Most of you have probably heard of the term “Sharpen the Saw” from the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (Stephen R. Covey). If the term is new to you, it is stating that we must always keep improving. If we do not have time to sharpen our saws, because we are too busy sawing trees, we will never be able to do a good job. How many trees have you cut down with a dull saw? When was the last time you sharpened your saw?

CoValence will help you sharpen your saws. We provide industry, ingredient and CoValence information through our weekly blogs and monthly SKINsider. We are also working on a new 2010 initiative which will put more ingredient selling points and industry trends into your hands to help you sell your products!

In addition to receiving our blogs and SKINsider, you can link to more industry magazines on our website. Here are a few excellent resources that we find to be excellent resources:

•  The Beauty Industry Report
•  Cosmetics Design
•  Cosmetic News Weekly 
• Happi Magazine 
• GCI Magazine 
• Women’s Wear Daily
•  The Wall Street Journal
•  Skin Inc.

 2010 is the time to step away from the trees and start sharpening your saw! CoValence is here to help!

Phycocyanin: A Novel Cosmetic Ingredient from Algae

Algae are photosynthetic organisms with a total of 2,530,000 species. Algae can be found with a diversity of forms and sizes, that can exist from unicellular microscopic organisms (microalgae) to multicellular of great size (macroalgae). Blue-green algae, also known as Cyanobacteria, are a very interesting natural source of new compounds with biological activity that could be successfully used as functional cosmetic ingredients. Blue-green algae are present in almost all aquatic ecosystems, including creeks, rivers, lakes and wetlands. It is the Phycocyanin Photosynthetic Pigment that gives Cyanobacteria their bluish color and the name “blue-green algae”. The antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, antimicrobial and radical scavenging activities of Phycocyanin from different Cyanobacteria are well documented, but they are rarely utilized.

Many adverse skin symptoms are accompanied or even caused by oxidative stress that is characterized by excessive formation of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) that cannot be counteracted by the antioxidant defense systems of the human body. Therefore the therapeutic application of natural Phycocyanin with strong antioxidant activity will be more useful to keep the skin healthy and young. Among the antioxidative agents Phycocyanin appears to be promising. It exerts also anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective and hepatoprotective effects, which are closely connected with its antioxidative activity.

Antioxidative Properties of Phycocyanin Demonstrated by In Vitro Studies

Lipid peroxidation mediated by ROS is believed to be an important cause of destruction and damage to cell membranes, because a simple initiating event can result in the conversion of hundreds of fatty acids side chain into lipid peroxides, which alters the structural integrity and biochemical functions of membranes, which causes premature aging symptoms and wrinkles. Dr. Remirez and coworkers from Ozone Research Center, Cuba showed that Phycocyanin significantly inhibits the increase in lipid peroxides and protect the cell membrane damage. The researchers from McGill University, Canada (Jensen et al. 2001) found that the whole Cyanobacteria are suggested to stimulate the human immune system and possess antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-cancer, cholesterol- lowering effects and human cells growth enhancement mainly because of their Phycocyanin content in the cell.

We are always interested at CoValence in exploring the potential natural green ingredients in our cosmetic products knowing that if we have the best ingredients, so will our clients. The Phycocyanin pigment from the blue-green algae is a recent addition to our green cosmetic ingredient list.

Around the Water Cooler

Here are some quick summaries from important articles that we have recently read. You may find them interesting topics to discuss around the water cooler or in your next company meeting.

American Trends: The Year Ahead (by Andrea Nagel; from WWD Special Report Issue 01.29.10)

A key strategy in 2010 is toward “increased brand diversity” and “companies shifting their category focus.”

(*) How can CoValence help you with this strategy? We have over 3000 professional, OTC and retail skincare/personal care formulas that can be quickly blended to fit all of your strategies. Our clients sell in the professional market, high end department stores, beauty specialty stores, infomercials, on-line, etc. We can quickly help you switch gears if you want to try your hand at different distribution channels.

