While efficacy is paramount, Asian consumers are not willing to compromise safety, leading to a rising interest in skin-identical ingredients.
Collagen is a sought-after cosmetics ingredient for its ability to improve skin elasticity, hydration and overall help to reduce the signs of skin ageing.
Traditionally, collagen comes from animal and sources, including bovine, porcine, and marine sources. The use of an animal derived material has raised ethical and sustainability concerns, prompting global demand for vegan collagen.
“The demand from the consumer side is asking for more animal-free supply chain and they are also paying attention to the sustainability profile of cosmetics, as well as what they can do as a consumer to contribute to the decarbonation of the whole planet,” said Ann Mu, global head of applied innovation, BioActives, Evonik.
In Asia, the interest is further fuelled by the demand for skin-identical ingredients, which consumer see as effective yet safe.
“Anything skin-identical is mainly easily perceived from the consumer side as a potentially effective compound. It is also perceived as being safer and in line with the Rx trend,” said Mu.
According to market research firm Mintel, the beauty Rx trend emphasises the need for ingredients that are backed up with hard proof.
“It overlaps with [cosmeceuticals] but its more about how precisely you choose your hero ingredient or cosmetic ingredient to work towards your skin goals,” said Mu.
The company recently introduced Vecollage Fortify L, a vegan skin-identical collagen produced from renewable feedstocks using a fermentation-based process.
It is the first launch from the firm’s vegan collagen platform and was developed in partnership with Modern Meadow, which specialises in fermentation-based protein development.
The firm claims that using fermentation technology ensures vegan collagen is “produced in a controlled manner with a lower ecological footprint.”
According to Evonik, the vegan collagen works to fortify collagen in the skin by preventing age-related degradation while stimulating the skin’s own collagen production.
Developing a vegan collagen portfolio
Moving forward, the company is aiming to launch new collagen products manufactured in collaboration with Chinese company Jland Biotech later this year, which will expand Evonik’s existing product portfolio of vegan collagen.
“We hope to offer the market a portfolio of different vegan collagens. Some to target the upper skin layer for protection and defence type of working mechanism. Some to target the deeper skin layers for anti-ageing, and others designed for more special applications like makeup or hair care,” said Mu.
Evonik announced its partnership with Jland earlier this year to provide commercial quantities of collagen for cosmetic applications. The firm said it invested in Jland through its venture capital group.
Founded in 2015, Jland develops collagen for cosmetic, medical and food applications. Its cosmetic range of collagen is fully registered with the Vegan Society, according to the firm.
