Gattefossé has unveiled Silkaress, a novel climate-adaptive skin care bioactive inspired by the interplay between silkworm and white mulberry leaves.
Silkaress mirrors the protective function of silk and responds to the current challenges of adapting to unpredictable changes in the environment.
In sericulture, silkworms feed exclusively on white mulberry (Morus alba) leaves, whose richness in key nutrients gives silk its softness and protective properties.
Inspired by this natural bioconversion, Gattefossé sought to replicate this phyto-structural sophistication, combining white mulberry leaves into a structured supramolecular extractive system known as NaDES.
Combining phosphoproteomic approaches with bioinformatic analysis, proteomics, and tissue engineering, Gattefossé unveils that Silkaress is able to significantly modulate protein phosphorylation in keratinocytes, the key mechanism behind cellular adaptation.
By activating critical signaling pathways for epidermal cohesion and vitality, Silkaress promotes skin resilience, supporting its ability to withstand shifting climatic conditions and preserve the integrity of the skin barrier.
In clinical studies on Caucasian volunteers with dry and sensitive skin, Silkaress was shown to restructure the micro-relief and homogenize hydration.
This translates into a silk-like protective effect and a deep feeling of comfort and wellbeing.
“Living systems have developed remarkable strategies to adapt, protect themselves, and survive in constrained environments. Thanks an exploratory work combined with our strong expertise in phytochemistry, bioprocessing, and skin biology, we developed a bioinspired phytocomplex that demonstrates exceptional adaptive capabilities,” said Lucie Couturier, Gattefossé head of R&D, active ingredients.
“Leveraging AI, specifically bioinformatics, allowed us to further characterize the ingredient’s activation pathways in skin cells, with a particular focus on the post-translational phosphorylation process,” she added.
In search of premium white mulberry leaves, Gattefossé journeyed to the biodiversity reserve of the Cévennes National Park in southern France, the historic cradle of French sericulture.
Here, the company partner, Sericyne, is devoted to revitalizing a historically emblematic regional industry with special attention to traceability, ethics, and durability.
Silkaress is an organic-certified signature ingredient uniting performance, naturality, and a deep connection to French savoir-faire, crafted to meet cosmetic brands’ expectations for uniqueness and sustainability.
Gattefossé product marketing leader, active ingredients Laurie Canel says the market is shifting toward climate-adaptive beauty products that focus on skin resilience rather than simple protection.
“The unpredictability of stressors require the development of responsive formulas that adjust to individual lifestyles.
“Over the past years, our research team has delved into this new chapter with one question in mind: how can we help skin not just survive, but thrive in an era of environmental volatility?”
Silkaress will be introduced at Gattefossé booth 3G80, at in-cosmetics Global in Paris, France on 14-16 April.