Injectable Procedures Up in 2009 (from Skin Inc.; posted 02.01.10)

Facial “injectable procedures appear to have experienced a boost during the 4^th quarter of 2009.”

(*) Do you have a product that is marketed as a complement to a facial injection procedure? If not, consider adding a new skincare product into your line up or simply ask CoValence to help you enhance any of your current products. A post-injection skincare product is a perfect opportunity to increase sales since injection procedures are increasing and individuals want to improve upon the injection results – thus getting more mileage out of the procedure.

2010 CoValence Innovations

As most of you know, CoValence has been manufacturing unique ingredient concept products since 1989.  Including the introduction of the concept of Chirality in skincare manufacturing, in the mid-90’s.  We are very interested in sophisticated, “mechanism of action” ingredients.  So, it is our pleasure to give you a glimpse of some of what we are working on for 2010:

• Mitoprotect^TM 2: CoValence Laboratories developed the Mitoprotect^TM technology with encapsulated ingredients to nourish and stimulate the mitochondrial support enzymes.  Mitoprotect™ 2 will be introduced soon. 
•  Plant Stem Cell (new – not on the market) technology for enhanced function of human stem cells via plant stem cell active components. 
• Enhanced Spin Trap technology  formulated as a superior anti-ROS/DNA protective complex
• Endothelin Antagonists for high efficiency skin lightening in human skin
• Enhanced Sirtuin complexes

Natural Fragrance

Fragrances are typically composed of synthetic chemical isolates, essential oils and other aroma compounds. Some of those chemical isolates used by the fragrance industry were synthesized to cut costs, but were originally inspired by ones found in nature, i.e. Eugenol; which is found in clove, cinnamon and bay essential oils

A natural fragrance uses chemical isolates extracted directly from a natural, botanical source, thus eliminating the presence of synthetically derived chemicals and solvents. The main benefit of using this method is that the finished blend is considered natural. However, an additional benefit is that the perfumer has the ability to create a dramatically more complex and richer blend without the restrictions associated with blending solely with essential oils. 

What’s OLD is now NEW

 
CoValence started selling our Anti-A.G.E. complex back in the 1990’s. The Anti-A.G.E. complex was designed to fight against “Advanced Glycation End-products”. Yet, why is there an article in BlogBeyondBeauty.com titled “Glycation, the new word in the anti-age fight“? Our struggle with the article (new product introduction) is not with the idea of fighting glycation… we simply question the term “new magic word“. Maybe the title should have been, “Don’t forget about Glycation“! 

You may be wondering how CoValence could customize a product for you with an Anti-A.G.E. complex? Simple. An Anti-A.G.E. complex typically slips into most products without changing the texture, scent or color. Contact your Account Executive if you would like to enhance your products with an Anti-A.G.E complex of your own.

The science of today is the technology of tomorrow. In fact no one day is the same as any other in R&D: We may be working with academics from a scientific background or with beauty experts or advancing in our research in the laboratory to formulate modern desirable skin care preparations using the latest techniques and materials. We are always challenging, updating and upgrading our formulas; always striving to create products that deliver stellar performances. CoValence Laboratories helps you listen to your skin and helps you restore and maintain the intrinsic beauty of your skin with our updated skin care technology. Our product pipeline is diverse and changes over time as new molecules progress from discovery to development and ultimately to approval where they become available to customers.

Our Research and Development Group works in areas like new peptide development, utilizing new ayurvedic botanicals and beneficial recombinant proteins in skin care formulations. We are also developing a new line of skin care products for enhanced skin physiological function, for example Mitoprotect^TM. Our newly developed skin care formulation is tested with the advanced technology VISIA® Complexion Analysis and different skin testing probes i.e., Corneometer, Cutometer, Reviscometer, Skin-Thermometer, and TEWAmeter for meaningful skin evaluations and the skin care treatment progress.

