Who is the next hyaluronic acid in the inventory of 5 high potential "makeup and food homologous" ingredients?
May 06, 2024
On January 7, 2021, sodium hyaluronate was officially approved by the National Health Commission as a new food ingredient that can be used in ordinary food. Since then, the trend of oral hyaluronic acid products has officially begun in China, and sodium hyaluronate has become a phenomenal and popular functional ingredient. The concept of "makeup food homology", first proposed by the cosmetics industry, has also become popular in the food industry. So what is "makeup and food have the same origin"? Besides hyaluronic acid, what other high potential "makeup food homologous" ingredients are worth paying close attention to?
01
From "Same origin of medicine and food" to "Same origin of makeup and food"
The statement in the Huangdi Neijing that "eating on an empty stomach is food, and patients eat it is medicine" clearly clarifies the concept of "medicinal food homology". "medicinal food homology" refers to food that has medicinal value at the same time, and there is no absolute boundary between the two. Among them, "homology" refers to the fact that traditional Chinese food and medicine originated from natural plants and animals.
The concept of "cosmetic food homology" derived from "medicinal food homology" originally referred to the production of cosmetics using natural, pollution-free food grade raw materials, with a focus on food and skin care. This concept comes from the cosmetics industry, and returning to the food industry is to apply popular/or highly potential natural and safe cosmetic ingredients to food, transforming the way the skincare effects of raw materials are exerted from "external" to "internal".
In recent years, the concept of "makeup and food share the same origin" has been recognized by women born in the 1990s and 95s. According to CBNData's "2020 Women's Quality of Life Trend Insight Report", the anti-aging battle of women born in the 1990s and 95s is comprehensive from the inside out, which is reflected in the consumption of beauty. From the initial basic beauty and skincare, it gradually penetrates into multiple dimensions such as dietary management, nourishing and health preservation.
02
Hyaluronic acid, collagen, niacinamide, and the three popular ingredients of the same origin in cosmetics and food
According to the 2019 Oral Beauty Consumption Trend Report released by CBNData and Tmall Global, consumers are concerned about three popular effects: whitening, anti-aging and hydration. At the same time, the "Tmall Global Cross border Health Products Consumer Insight Report" shows that the main components corresponding to the main functions of Tmall Global oral beauty are as follows: the main components of hydration are hyaluronic acid (hyaluronic acid), peptides, and resveratrol; Whitening agents mainly include niacinamide, vitamin C, grape seeds, and glutathione; Anti-aging is mainly collagen and anthocyanin.
Hyaluronic acid, collagen, and niacinamide are currently the three popular ingredients of the same origin in cosmetics and food. According to the data from Guoji, in the popular content types related to the ingredients of MAT2022 Xiaohongshu oral beauty supplements, hyaluronic acid, which is associated with moisturizing effects, accounts for as high as 59% of the content, and collagen, which is associated with wrinkle resistance, accounts for as high as 33% of the content.
03
5 high potential "makeup and food homologous" ingredients worth developing
1. Main efficacy of astaxanthin: reducing UV damage
Astaxanthin is a ketocarotene, lipid soluble red pigment, classified as lutein. The natural sources of astaxanthin include algae, yeast, salmon, trout, krill, crayfish, etc. Algae accumulate high levels of astaxanthin under high salinity, nitrogen deficiency, high temperature, and light conditions. Commercial astaxanthin mainly comes from Rhodococcus pluvialis, Rhodotorula rubra, and chemical synthesis. Rainy red algae is one of the best sources of natural astaxanthin, with a dry weight content of up to 3.8%. At present, astaxanthin derived from rain borne red algae can be used in food in China.
Astaxanthin can effectively inhibit oxidative damage caused by free radicals and the induction of MMP-1 in the skin after UV irradiation. Research has shown that astaxanthin from Rhodococcus pluvialis can increase collagen content by inhibiting the expression of MMP-1 and MMP-3 in human dermal fibroblasts. In addition, astaxanthin can minimize UV induced DNA damage and improve the DNA repair ability of cells exposed to UV radiation.
Astaxanthin is a high potential ingredient in the cosmetics industry. In the 2022 Potential Functional Ingredients List by Meili Xiuxing, astaxanthin ranks third among potential functional ingredients.
