Sugar high: Greentech targeting APAC eye care market with anti-glycation active

Mathieu Rambaud, manager for North Asia, told CosmeticsDesign-Asia​ that it was crucial to push the ingredient in the South Korean market as it is one of the most influential cosmetic markets regionally.

“Korea is a leading market for cosmetics, and I think the level of Korean cosmetics is getting higher and higher while the customers are requesting better and better products. Overall, it’s a very good ecosystem. The rest of the Asian countries follow Korea, so as an ingredient manufacturer, it’s very important to be strong in Korea.”​

The firm was present at industry event in-cosmetics Korea in July, where Myralys bagged the Innovation Zone Best Ingredient Award in the active ingredient category.

The ingredients maker has observed a gap in the market for anti-ageing eye care products that not only act fast but can target the ageing effects of glycation around the delicate eye area.

“The bad effect of glycation is mainly that the glucose will bind with the protein, and then it will not only damage the protein, but it will also lead to inflammation, free radical and cell damage –including the cell of the capillaries,” ​explained Rambaud.

“And around the eye contour, you have all these issues like blood stasis, blood leakage that can lead to dark circles and eye bags. Also with glycation, it can also lead to damage of collagen, elastin, and fibroblasts.”​

Notably, this can lead to the development of eye hollows – a result of a lack of volume in the tear trough that can exacerbate the appearance of dark cycles.

“You can only treat it with an injection of hyaluronic acid, because the problem with glycation is that it is irreversible,” ​said Rambaud.

He added that this is especially relevant for the Asian markets diets in many cultures are high in sugar. “One way to treat the eye contour is to limit sugar. The more sugar you eat, the more glycation. But in Asia, for example, in Taiwan I always see people drinking bubble tea which is so full of sugar.”​

To treat the stubborn effects of glycation, the ingredient acts on an enzyme that can “convert the intermediary products of glycation. And so, it can reduce the overall negative effects of glycation,” ​said Rambaud.

Furthermore, he predicted that the emphasis on eye care will persist in APAC as the consumers from this market in general have been seen to continue wearing protective face masks post-COVID-19.

According to the firm, one of the biggest advantages of the ingredient is that it works in as quickly as 14 days.

It was clinically tested on volunteers with aged upper and lower eye contours, and Myralys was able to help lift up droopy upper eyelids and reduce dark circles, eye bags and tear trough severity within that time.

The ingredient is derived from organic wild yellow gentian roots that are sustainably and locally harvested in a region in France where the company originated. According to Rambaud, the firm needs only harvest the roots once every 20 years.