Eco-innovation: A plant-based alternative to retinol?

Eco-innovation: A plant-based alternative to retinol?
Published on 01/12/2024

Have you heard of SORNET EXTRACT or BIDENS PILOSA EXTRACT: A plant-based alternative to retinol?

- Retinol:

Today, retinol is recognized as one of the most effective cosmetic active ingredients. A precursor of retinoic acid once applied to the skin, its benefits are numerous: stimulation of collagen and elastin production, antioxidant, pigment spot reduction and keratolytic action.

Synthetic in origin and regulated at a maximum concentration of 0.3% in a non-rinse-off product, this photo-sensitizing active ingredient remains a potentially irritating substance that is difficult to formulate.

- the best-known alternatives :

More stable, better-tolerated alternatives of natural origin with equivalent activity to retinol are now used by cosmetics brands, such as bakuchiol, Cacay oil, and certain vitamin A-rich vegetable oils such as Rosehip or Carrot.

- SORNET extract, a new plant-based alternative?

So I was particularly interested when I discovered the new Behold Brightening Balm from the American brand GLORYSCENT, a balm claiming to use a plant extract of SORNET (a plant native to South America, INCI: Bidens Pilosa extract) and presented as a plant-based alternative to retinol with no side effects.

Chemyunion's Cosmos Revinage® liposoluble active ingredient is a supercritical CO2 plant extract of Bidens Pilosa, whose action is similar to that of synthetic retinoids, backed up by a comprehensive efficacy dossier (in silico, in vitro & in vivo).

Many other products in the COSMETIKWATCH® database also use this "Bio retinol":
Type "BIDENS PILOSA EXTRACT" in the "Include this ingredient" field to discover them.