To learn more about our new products visit us at the HBA Global Expo in New York City on September 15th, 16th and 17th in booth #2112 or contact your Account Executive.

A New Biotech Cosmetic Formulation 

Mitochondria are a key organelle to the health of skin, producing important proteins necessary to control the cell energy release process. Multiple factors affect the integrity of cell mitochondria, leading to loss of cell function, aging and apoptosis. In skin, this is expressed in the form of wrinkles, loss of tone, etc. Bio-gerontologist Dr. Denham Harman, the “Father of the free radical theory of aging” strongly proposed that mitochondria are the crucial components of cells whose rate of decline dictates the overall rate of aging.

To combat these effects, CoValence Laboratories developed the Mitoprotect^TM technology that contains mitochondria nourishing compounds to deliver anti-aging benefits. In the Mitoprotect^TM formulation the nano-encapsulated chirally active ingredients were used to nourish mitochondria and stimulate the mitochondrial support enzymes. The Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) technology developed by National Institute of Aging (NIA) in the National Institute of Health (NIH) showed that the Mitoprotect^TM antioxidant power is higher than most of the antioxidants in present use. In addition to the free radical scavenging ability, Mitoprotect^TM also proved to increase the crucial human skin stratum corneum enzymes, catalase, superoxide dismutase and tissue GSH. Our recent DNA shearing experiments confirmed the DNA protection ability of the Mitoprotect^TM complex.

• If you would prefer not to create a custom formula using Mitoprotect^TM, CoValence has developed several anti-aging private label formulas enhanced with Mitoprotect^TM that have quickly become some of our most popular formulas. These products are: Peptide Face Serum (VLT0.4000G), Peptide Face Cream (VLT0.5002G) and Antiox Serum (VLT0.4002G). Please contact an Account Executive if you would like to sample the products listed.
• To learn more about Mitoprotect^TM, read our research paper entitled ‘Mitochondrial Nourishment and Protection for Antiaging Effects’ in June 2009 edition of Cosmetics & Toiletries^® magazine.
• CoValence was a finalist for Cosmetics & Toiletries^® magazine’s Best New Technology award for the creation of Mitoprotect^TM technology.

Lyotropic Liquid Crystals

We learned in grade school that matter exists in three phases; solid, liquid and gas. We learned that as you add energy to matter, normally in the form of heat, things go from solid to liquid to gas, respectively. Exactly when and by whom liquid crystals were discovered is debatable. One historian claims that in 1888 Friedrich Reinitzer discovered liquid crystals. Reinitzer made an observation about cholesterol; “…this substance seemed to have two melting points. At 145.5°C the solid crystal melted into a cloudy liquid which existed until 178.5°C where the cloudiness suddenly disappeared, giving way to a clear transparent liquid.”

What was discovered is that this liquid still had an ordered state at the first (lower) melting point. The second (higher) melting point was where the substance lost the ordered state of liquid crystals and became a randomly disorganized flowing material, i.e., the conventional definition of a liquid. This concept of liquid crystals when applied to creams and lotions gives rise to unique esthetics as far as spreading, skin feel, etc.

“The molecules that make up lyotropic liquid crystals are surfactants consisting of two distinct parts: a polar, often ionic, head and a non-polar, often hydrocarbon tail.” These materials combine in numerous ways and arrangements that is dependent upon temperature and concentration. The various structures and properties that accompany each can be found here.

Olivem Liquid Crystal

Olivem^® 1000 has an INCI designation of Cetearyl Olivate (and) Sorbitan Olivate. It forms liquid crystals by placing its polar head into the aqueous phase and its non-polar tail into the lipidic phase. The result, when the concentration and temperature allow, is a unique stable three-dimensional bilayer/multilayer formation. The resulting cream or lotion has aesthesis that are not possible without liquid crystal technology. The products have a light texture without whitening, have a high skin absorption rate with high hydration properties and make for very stable emulsions.

