Behind the ultra-hydration of the new Raspberry and Pink Pepper product line from Natura Tododia, there is a large and pioneering biotechnology project that managed to bring a new possibility of sensory experience combined with the reduction of environmental impacts: the production of oil from microalgae.
Noemi Vieira, a researcher in the advanced research group in Natura's ingredient area, participated in this process. She is responsible for bringing ingredients of biotechnological origin to Natura's products. "This project was developed in partnership with Solazyme, an American biotechnology company that was setting up a factory in Brazil. We had a mutual interest in working with a technology that could bring a reduction in environmental impacts," she says. In this partnership, Solazyme was responsible for the development of the oil, while Natura conducted tests to check the viability of the product's cosmetic use.
Among the benefits of the new ingredient are the reduction of application cost in products and the reduction of environmental impact, since the carbon emission to produce this oil is lower when compared to other oils in the line. "Because it is produced from the fermentation of a renewable source, which is sugar - the microalgae feeds on the sugar to produce the oil - the environmental impact was reduced by about 60%, when compared to the canola oil we used in the products," explains the researcher.
"In addition, we achieved very good performance," celebrates Noemi. The new ingredient provides a drier and more velvety touch and transfers this sensory characteristic to the product.
Another advantage of using biotechnology is that factors such as seasonality do not interfere with the final product: the oil produced will always have the same composition. "When we work with plants, we have some problems related to harvest and seasonality that can alter some components of the oil. In biotechnology, the process is well controlled. By using microalgae as a biofactory, it is possible to produce an ingredient in a reproducible way, always maintaining the same type of product without much variation," she clarifies.
For her, the biggest challenge was clarifying the ingredient development processes and convincing people that microalgae oil is not "engineered," but rather comes from a biofactory (microalgae), capable of producing the ingredient under optimized process conditions. Noemi emphasizes that the objective was not to compete with the biodiversity oils already used by other lines, but to offer a new sustainable solution to the product development area. This, according to her, opened many doors for the development of more projects in the area of biotechnology.
Researcher Priscila Ramos, from Natura's formula development area, was responsible for developing the line's exfoliating oil. She explains that the product has an oily base and its composition includes a high concentration of vegetable oils and also microalgae oil.
"The big difference is that, in addition to exfoliating, it also hydrates the skin for up to 24 hours. As exfoliating particles, it has organic golden sugar and also golden flaxseed. We use natural exfoliants that do not cause damage to the environment," she defends. According to Priscila, the fact that microalgae oil is obtained through a very sustainable process with less impact makes it very attractive to Natura.
"We had some challenges, even to get to know this technology, how to apply it and make it viable within a project. Regarding formula development, the main challenge was achieving an adequate sensorial experience. The oil itself usually has a slightly heavier feel, and we wanted a texture that would provide hydration, but in a lighter and more pleasant-to-the-touch way," the researcher recalls.
Talita Sandolin, who is part of Natura's body category research group, emphasizes that the sensorial aspect was very important because, since the line has several products, it was essential that each one of them provided a different experience. She also explains that the objective was to bring products with differentiated sensory experiences that would evoke a touch of femininity and sensuality in women. "These are products that bring this femininity. So we look at this concept and bring this perspective into the laboratory." This concept, according to the researcher, was very well accepted by the public. "It is something that might not be in every woman's daily life," she evaluates.
Regarding her participation in the project, Talita guarantees that the contact with biotechnology was very interesting. "It is a technology that is here to stay. We see other potential raw materials that can be obtained through biotechnology. It is not just about cost or sensorial experience; it is a set of possibilities to innovate even further in products and deliver something differentiated to the consumer," she concludes.
