The company has been working with its Vietnamese partners since 2015 to harness the cosmetic potentials of the tropical fruit as part of its rambutan program and launched the products at InCos Global.
Lucilene Veira Nunes, head of business management beauty care solutions Europe, said: “Plants are at the heart of our value proposition, and our commitment to further improve our sourcing network is driving our innovation to develop new products from sustainably sourced plants.”
Valuable by-products
The rambutan fruit itself is rich in iron, vitamin C, fibres and antioxidants.
However, the company found that by-products such as rinds and seeds are just as valuable.
According to the company, the rind of the fruit was found to contain antioxidant properties while the seeds are known to decrease unwanted fat.
The pulp boosts energy and immunity, prevents diseases and helps to eliminate free radicals.
BASF found a way to extract the powers of the peel, leaves and seeds for cosmetic products, making sure no part goes to waste.
The company upcycles these by-products with a unique extraction and purification process to create Nephydrat, Nephoria and Rambuvital.
Nephydrat is an extract of rambutan peel, which has moisturising properties and rejuvenates the skin.
BASF claimed that the active provides measurable and visible benefits of increased skin hydration, resulting in an even and fresh complexion.
Nephoria, an extract of the evergreen rambutan leaves, claims to increase skin elasticity and reduce wrinkles through biological pathways similar to that of retinol.
Project rambutan
The Vietnamese programme involves sustainable sourcing and upcycling of by-products, while guaranteeing local workers have safer working conditions, fair income, health insurance and gender equality.
BASF extracts the ingredients from rambutan trees grown in the first organically certified rambutan gardens in Vietnam.
Aside from the local farmers, the company has a dedicated team which maintains the gardens throughout the year.
The team also harvests the raw materials and prepares them for extraction of the bioactive ingredients.
Programmes such as this as this are becoming important as consumers are now more interested in the development and composition of cosmetic products.
These new active ingredients can help cosmetics manufacturers respond to the growing trend of responsible beauty and fulfil consumers’ ‘eco-responsible aspiration’.
For hair and scalp care, BASF developed Rambuvital, an active derived from rambutan seeds.
Rambuvital claims to increase hair follicle vitality and reduce sebum oxidation triggered by exposure to pollutants and UV-rays.
All three bioactives are preservative-free, 100% of natural origin, and COSMOS-approved.