This three-dimensional structure is very reminiscent of human skin. This bilayer/multilayer combination of Olive Oil and water is similar to our skin’s sebum and water matrix. This is a PEG-free, ethoxylate-free, natural emulsifier derived from Olive Oil. This soap-free product has great spreading properties and is a great skin moisturizer.

CoValence Formulates with Olivem^® 1000

CoValence frequently develops elegant face creams and lotions with our paraben-free Olivem Base (comprised of Olivem^® 1000) thanks in part to its green and scientific technologies. Please request the Olivem Base from your Account Executive the next time you develop a moisturizer with anti-age properties – you will not be disappointed.

Olay® Pro-X Wrinkle Smoothing Cream: Pro or Pro-Mimic?

By now almost everyone has seen the massive marketing campaign from Olay^® Professional for their Pro-X product line. They claim that after 8 weeks of use their products are “as effective as the leading prescription brand regimen at reducing the look of fine lines and wrinkles.” Olay^® nods to our economic woes and suggests that you can cancel your appointment with the med-spa or pricey dermatologist and remarkably still get the same professional results with the economic friendly Pro-X regimen.

Can their claims be true? Let’s take a look at the Olay^® Pro-X Wrinkle Smoothing Cream ingredient list to see what makes up this product…

Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Niacinamide, Isohexadecane, Isopropyl Isostearate, Dimethiconol, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Palmitoyl Dipeptide-7, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Elastin, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Stearyl Alcohol, Polyacrylamide, Peg-100 Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Cetyl Alcohol, Benzyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Sucrose Polycottonseedate, Laureth-7, Stearic Acid, Peg-4 Dilaurate, Peg-4 Laurate, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Peg-4, Decyl Glucoside, Titanium Dioxide, Tin Oxide, Lactic Acid, Citric Acid, Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Disodium Edta, Ammonium Polyacrylate, Mica.

Olay^® highlights the Niacinamide because it “strengthens the stratum corneum by increasing surface skin renewal and improving the moisture barrier to help reverse the appearance of past skin damage.” We agree with Olay^®’s use of Niacinamide. To the public it may seem like a new ingredient, however, CoValence has used Niacinamide for years.

Palmitoyl Dipeptide 7, is a peptide exclusive to Olay® for collagen production/skin soundness. We have seen in our formulas that SYN^®-COLL (Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5) and SYN^®-TACKS (Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5, Palmitoyl Dipeptide-6) are better choices to boost collagen synthesis, reduce wrinkles and improve skin firmness.

Palmitoyl Pentapeptide 4, the peptide formerly known as Matrixyl^®, stimulates the synthesis of collagen, elastin and glucosaminoglycans.  Sederma sold Matrixyl^®’s rights to Proctor & Gamble and turned around and made an improved Matrixyl^® 3000 for the rest of us. Matrixyl^® 3000 beat Matrixyl^® hands down in a clinical show-down for anti-wrinkle and lifting activity, as well as, improved tone and elasticity. We are okay with that.

Pro-X is full of PEGs, Parabens and Silicones which would be fine if you weren’t expected to put it on your face. The third ingredient (after water) is Dimethicone which is used in most make-up primers to fill in lines, wrinkles and prep for a flawless makeup finish, but it does little if anything to prevent and reduce wrinkles.

Parabens are used extensively with this line because the product would grow some really nasty bacteria and mold before it ever reached the consumer. We are not against the use of preservatives in products, to keep the variety of germs at bay. In fact we strive to use the most current and ‘friendly’ preservatives on the market.

Olay^®’s Money Back Guarantee sweetens their deal with an unconditional return policy if you remember after 2 months to keep the receipt, cut out the UPC code on the packaging, keep your empties and ship them. In reality the Money Back Guarantee doesn’t seem too special since most companies would stand by their products enough to return money to an unhappy consumer.