Astaxanthin is a popular ingredient in the functional food market in Japan. Previously, when reviewing the application status of functional foods in Japan in 2022, Shiyanhui found that astaxanthin ranked 7th among the top 10 ingredients in terms of frequency of use, mainly used in health fields such as skincare, eye care, fatigue relief, and cognitive function improvement.
Algatech, a Japanese company, has conducted multiple studies, including experiments on hairless mice and humans. The results show that astaxanthin can reduce the damage caused by ultraviolet radiation to deep skin, which can cause signs of skin aging such as dryness, skin sagging, and wrinkles. It has also developed functional labeling foods containing astaxanthin to combat ultraviolet damage.
2. The main effects of ergot sulfur include reducing UV damage, anti glycation, and antioxidant properties
Ergothionine (EGT) is a naturally occurring amino acid. In 1909, French pharmacist Charles Tanret first isolated and named ergot fungi. Ergothionine is mainly found in actinomycetes (such as Mycobacterium) and non yeast fungi (including Basidiomycota and Ascomycota). Ergothionine is also present in human tissues and organs such as red blood cells, bone marrow, liver, kidneys, and eyes. However, the human body cannot synthesize it on its own and can only obtain it through diet. Mushrooms are the main dietary source.
Ergosulfan is a tautomer with both thiol and thione forms, and the thione tautomer dominates at physiological pH, which gives Ergosulfan exceptionally strong antioxidant properties. Clinical data shows that the ability of ergot to scavenge free radicals is 14 times that of glutathione and 30 times that of coenzyme Q10. The organic cation transporter OCTN1 (now known as SLC22A4, a transporter protein with 551 amino acids and three glycosylation sites) in the human body can transport ergot to the desired location.
Structural diagram of two tautomeric isomers of ergot sulfur source: Reference 3
The skincare effect of ergot sulfur is mainly reflected in anti-aging, and its mechanism of action mainly includes the following 5 points: 1) Anti photoaging, mainly anti ultraviolet (UV), inhibiting UV induced peroxidation and inflammatory factors/ β- Gel and MMPs expression; 2) Antioxidant, prevents oxidative damage, repairs DNA damage, inhibits the occurrence of cell apoptosis, and increases cell viability; 3) Anti glycation, reducing the generation of AGEs; 4) Prevent mitochondrial membrane potential and tDNA damage; 5) Prevent telomere damage, activate telomerase activity, and reduce telomere shortening rate.
In 2014, ergot sulfur was included in the "Catalogue of Used Cosmetic Ingredients" by the National Medical Products Administration of China. Due to its unique antioxidant effect, it is the darling of high-end skincare brands such as Clinique, Est é e Lauder, Mystery of Sea Blue, and Source of Joy Wood. According to the 2022 list of potential functional ingredients by Meixiu, ergot sulfur ranks ninth among potential functional ingredients. In addition, Meixiu's big data statistics show that the filing growth rate of major anti-aging ingredients in anti-aging skincare products ranks eighth with a growth rate of 64.2%.
At present, in China, ergot sulfur cannot be used in food in compliance, but both the US FDA and the EU have approved the compliant use of ergot sulfur in food.
3. Salivary acid (N-acetylneuraminic acid) has the main effects of antioxidation, wrinkle resistance, and whitening
Salivary acid is a family of nine carbon acidic monosaccharides that naturally exist at the end of sugar chains attached to cells and soluble protein surfaces. In the human body, the highest concentration of sialic acid (such as N-acetylneuraminic acid) exists in the brain, and it participates in synaptogenesis and neurotransmission as a component of the ganglioside structure. Human milk also contains high concentrations of sialic acid, which attaches to the end of free oligosaccharides. Salivary acid, also known as bird's nest acid, is widely present in edible bird's nest and was first extracted and isolated from salivary gland mucin.
In May 2017, N-acetylneuraminic acid was approved as a new food ingredient with a recommended daily intake of ≤ 500 milligrams. In June 2021, N-acetylneuraminic acid was approved as a new cosmetic ingredient, and it was also the first new cosmetic ingredient approved in 2021.
Salivary acid is an important component of normal human tissue, which can eliminate reactive oxygen species produced in the body, play an antioxidant and protective role. Salivary acid deficiency can reduce blood cell lifespan and enzyme proteins in metabolism, leading to cellular aging. According to research, the inhibitory effect of sialic acid on non enzymatic glycation has shown potential anti-aging and anti melanin functions. In the keratinocyte experiment, compared with the control group, the content of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in keratinocytes treated with sialic acid was significantly reduced. In the fibroblast experiment, the application of sialic acid resulted in an increase in collagen, proving that sialic acid has significant antioxidant, firming, and anti wrinkle effects.
