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Beauty attracts functional ingredients suppliers

Consumers more open than ever to 'beauty-from-within' concept

Greater awareness of the link between what we eat and how we look is driving sales of 'beauty-from-within' foods and supplements.

According to Nutrition Business Journal (Jan. 2008), US natural and organic personal-care sales rose by 16.7 per cent in 2007. The climb is particularly dramatic when compared to a mere 4.2 per cent overall growth in the global market for conventional skincare products for the period 2001-2006 (Datamonitor). Ingredient suppliers are taking notice and introducing novel personal care ingredients for both foods and supplements.

According to ingredients supplier Cognis, the company is set to unveil a string of ingredients formulations in May, all designed to benefit the skin. Perhaps most intriguing among them is a recipe dubbed 'Holiday Skin Protection,' described as 'a formulation to boost the skin's natural defences and improve skin elasticity' in the face of exposure to the sun.

The mix contains branded ingredients, which Germany-based Cognis says are known for their role in sun protection — Betatene carotenoids, Xangold lutein esters and Covitol natural-source vitamin E. The concept is aimed at consumers who are 'particularly aware of the need for high levels of sun protection, and is presented as an adjunct to topical products,' according to Cognis. It will be demonstrated at the Vitafoods International trade show in Geneva using a dairy drink as the carrier.

"Increased awareness of the link between what we eat, our health, and our physical appearance has made consumers more open to the idea of beauty foods and supplements," said Albert Strube, director global-growth product lines at Cognis. "We have chosen to present a product opportunity for the dynamic dairy products sector with our drink, but these concepts can be applied to other foods and beverages and, of course, to food supplements."

Also wading into the beauty-from-within market is NutraGenesis, which is launching Sendara, a branded nutraceutical ingredient claimed to help combat the internal and external causes of ageing skin by providing 'multi-functional, restorative skin-fortifying nutrition, as well as increasing resistance to the skin-damaging effects of stress.' Sendara is a combination of two patented extracts, based on the 'beauty food' Indian Gooseberry (Amla) and the 'mood food' Ashwagandha.

According to NutraGenesis, of Brattleboro, Vermont, Sendara's proprietary formula, which is ideal for use in supplements, may "boost resistance to premature ageing by preventing free radical damage to the dermal extracellular matrix, and reduce stress-related hormone levels.

"We are very excited about the possibilities for Sendara, given the burgeoning beauty-from within market," said NutraGenesis president Suzanne McNeary. "Sendara possesses the regulatory and scientific substantiation required to dominate in today's demanding marketplace."

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