In conclusion, the Pro-X Wrinkle Smoothing Cream has been proven not to be a true professional product, but merely a Pro-Mimic. The fact is nothing replaces a trip to a professional for skin care advice and genuine professional products. After all, your skin is the largest organ you have and it should not be trusted to just anyone, including those with large visible marketing campaigns.

HBA Global Enpo in NYC

CoValence is getting ready for the upcoming HBA Global Expo in New York City on September 15th, 16th and 17th. We will be located in the Private Label & Contract Manufacturing Pavilion, booth #2112. Registration is still open. Be sure to get your tickets and stop by our booth. See you there!

CoValence would like to congratulate our biochemist, KG Sabarinathan, PhD, on his article being published in the June 2009 edition of Cosmetics & Toiletries!

As you will read in the article, one of CoValence’s goals is to continue to develop new ingredient technologies that will have a positive effect on the skincare industry, in addition to developing skincare products that surpass what one can currently get from other private label and custom contract manufacturers.

Please contact us today and we will have one of our Account Executives help you create product(s) that will fit perfectly within your current product offerings.

New Vault Bases

CoValence is very pleased to introduce two new outstanding base formulas that target mature, aged skin.

Mature Cream Base (VLT0.5050) targets thin and fragile skin experienced by women who are 60+. Our base combines two key ingredients,  Essenskin™ which fortifies and restructures the thin and fragile skin. The skin regains its density, firmness, elasticity and smoothness and Supersterol which conditions the skin, repairs and moisturizes.

Chest and Neck Cream Base (VLT0.5052) was formulated to instantly tighten and firm the skin while also reducing the signs of aging that frequently occur on the neck and chest areas. Our most neglected areas. We’ve combined Volufiline which promotes body volume by a cosmetic lipofilling-like effect. Stimulates adipocyte differentiation and proliferation, and promotes lipid storage leading to anincrease of adipocyte volume in the fatty tissue and Dynalift. This gives immediate tightening and  tensing effect.

These base formulas have quickly become crowd favorites, but you can enhance them further by adding in one or two key ingredients that support the product’s goal as well as your company’s philosophy. Not sure which ingredients to add? No problem. Our skilled Account Executives will help you find the perfect target ingredients.

Contact an Account Executive to set up an account (if necessary) as well as to receive the White Papers and to receive samples of the bases (limited supply).

Skin Care Manufacturing in 2009

Over the past 3-4 years, there has been a rapid convergence of several factors that have substantially implicated the raw ingredient industry and therefore the very nature of the skin care industry itself. Manufacturers and brands have, in turn, been affected.

These factors have imposed change and some fragmentation amidst the ingredient industry leading to more competition, mergers and buy-outs. As a consequence, CoValence has had no choice but to absorb and manage this evolution of the vendors’ decisions and practices. While some changes have proven beneficial, others have presented complex navigational issues that have markedly impacted aspects of our manufacturing, as well as skin care as a whole. The following information it to briefly illustrate these key factors:

INGREDIENT VENDORS & MASS MARKET vs. PRO BRANDS

Up until a few years ago, ingredient vendors promoted novel therapeutic ingredients, such as peptides, primarily to professional brands. Since mass market brands weren’t capitalizing on professional ingredients, ingredient pricing and minimums were favorable to the smaller-scale professional manufacturer. But over the few years, mass market brands (think Oil of Olay) have shifted to mimicking professional brands, and thus have put a greater demand on professional ingredient supplies. While one would think this evolvement would lower ingredient pricing, the result has been the opposite – many ingredients have reached a premium, with pricing and minimums skewed to favor the consumption of mass manufacturers. As we have built good supplier relationships, we are still able to help our clients be competitive in the professional arena. However, ingredient costs and minimums will continue to have pressure from factors separate from the economy, including the following discussion points.

