Whenever we talk to formulators, brand managers or R&D laboratories, one issue always comes up: how can we combine effectiveness, naturalness and responsible sourcing without compromise? The demand for natural ingredients does not rely anymore only on naturality, but it articulates itself around this tryptic as a powerful driver of customer engagement.
Bringing these three approaches together is, for which Croda Beauty Botanicals offers several relevant answers, both in terms of formulation and brand positioning. Three COSMOS certified ingredients are particularly illustrative: Cytokalmine™ EC, Phytessence™ French Rose EC, and Crodarom® Cider Vinegar EC. All three bring together high natural and organic content as a powerful driver of customer loyalty with performance as a sine qua non condition in the demanding cosmetic markets. Local, responsible sourcing then reinforces this with transparency, guarantee of quality and powerful storytelling. Here’s how they define a new strategic norm to meet today’s expectations — and tomorrow’s requirements — for beauty professionals.
Cytokalmine EC: the natural hyperactive concentrate for sensitive skin
Cytokalmine™ EC is Croda Beauty Botanicals’ perfect answer for any skincare designed to calm/reduce redness and inflammatory reactions of sensitive and reactive skin. The COSMOS Certified pomegranate extract helps to reduce skin discomfort.
Pomegranate has been selected to design this ingredient as it is a superfruit universally recognised for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This fruit is the greatest natural source of punicalagin, found primarily in its pericarp. Thanks to our unique and sustainable extraction process, which guarantee the integrity of temperature-sensitive molecules, Cytokalmine™ EC is a concentrated cocktail of Punicalagin and Ellagic derivatives. It has been proven to reduce the production of Interleukine-8 in human explants at only 40µg/ml, and to decrease in a dose-dependent manner the production of ROS by 70% at just 25 μg/ml.
To reduce waste while providing benefits for the skin, the manufacturing process of Cytokalmine™ EC is upcycling pomegranate pericarps obtained from the juice production of an organic farm in France. This long-standing partner of Croda Beauty Botanicals is a passionate farmer, engaged in protecting the natural environment and its biodiversity. Organic content of the active is 100% according to ISO16128. A major lever which echoes the expectations of bio-premium markets concerned with the entire supply chain.
Phytessence French Rose EC: The floral elixir for naturally hydrated skin
How can we ensure that a cosmetic product harnesses the full power of a particular territory and cultural heritage to benefit the skin? This is the commitment to floral protection offered by Phytessence French Rose EC, derived from Rosa Gallica, or Rose de Provins.
To source the delicate flowers used in the making of the ingredient, Croda Beauty Botanicals turned to rose growers in Southern France who are highly committed to organic farming practices and mindful of biodiversity. Entrusting these farmers guarantees the quality of the roses, as they use of unique traditional expertise and the careful manual harvesting of the flower at its peak maturity. Once extracted using our EcoSound™ technology, the flavonoids and the complex of natural molecules present in the roses are ready to benefit the skin, in an ingredient designed to provide deep hydration, a fundamental pillar of healthy skin and the first step in beauty care for all seasons.
Phytessence French Rose EC is the ideal natural asset for skin flooding, a new beauty routine which involves layering moisturising cosmetics to lock in moisture and deeply hydrate the epidermis and for a long time, in response to the dryness caused by climate change and its temperature variations. The moisturising effect of the rose extract is measured by MoistureMap® on mature and dry skin after application to the face of the cream containing Phytessence™ French Rose EC at 3% for 28 days compared to the initial conditions and to the placebo cream. 94% of volunteers are satisfied with the care with 3% of Phytessence™ French Rose EC; 68% of volunteers said “the skin looks younger”.
Crodarom® Cider Vinegar EC: An ancestral fermented beauty secret
What is better than cider vinegar to perfectly combine the recognised virtues of a traditional fermented remedy that is still popular today, with the modernity demanded by the cosmetics market? Introducing Crodarom Cider Vinegar EC, the ultimate ally for many natural and effective skin or hair products for it naturally provides hydrating, purifying and balancing benefits. This ingredient is made from organic cider vinegar crafted by a French family farm in the Normandy (Northern France). Produced for generations on the farm, using its own apples as well as traditional expertise recognised by the Cidre du Contentin AOC (protected designation of origin), this cider vinegar embodies transparency, biodiversity respect and unmatched authentic French quality.
Crodarom Cider Vinegar EC has been designed to maintain the skin’s barrier function, through two key factors: respecting the microbiome and ensuring proper hydration. Firstly, a balanced microbiome supports the skin’s natural defences, reduces inflammation, and helps prevent sensitivity. As apple cider vinegar is categorised as postbiotic, Crodarom Cider Vinegar EC balances and respects the microbiota by protecting the skin against harmful bacteria (E. coli and S. aureus) and nourishing beneficial bacteria (S. epidermidis). At the same time, hydration strengthens the barrier by minimizing water loss and improving elasticity. Crodarom Cider Vinegar EC at 3% statistically significantly increases skin hydration by +4.2% in 7 days with individual values up to +23%. Improved hydration was noted for 69% of subjects. Together, these actions promote healthier, more resilient skin and scalp that is better equipped to handle environmental stress and maintain long-term comfort.
By combining naturality, performance and local sourcing, Croda Beauty delivers botanical active ingredients that are credible, desirable and competitive. This approach ensures that brands can move beyond marketing rhetoric to deliver genuine, solid and defensible added value in a market where technical requirements and authenticity are no longer negotiable.
