BERGEN, Norway—A recent study comparing Aquabeautine XL™—from Aqua Bio Technology (ABT), a Norwegian marine biotechnology company—to leading ingredients such as AHAs and fruit enzymes further substantiated its ability to gently exfoliating and rejuvenate skin.
Ingredients typically used in the cosmetic industry for exfoliating and the subsequent rebuilding or restoring of skin to a more functional and youthful appearance are often based on harsh, unspecific exfoliation (such as chemical hydroxy acids such as AHAs and BHAs, or fruit enzymes). For these types of ingredients, destruction of the skin takes place, resulting in a wound healing response that stimulates regeneration of the skin. The skin is often left inflamed and irritated for a number of days following this type of treatment.
In contrast, the University of Bergen, Norway, study showed the more targeted and gentle micro‐exfoliation action of ABT’s Aquabeautine XL resulted in a smoother, healthier skin surface without the harmful side effects associated with the harsher alternatives. Aquabeautine XL was shown only to affect the junctions between dead skin cells, leaving the healthy skin cells intact.
Reconstructed Human Epidermis samples were exposed to an AHA (glycolic acid), a fruit enzyme (Bromelain) and Aquabeautine XL under relevant cosmetic conditions. The microscopic action on the skin surface was documented over time using several methods, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The main findings of the study were:
Aquabeautine XL specifically targeted the scaffolding between the dead skin cells, allowing a very gentle exfoliation of the skin surface without doing damage to the live skin cells. The AHA destroyed the skin surface—action likely to cause considerable irritation and damage to the skin—while the fruit enzyme digested the dead skin cells. After an initial micro‐exfoliation action, Aquabeautine XL rendered the skin surface rejuvenated and smoother than the untreated control. The opposite effect was observed for the AHA and the fruit enzyme, showing significant damage to the skin cells.
“These results exceeded our expectations", said Fanny Coste, sales & marketing director and head of product development for ABT. “The University of Bergen study provides additional proof and documentation of the superior effects of Aquabeautine XL for stimulating skin rejuvenation through its unique, gentle micro-exfoliation action."