Ectoine

Ectoine

Ectoine is an organic molecule produced by certain extremophilic microorganisms. Extremophiles are organisms that thrive in environments with extreme and hostile conditions, such as extreme temperatures and pressures, salinity, UV radiation, and basic or acidic pH.

They must contend with numerous factors against which they need protection. How do they achieve this? By producing biomolecules called extremolytes, with various mechanisms of action.

Ectoine is one of these extremolytes. This molecule tightly binds to water molecules, forming a "hydration shield" around proteins and membranes, thereby stabilizing and protecting them.

Cosmetic Applications

Due to its mechanism of action, ectoine is an extremely interesting active ingredient in cosmetics. Ectoine has anti-aging properties: a 40% reduction in wrinkle volume is observed after 4 weeks. Ectoine protects against pollution from fine particles. Pollution leads to skin aging. By protecting the skin from pollution, we combat its aging, irritation, and pigmentation. For example, ectoine leads to a 42% reduction in MMP1 expression. This enzyme, involved in collagen degradation (skin aging), can be overexpressed due to pollution exposure. Ectoine also protects against the effects of blue light by absorbing UVA radiation. 

Thus, ectoine offers anti-pollution, anti-UV, moisturizing, and barrier-repairing effects. For all these reasons, ectoine, a patented natural ingredient, is an active principle in the ENERGIZING MOISTURIZER and the BALANCING MATIFYING CREAM.

References

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4187170/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7889333/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0300962996002757?via%3Dihub

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8187048/

https://www.bitop.de/en/products/cosmetic-active-ingredients/ectoin#:~:text=Ectoin%C2%AE%20natural%20utilizes%20a,%2C%20stressed%2C%20and%20irritated%20skin.

https://dermapproved.com/active-ingredients/ectoin

https://knowledge.ulprospector.com/media/2017/05/1704_new_Ectoin_anti-pollution-summary.pdf

Par Julie Mohbat

Master 2 in Life Sciences Engineering, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland

Julie is a Master 2 graduate in Life Sciences Engineering at EPFL, specialising in neuroscience and neuroengineering after a Bachelor degree at the same school. Her skills lie at the interface between engineering, life sciences, biochemistry and cellular and molecular biology with a focus on biotechnological innovations for medicine.