Symrise debuts plant-derived L-carnosine for prejuvenation skin care

Symrise has launched Dragosine Green to help beauty brands create natural-origin skin longevity and prejuvenation concepts. The specialty ingredients company says the solution meets consumers’ rising expectations for efficacy, naturality, and responsible innovation. 

The cosmetic ingredient uses 100% plant-derived L-carnosine produced through advanced green biotechnology. It offers a natural origin index of 1. 

Symrise says that the cosmetic ingredient combines the “proven efficacy” of an established molecule (from its Dragosine range) with an “improved natural-origin profile, enabling high-performance skin care products that support longer-lasting skin quality and visible skin improvement.”

Dragosine Green adds a multi-functional skin longevity dipeptide to the company’s Care & Wellness portfolio. Its Care & Wellness Division was introduced this March to meet the global demand for products under the umbrella of well-being and beauty. 

The new ingredient is touted to support the industry’s shift from corrective anti-aging toward proactive well-aging and prejuvenation.

Proven molecule, new profile 

Dragosine Green builds on Symrise’s Dragosine range. 

“Dragosine Green combines the proven efficacy and scientific heritage of the Dragosine range with the natural-origin profile and formulation flexibility that brands increasingly seek,” says Nathalie Chevrot, global skin Care category director, Advanced Actives at Symrise. 

The natural-origin version obtains its plant-derived L-carnosine through biofermentation.The active targets UV stress, blue light, infrared radiation, and heat. 

L-carnosine is used in skin care primarily to fight aging, acting as an antioxidant and anti-glycation agent. It protects collagen and elastin from breaking down due to sugar molecules, pollution, and UV rays. This helps maintain skin firmness, elasticity, and a smooth appearance.

Dragosine Green supports skin longevity through three complementary pillars: 360° exposome protection, structural longevity, and visible skin improvement. The skin exposome is the lifetime sum of external, lifestyle, and internal exposures — and how skin responds to them. 

The natural origin ingredient helps protect skin from exposome-related stressors such as UV-induced oxidative stress, blue light, infrared radiation, and heat. It also supports mechanisms linked to collagen formation, glycation protection, epidermal cell proliferation, fibronectin production, and senescence-related decline. 

Together, Symrise says these effects help preserve skin integrity, firmness, and elasticity over time, making the ingredient relevant for skin longevity and prejuvenation concepts. The company adds that the launch aligns with its health span beauty approach. 

The ingredient was also made with the intention to give beauty brands a science-backed ingredient for products that help maintain skin quality over time. The company says that formulators can easily integrate Dragosine Green into a wide range of cosmetic products. 

According to Symrise, the water-soluble ingredient offers strong stability under air and heat exposure and performs effectively at levels as low as 0.2%. This profile works to support cost-efficient formulations and broad application opportunities across face care, body care, sun care, dermo cosmetics, and natural-origin skin care concepts.

“With this new ingredient, we help customers move beyond traditional anti-aging claims and create skin care concepts that support skin longevity and long-lasting resilience,” concludes Chevrot.

Symrise innovating for the indsutry 

Dragosine Green lands amid a wider Symrise push into naturals and catering to next-generation consumer demand. The company’s recent moves demonstrate how it is paying attention to industry trends and innovating for them. Symrise produces plant-derived L-carnosine through green biotechnology. 

Last month, Symrise signed a put option agreement to acquire Floral Concept, a French premium natural ingredients fragrance house. If completed, the acquisition would position Symrise competitively in the natural fine fragrance space as demand for ethical and differentiated ingredients grows across perfumery.

Earlier this year, Symrise added Mindera Euca to its Mindera platform, bringing its patented plant-based product protection technology to rinse-off applications. 

Also demonstrating Symrise’s focus on what is trending in the beauty sphere, the company recently spoke to Personal Care Insights about how pentylene glycol is emerging as a quiet cult favorite among Generation Alpha. The ingredient is said to reinforce clean, microbiome-conscious, and reduce reliance on traditional preservatives. 

Unlike previous generations that have focused on headline actives, Gen Alpha shows growing curiosity toward the full INCI list. The German chemicals company told us these young beauty buyers are valuing multifunctional “invisible enablers” that support efficacy, tolerability, and formulation integrity. 

Furthering its efforts to capture Gen Alpha, earlier this Summer, Symrise launched a Think Tank program called Sym Alpha to help companies create personal care products that appeal to Gen Alpha consumers and reduce lead times. The company said the generation will soon shape future consumption patterns and brand expectations.