As one of the first forms of life on Earth, algae has been able to survive for millennia by adapting themselves to the surrounding world. At Laboratoires de Biarritz, we use these ancestral qualities to create the ingredients that make our skincare so effective. And we want to tell you about it!
Algal Portraits
• Gelidium sesquipedale
The first to have inspired Laboratoires de Biarritz, this species of red algae is harvested on the Basque Coast. Native to the Northeastern Atlantic, its gel-forming properties have been known for a century, as it rose to fame as a valuable source of agar-agar. Scientists researching its other properties discovered that it also produces secondary metabolites like carotenoids and peptides with formidable antioxidant power. These qualities have made it a sought-after species to produce specific and effective cosmetics ingredients. Our team of scientists has created two of our star extracts out of it, which were patented by Laboratoires de Biarritz: Alga-Gorria® and Alga-Sendatu®.
• Fucus vesiculosus
You might not recognize it by its scientific name, but in person, bladderwrack is unmistakable. You might remember it from when you were a kid, a brown seaweed with little bulbs that were so fun to smush! Once used as cattle fodder or fertilizer, it is now well-recognized for its medicinal properties. Today, we use it for the properties bestowed by its phlorotannins, found in our exclusive ingredient Alga-Paisium.
• Alaria esculenta
A species of brown algae with many names and uses, it is often called Winged Kelp or Atlantic Wakame. It is famous for its culinary and medicinal properties. Measuring up to two meters long, this ocean giant grows on seabeds from Greenland to Norway, with abundant strands along the coasts of northern France. It doesn’t just look good on a dinner plate – it is also beloved by our R&D, thanks to its collagenase and elastase-stopping effects.
• Saccharina latissima
Sugar Kelp, a cousin of Alaria esculenta, is a species as remarkable for its looks as it is for its uses. A edible species also called Royal Kombu, it is also used to make alginates used in foods and pharmaceuticals. The extract discovered by our researchers contains various active molecules that are put to use in our products: laminarin, phenolic compounds, and hydrophilic and film-forming compounds.
Exclusive and Effective Ingredients
• From Gelidium sesquipedale:
– Alga-Gorria®: a patented, powerful antioxidant extract. It is composed of a combination of carotenoids (lutein and zeaxanthin) and mycosporine-like amino acids, which enables it to neutralize a wide variety of free radicals. Free radicals are highly reactive fragments of molecules that can degrade the structures that give your skin its youthful look. Collagen fibers, elastin, and hyaluronic acid are all under threat, making your skin age prematurely. By neutralizing free radicals, Alga-Gorria® protects cells and prevents premature skin aging.
The antioxidant activity of Alga-Gorria® has been proven with in vitro tests measuring the extract’s capacity to inhibit lipidic peroxidation.
– Alga-Sendatu®: a patented ingredient, Alga-Sendatu® enhances the reparation of the superficial layers of the skin and helps restore the skin’s barrier function.
All of our epidermis, in direct contact with the outside environment, must be conserved at all costs. When it is damaged, high-quality care is essential. Alga-Sendatu® stimulates keratinocyte regeneration and maturation, helping the epithelial restructuration of the epidermis for an optimal reparative effect.
• Made from Fucus vesiculosus, Alga-Paisium: an exclusive soothing ingredient that relieves and prevents skin irritation for the most vulnerable among us, our children and infants. Rich in phlorotannins, the extract helps maintain the integrity of the skin thanks to its anti-reddening and anti-irritation effects. A “magic” ingredient for caring for the fragile acid mantle of infant skin, enabling your little loved ones to feel happy and comfortable!
• Alaria esculenta extract: its tonifying properties boost your skin and make it radiant. Thanks to collagenase and elastase blocking effects (which preserves collagen and elastin), it helps your skin stay supple and elastic.
• Saccharina latissima kelp extract: a true skin-softener, it reduces feelings of tightness and reilluminates the skin. Several molecules are at work: laminarin promotes microcirculation and has a decongestant effect; phenolic compounds reduce inflammation; and film-forming, hydrophilic alginates promote hydration and counter drying (in vivo testing).
You might call these algae the soul of Laboratoires de Biarritz’s products, and you can find them in all our skincare to keep your skin looking and feeling great all year long.
