Bringing bisabolol back in a sustainable way with BisaboLife™

Known for its skin-healing properties, Bisabolol has been a popular cosmetic and perfume ingredient for centuries. In recent years, though, it has been plagued by availability woes and environmental concerns. Givaudan Active Beauty is now pleased to launch BisaboLife™, a brand-new and highly innovative alternative.

Fully natural and over 97% pure, this breakthrough solution leverages our expertise in ‘white biotechnology’: the use of fermentation to create products that are more eco-responsible, require less energy and generate less waste. We are delighted to be able to offer our customers this top-quality new market solution that is fully sustainable and no longer season-dependent.

The benefits of BisaboLife™
 

What is bisabolol?

Alpha-bisabolol or (-)-α-bisabolol, also known as levomenol, appears in a great number of cosmetic products. It offers many benefits, including soothing, healing, antioxidant and skin-brightening properties. Historically extracted from wild camomile, it has also been used for hundreds of years in traditional medicine to treat sensitive or reactive skin and reduce redness and irritation.

Until now, bisabolol was extracted from plants using lengthy, non-sustainable processes (mainly steam distillation of the essential oil from Brazilian Candeia tree bark, which produces roughly 7 kg of oil per tonne of 12 years old wood). This has caused availability issues, varying levels of quality depending on the season, and deforestation – in short, bad news for business and the environment alike. Chemical methods are sometimes also used but these rely on fossil-based carbon and result in lower purity levels of (-)-α-bisabolol.

White biotechnology

In order to meet the rising demand for a reliable, long-term source of bisabolol, Givaudan Active Beauty has developed a highly efficient, state-of-the-art manufacturing method. Known as ‘white technology’, the process is based on fermentation derived from plant sugars. This can produce high quantities, all of perfect quality. This solves the problems of sustainability and steady supply, whilst also providing an optimal product with all the same benefits as traditionally harvested bisabolol.

Our exclusive process also guarantees purity higher than 97%. Like plant-extracted bisabolol, BisaboLife™ uses 100% bio-based carbon, as opposed to 100% fossil-based carbon in chemical production. It is also readily biodegradable, with 73% biodegradability after 28 days or 85% after two months.

Bright ideas to naturally create new molecules

The natural solution

Typical uses for BisaboLife™ include day and night creams or shampoos for sensitive skin, cold creams, after-sun, after-shave, face cleansers, skin soothing lotions or even razor blade strips.

This ground-breaking ingredient offers our customers the best of both worlds and complete peace of mind. As well as having access to a pure, top-quality natural product, they can rest assured of a steady, sustainable supply.