TCI employs Ice Plants and octopus venom for science-based skin care

12 Mar 2024 --- TCI Group designs body patches to expand skin care’s uses beyond the face while equipping its products with Ice Plant Bioactive Derivatives, harnessing its patented Cell Young technology.

Cell Young Ice Plant, “known for its multiple skin care benefits,” is derived from the Ice Plant, rich in minerals, vitamins and inositol. The ingredient is scientifically proven, offering antioxidant, anti-UV, DNA repair and protective properties. Additionally, it inhibits melanoma cells and counters melanin generation induced by blue light. 

The Taiwanese-based company also employs Lipo Beauty technology, another proprietary advancement and recently discovered using octopus venom to enhance skin absorption.

“From our research, general body patch products may not surpass facial masks in terms of quantity. For personal care brands, the facial mask market is competitive and lucrative,” a TCI spokesperson tells Personal Care Insights.

Therefore, launching new products quickly is crucial. Instead, body patches allow brands to showcase their professional expertise and leading position in holistic skin care. For consumers, body care has always been an essential need. They desire products that deliver quick and visible results with convenient usage while providing a satisfying user experience.

The company also highlights its eco-friendly practices when manufacturing its skin care. TCI says its “commitment to clean energy aligns seamlessly with the growing consumer demand for environmentally conscious skin care solutions.”

Ice Plants being cultivated by TCI.Ice plants create better skin 
The wellness and beauty manufacturer believes the “preciousness” of the Ice Plant lies in its nutrient-rich composition, making it an ideal skin care solution. 

“We have successfully developed plant-stem-cell culture technology that resolves the issues of sustainability with rare and precious medicinal plants and herbs. [We] produce stable supplies through callus tissue cultures that amplify the final product potency from the refinement of ingredient activity and bioavailability — presenting to our clients the assurance of quality and stability of every product efficacy,” explains TCI.

Due to the cultivation challenges of the plant, TCI cultivates its tissues to enhance effectiveness, harnessing plants’ regenerative power to defend against photoaging and provide comprehensive skin care.

In terms of efficacy, the Cell Young Ice Plant demonstrates free radical elimination and increased expression of antioxidant genes. It effectively resists UVA, boosting cell survival rates and efficiently inhibiting melanocyte activity. Moreover, it significantly increases collagen content and contributes to DNA repair by inducing the expression of multiple repair gene groups.

Human efficacy trials conducted by TCI reveal that after six weeks of using Ice Plant essence, improvements in skin texture reach 19% and pore refinement achieves 20%. The use of Ice Plant essence also visibly smooths fine lines around the eyes after six weeks, showcasing its exceptional effectiveness in enhancing skin conditions.

“Plant-stem-cell-generated ingredients can be applied to both supplements and skin care. In addition, the encapsulation technology featured with micro-emulsion has been applied as the delivery system to carry active ingredients more effectively,” emphasizes the spokesperson. 

Octopus venom
TCI  tells us it also discovered a new delivery pathway for topical ingredients to penetrate through cell membranes easily with  Hapa-5. The biomimetic peptide from the venom of blue-ringed octopus apparently penetrates 50 times faster than snake venom. Skin care patches are being designed for face and body applications.

“Hapa-5 peptide rapidly penetrates cell membranes that are similar to the venom of the blue-ringed octopus. It creates pathways and transmits active ingredients into cells within five minutes. Hapa-5 is a vegan, high-performance, environmentally friendly topical ingredient that can be applied in various textures in skin care products.”

Sustainable skin care
TCI maintains it is committed to sustainability and environmental responsibility. It operates as a Certified S11 Silver Green Factory, upholds the ISO50001 energy efficiency system and boasts a self-built solar energy system. 

The company aims to achieve a 100% clean energy goal by 2030, making it “the first” Taiwanese enterprise to participate in RE100.

TCI’s Ice Plant Eye Mask was awarded the Global Beauty & Wellness Awards (GBWA). The company says this acknowledgment of its advancements in beauty technology “underscores the impressive capabilities of Taiwan’s biotechnology sector.”

By Sabine Waldeck