It is an indispensable at every stage of life

Anti-wrinkle creams and other forms global anti-aging is always award the lion's share on the market of facial products. They generate about half of annual sales estimated at approximately 835 million euros in France, according to the latest figures available (2004) with the Federation of perfume industries. Today, cosmetic innovation focuses on a vital function of the skin: hydration. Through its partnership with the society of biotechnology Libragen, YSL beauty has developed its first line on this niche, that it is poised to launch in France August 25.

"It's a beautiful story between a reference of the global cosmetic and a small French biotechnology company, which gave birth to a range of new products," says Renaud Nalin, President-Director General of Libragen. If the start-up had already signed with previous contracts with other actors of the sector, it is the first to occur within a year. "Previously acknowledged, I was feeding a certain distrust of the world of cosmetics, that I shows more to marketing than to science.".

Technology platform

It must be said that Libragen first validated its technology platform in the pharmaceutical industry, the requirements of quality, safety and toxicity are deemed of more binding. "We applied exactly the same," said Renaud Nalin. This original Alliance was born a range of treatments for the face, Hydra Feel, moisturizing and protective properties.

Innovate on skin hydration is not a simple luxury that meets criteria of aesthetics and comfort. It is essential to preserve the original functions of defence and protection of the skin or try to restore them at a later age. It is an indispensable at every stage of life. "The aging process starts by a problem of dry skin." "Our laboratories have relied on recent work which showed the importance of cell renewal in hydration", explains Joëlle Guesnet, Scientific Director of YSL beauty.

The interest of his team focused specifically on an enzyme found in the surface of the skin: the Stratum Corneum Chymotryptic Enzyme (SCCE). What is its role as major It allows the cells of the skin (keratinocytes) to fully ensure their function, namely making proteins, lipids and natural moisturizing factors which set the water in the superficial layers of the skin.

Where the use of a synthesis by enzymatic way, the only process that can lead to the enhancement of natural molecules that, previously, were hardly usable in cosmetics because of their lack of stability and solubility. "The idea was to exploit the softness of the biological way, as opposed to the aggressiveness of a chemical process to extract any effectiveness," explains Renaud Nalin. "The interest of Libragen technology is able to use the natural resources of the skin with relevance to just free, properly, the activity of a molecule as a flavonoid, known to the antioxidant power," said Joëlle Guesnet.

Chestnut and larch

Specifically, this new technique, called enzymatic glycosylation, is to join a flavonoid molecule a molecule of glucose to stabilize and increase its bioavailability. In contact with the skin, the glycosylated molecule is "eaten" by enzymes of the skin microflora. Protected until its site of action and in the heart of the epidermis, the flavonoid molecule stimulates the Mirco-circulation, hence a better oxygenation of the cells and a more effective "detoxification" of the skin.

"Secrecy" of this new line of YSL beauty is called "skin complex Baby". It is an association of sugars extracted from chestnut and flavonoids from larch, which act directly on the cell renewal key enzyme.

Today, the mission of Libragen continues by "a production program, as we manufacture the active principle of this cosmetic line following a very precise specifications", announces Renaud Nalin. Knowing that the formulation of its finished products, YSL beauty the entrusts to good care of his unit of Lassigny manufacturing teams, in the Oise département.