silab, a multifunctional natural active ingredient that enhances the beauty of all skin types. Its efficacy has been demonstrated on various panels, and its cosmetic benefits, visible from as early as seven days, meet consumers' universal expectations in terms of skin care.  

Responding to skin's specific needs with cross-disciplinary benefits 

In order to sketch the face of universal beauty, Silab has surveyed consumers' main skin characteristics according to ethnicity, gender and age. Three expectations stand out:   

• beautiful skin quality, characterized by cutaneous hydration and refined skin texture for a smoothed micro-relief; 
• an even, radiant complexion, free from the blemishes associated with post-inflammatory scarring and skin aging; 
• reduced signs of aging, with firmer skin and smoother wrinkles.

Proven effectiveness from cell to skin 

The combination of Silab's expertise in tissue engineering and transcriptomics has enabled us to investigate the spectrum of Inclusium's activities on the biological pathways essential to epidermal and dermal functionality. Thanks to a large-scale exploratory study, it was established that Inclusium :

• stimulates epidermal functions by modulating biological pathways linked to the physical and hydric barrier, the immune barrier and the anchoring of the epidermis to the dermis;
• reinforces dermal matrix quality by increasing collagen I synthesis and limiting MMP-1 synthesis.

In addition, five clinical studies were specifically conducted to demonstrate the performance of Inclusium. Evaluated on mixed, young and mature, Caucasian, Asian, Latin American and African-American panels, this active ingredient delivers a hydra-smoothing, complexion-perfecting and anti-wrinkle effect as early as seven days after application. 

Alfalfa, a herbaceous plant with many virtues

To develop the Inclusium active ingredient, enriched with galactomannans, Silab used the seeds of alfalfa, a plant native to Asia and cultivated throughout the world for thousands of years for its nutritional qualities and medicinal properties. 

Selected certified organic farms in France guarantee a secure, traceable supply.   

Inclusium is a patented active ingredient, recommended at a dose of 0.5 to 2.5%. Available in aqueous solution, it is easy to formulate. It complies with biodiversity regulations and has a natural origin content of 99.2 % (ISO 16128). It complies with international cosmetics regulations (Europe, USA, China, Japan, etc.).