Stable and sustainable: Lubrizol hopes microalgae-derived oil can tap into rising Asia trends

AlgaPūr High Stability High Oleic (HSHO) Algae Oil is the result of a global collaboration between Lubrizol and Netherlands-based company Corbion.

Ye Chen, senior application engineer, skin essentials, APAC, Lubrizol, told CosmeticsDesign-Asia​ that she believes AlgaPūr HSHO Algae Oil is one of the company’s most important ingredients in terms of what it has achieved in terms of sustainability.

“Today, it’s very important to have a sustainable profile. When we talk about sustainability, its not just about the natural content of the ingredient. It’s also important to talk about a sustainable and traceable supply chain,” ​said Chen.

AlgaPūr HSHO Algae Oil is created in a controlled manufacturing process where the algae convert sugars into triglyceride oils.

This fermentation takes place in the company’s facility in Brazil, far away from the fragile ecosystem of the Amazonian rainforest to ensure minimal environmental impact.

The process utilises sugar from sugarcane, one of the highest yielding crops, to feed the algae to produce the oils.

As sugarcane is a water-intensive crop, the company uses treated wastewater to grow the sugarcane plants. The waste from the sugarcane is then used to power the facility.

As such, said Chen, this ensures the company maintains a low-carbon footprint.

AlgaPūr HSHO Algae Oil can be used in a variety of personal care products such as shampoo, sun care and bath oils.

Chen believes AlgaPūr HSHO Algae Oil fits in with current consumer trends in APAC. “When consumers see oil-based product, they perceive that it is caring on the skin and they assume the valuable part comes from the oil.”​

High stability, high oleic properties

AlgaPūr HSHO Algae Oil has two main characteristics: its high stability and high oleic acid concentration.

“In terms of stability, it's really very impressive. AlgaPūr HSHO Algae Oil can sustain stability with no colour change and no odour for around 37 hours with a temperature of 120. If we test its stability at room temperature, around 25 degrees Celsius, it can remain stable for almost up to five years,” ​said Chen.

In comparison, olive oil can only remain stable at room temperature for only six months.

“Most of the time, emollients can get rancid especially in high concentrations. With AlgaPūr HSHO Algae Oil, there are no stability concerns. This eases the job of formulators a lot when they try to incorporate this kind of emollient into a formulation,” ​explained Chen.

Another characteristic of AlgaPūr HSHO Algae Oil is that it contains more than 90% of beneficial Omega-9 oleic acid.

“This is very beneficial for our skin. In fact, AlgaPūr HSHO Algae Oil performs very well as a skin moisturiser thanks to the Omega-9 fatty acids,”​ said Chen.

Additionally, a study was done on the ingredient’s effect on hair. The firm found that the high oleic content can strengthen hair and prevent breakage.

Chen said the firm will continue to study AlgaPūr HSHO Algae Oil and the benefits it can bring out from its high oleic acid content.