Symrise receives IFSCC poster award for Dragosine ingredient, protecting skin from blue light effects

22 Mar 2022 --- Symrise has received an award from the International Federation of Societies of Cosmetic Chemists (IFSCC) for a scientific poster. From the 300 posters submitted, the judges selected Symrises’ effort as one of the top ten.

Symrise displayed the adverse effects of blue light on the skin on a poster based on its own ex vivo skin model study findings.

These findings are related to skin exposure to sunshine and the blue light emitted by the screens of technological devices like cell phones. The researchers also demonstrated how Symrises’ Dragosine ingredient – also known as L-Carnosine – protects skin from these impacts.

“Dragosine is already known as a skin ingredient with a broad spectrum of useful properties for healthy-looking skin,” says Dr. Cristina Girardi, a Symrises’ Cutech ex vivo screening service scientist.

“With the new knowledge we have gained from this study, we can add its new anti-blue light effect as a property. This expands the number of potential applications for our customers.”

According to Symrise, blue-light-protecting cosmetics are becoming increasingly popular among consumers. From July 2020 to March 2021, Symrise subsidiary Cutech, which specializes in this type of research, investigated the effects of blue light on the skin and the protective effect of Dragosine.

Investigating blue light radiation on the skin
In the first step, the researchers in Italy tested blue light radiation on human skin from abdominal plastic surgery patients.

The researchers measured the effect using reactive oxygen species (ROS) as an oxidation indicator and the number of melan A-positive cells in the skin’s basal layer as a pigmentation or tanning indication.

Following radiation, there was an increase in ROS generation and melan-A positive cells. This indicates that blue light has a pro-oxidative effect, which promotes pigmentation and causes the skin to age. The skin was then treated with protective agents like Dragosine before being irradiated.Dragosine may reduce the effects of blue light and restore skin health.

According to the experts, the Symrise ingredient was found to reduce ROS levels and the amount of melan-A positive cells. This suggests that Dragosine is a reliable and effective therapy for reducing the detrimental effects of blue light on the skin.

According to the findings, researchers can utilize the ex vivo skin model to evaluate the effects of blue light radiation and the protective impact of the preparations examined.

Next steps: Continuing research on Dragosine
Symrise is still studying Dragosine’s effect. The IFSCC recognized the communication of research results on a poster presented during the federation’s 26th conference during an award ceremony held virtually due to the pandemic.

 The jury, led by Frédéric Leroy, Chairman of the IFSCC Science Committee, gave the award for one of the ten best posters, recognizing the research’s exceptional quality and significance and the findings reached.

Symrise wants to keep using the ex vivo skin model utilized in this study to establish that Dragosine protects the skin from blue light-related effects like oxidative stress and increased proinflammatory cytokines. Dragosine will also be tested for its ability to protect skin from radiation-induced skin impairments, which are common causes of aging and damage.

Moves to lower “blue light” effects
Industry players have been formulating NPD that may alleviate blue light effects on the skin.

In this space, a Unilever Solutions executive stated the company utilizes “natural emollients that are used in anti-pollution and blue light skin protection formulations.”

Similarly, a study found Mibelle Biochemistry’s InfraGuard ingredient to protect the skin from blue light irradiation.

Givaudan Active Beauty previously unveiled Synchronight – a cosmetic ingredient made from gardenia fruit extract that helps to protect the skin from “digital stress.” Synchronight protects against external aggressions when the skin is subjected to stressors such as blue light emitted by electronic gadgets.

By Nicole Kerr