At present, sialic acid is mainly obtained through fermentation technology, and the purity of sialic acid produced by Jiabiyou through fermentation technology can reach over 98%.
4. NMN（ β- Nicotinamide mononucleotide main efficacy: anti-aging
NMN full name β- Nicotinamide mononucleotide is a nucleotide derived from ribose and nicotinamide. Like nicotinamide ribose, NMN belongs to the B group of vitamins. NMN is an important supplement to nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), which can be converted into NAD+in the human body. NMN achieves anti-aging effects by increasing NAD+levels. At the beginning of 2022, NMN was approved as a new raw material for cosmetics in China.
As the first country to approve NMN as a food ingredient, Japan has relatively mature research and application of NMN. At present, the main forms of NMN supplements in the Japanese market include capsules, chewable tablets, powder forms, and liquid forms. NMN supplements in Japan will emphasize that the raw materials of NMN come from Japan and combine multiple functional ingredients to synergistically increase health benefits. Toyama Yakuya NMN supplement uses Japanese native NMN raw materials and combines them with red grape leaf extract, astaxanthin, salmon nasal cartilage extract, vitamin B2, and biotin.
As a homologous component of cosmetics and food, NMN has enormous potential and influence. At the beginning of this year, the news of NMN being accepted as a new type of food additive caused a huge wave in the industry as soon as it was announced. After the news was released, NMN's search index in the WeChat ecosystem immediately skyrocketed, with an overall daily increase of 192.85% and an overall index value of 1850291. However, NMN's compliance journey has not been smooth. On May 9th of this year, NMN（ β- The application for nicotinamide mononucleotide as a new food additive has been rejected. As of the publication date, NMN has not yet obtained licenses for new food ingredients, food additives, health foods, and drugs in China. Consumers can only make purchases through cross-border e-commerce. The NMN products sold on cross-border e-commerce in China mainly come from countries and regions such as Canada, Japan, Germany, Australia, Switzerland, and Hong Kong. Last year, the US FDA banned the use of NMN as a dietary supplement. Currently, Amazon has basically taken down all NMN related dietary supplements.
5. The main efficacy of ceramide: hydrating and moisturizing
The popular oral beauty ingredient in the Japanese market is not the current popular hyaluronic acid, but ceramide. Ceramide comes from various sources, including pineapple, rice, and konjac. Among the skincare products declared in the first quarter of 2023 in Japan, only one of the main ceramides used came from konjac, while the rest came from pineapple.
Ceramides, also known as sphingolipids, are a type of sphingolipids composed of long chain bases of sphingosine and fatty acids. The molecules consist of one sphingosine molecule and one fatty acid molecule, and belong to the lipid family. The main function of ceramide is to lock in skin moisture and improve skin barrier function. In addition, ceramide can also resist skin aging and reduce skin dandruff.
Representative declared products containing ceramides, product image source: Japan Consumer Agency/Food Research Institute Compilation and Drawing
According to Guoji data, in the frequency ranking of consumer mentions of social media anti-aging ingredients in H1 2022, ceramide ranked second in the category of hydration and moisturizing. Although it is far lower than the first place hyaluronic acid in terms of data, it also has high potential as a homologous ingredient in cosmetics and food.
04 Summary
The global oral beauty market reached a scale of 52 billion US dollars in 2020, and is expected to grow to 69 billion US dollars by 2026. The Chinese oral beauty market is also rapidly heating up. According to the "2021 Overview of China's Oral Beauty Industry", China will closely follow Japan to become the second largest oral beauty market in the Asia Pacific region in 2022. At the same time, data from Toubao Research Institute also shows that there is still room for growth in the Chinese oral beauty market in the future, and a new round of explosions is expected to occur. The scale is expected to reach 25.57 billion yuan in 2025, with a compound growth rate of 3.8%.
The vast oral beauty market will inevitably give rise to more "phenomenal" functional ingredients, and sodium hyaluronate will not be the only one. With the deepening of the concept of "makeup and food are the same" and the continuous growth of the ingredient group, we will wait and see who the next hyaluronic acid will be.