INGREDIENT VENDORS vs. GREEN MOVEMENT & NATURAL/ORGANIC MANUFACTURING

The demand for natural and organic ingredients has escalated exponentially over the past few years, as have the Certification groups vying to have their stamp on natural/organic products— NOP, Ecocert and numerous others. This has put an immense strain on availability – natural and organic ingredients have a finite supply and are reliant on consistent sustainability. Additionally, mass market brands are going the green route, adding stress to the supply. As a result, these ingredients have volatile pricing – costs rollercoaster between harvests, seasons and manufacturing needs. There is immense pressure on ingredient vendors to keep up with demands and to create or source new innovative ingredients. Manufacturers, in turn, must do their best to adapt to the fluctuations in the natural and organic ingredient market – as fallout from the recent trends, keeping costs and supplies level and predictable for our clients has become exceedingly difficult.

RAW INGREDIENT VENDORS vs GLOBAL REGULATIONS

Recent global regulations (such as the EU) have put an enormous strain on ingredient production and availability. Due to the required transparency of raw ingredient formulas in export documentation, ingredient vendors have been forced to disclose proprietary details. Some ingredients have been denied export – as a result, ingredient vendors have in some instances chosen to discontinue ingredients. Some ingredient vendors have denied us paperwork, forcing us to discontinue that ingredient. Either way, CoValence has lost access to a variety of ingredients the last couple years in particular.

Ingredient costs have also been affected by global regulations. Ingredient vendors have had to reformulate some ingredients in order to get them approved for export, as well as supply far larger amounts of paperwork than in the past. These costs are passed to manufacturers. Another factor to keep in mind for the near future, is the potential impact of REACH on ingredient vendors. REACH is a new EU regulation on chemicals and their safe use. If all goes according to plan, this has the potential to reshape the structure of raw material suppliers due to the enormous registration costs involved. There could be some additional shake-out of suppliers from this initiative. Our current ingredient vendor screening process helps us have reasonable control of supply, compliance issues, costs, etc. We’ll inform our clients as quickly as possible of any changes that impact them.

IN SUMMATION

We’ve worked to adapt to all of these factors in a relatively short period of time. We’ve had vendor surprises and bleeps along the way. We’ve managed these as efficiently as possible and re-processed as necessary We’ve added new ingredients (organics), new formulating capabilities, new department (global regs and certifications), new cost analysis systems– to address these broad skin care industry changes. Our core competency has always been developing and manufacturing products that are both cosmeceutical and natural. We’ve further enhanced these capabilities to ensure our clients can succeed, in an industry that is not only increasingly competitive, but structurally evolving in ways that are game-changing.

“Founded in the late 1980s as a scientific-based professional skin care manufacturing company, CoValence has grown to become an ingredient technology leader under the guidance of founder and CEO Linda Walker. The success of this evolution was fostered, in part, by two underlying initiatives: Understand and adopt the philosophy of the client, and constant focus on forward-thinking strategies.

“The success of CoValence and our clients does not lie with just me. It is a collaborative effort with every one of our employees,” she says. “We have had brilliant ideas from individuals in every department. If the idea will help our clients, we will implement it. We will continue to put our clients first and, ultimately, give them a competitive edge—which everyone rightfully deserves.”

She understands that a client’s competitive edge is forged in partnership and by assuming the onus of developing products that suit the philosophy of the client. For example, it means understanding whether clients are science-driven or have a natural focus, and then guiding them to choices that best suit their individual philosophies.

“It is up to us, the manufacturer, to diligently research ingredient and marketing trends in order to understand the concept of a product so our clients can concentrate on their strengths,” she says. “In an effort to give our clients a big competitive edge, we have added our own proprietary ingredient development initiative. We understand that, as a personal care contract and private label manufacturer, the path toward success is to continue with our new technology research and implementation, as well as perfect all of our services that set us apart from other manufacturers.”(Note: In 2008, the company was a finalist for Cosmetics & Toiletries magazine’s Best New Technology award for the creation of Mitoprotect.)”

Read the whole article here or pick up the January issue of GCI Magazine.