Research and manufacturing company Probiotical has appointed Stauber Performance Ingredients as the North American distributor of SkinBac. Stauber now offers this innovative skin postbiotic for inclusion in cosmetic and personal care formulations.
SkinBac is a family of multi-strain, skin-targeting postbiotics that uniquely retains a cell membrane structure. Postbiotics have been defined by the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) as the “preparation of inanimate microorganisms and/or their components that confers a health benefit on the host”, and that such a benefit(s), in humans, is demonstrated in clinical studies.
“Inanimate” in this context means non-living/non-viable, and not able to reproduce or grow in any conditions (unlike viable microorganisms, such as those found in probiotics).
[SkinBac] adds a distinctive and innovative element to our portfolio, and complement our non-biotic skin care ingredients portfolio
- Monica Mitchell, Stauber VP of Strategic Brand Sales and Marketing
Many cosmetic products use lysates of microbes, which are produced through chemical, mechanical, or enzymatic rupture, or lysing, of the cell membranes. Tyndallisation, a heat-dependent microbial inactivation method, is also common. However, these processes render the microbial ingredient virtually impossible to quantify beyond weight, either before (as an ingredient) or after formulation (within a finished product).
SkinBac advantage
SkinBac ushers in a novel and systematic approach to postbiotic innovation. Using a gentle and proprietary inactivation method, the cell structure is retained, allowing for quantitation. With state-of-the-art flow cytometry measurements, a manufacturer can determine the exact amount of unlysed SkinBac present in a finished product and over the shelf life of the product. Flow cytometry, which can count non-viable postbiotic cells, but not cell fragments (as in lysates), is a robustly validated and rapid method for determining the number of viable, injured, and non-viable cells.
Evidence-based safety and efficacy
The selection of microbial strains incorporated in SkinBac compositions emerged from an incremental series of research investigations performed at Probiotical, comparing a variety of bacteria. Studies (in vitro) ranged from competitive inhibition of skin pathogens, antioxidant activity, UV photoprotection, and hydration/water transport proteins, to barrier integrity, and safety.
Clinical studies (female and male adult subjects) explored the protective effects of SkinBac Care (a three-strain postbiotic consortium) upon skin barrier function and integrity after application of a strong surfactant (sodium lauryl sulfate AKA “SLS”). SkinBac Beauty (a two-strain consortium) was also assessed for its efficacy in relation to objective measures of skin hydration, elasticity, extensibility, and smoothness. No adverse reactions were noted in any of the studies.
“We strive to apply a systematic approach to strain selection, through a battery of in vitro and in vivo studies, without relying upon any animal studies. Our unique drying process preserves the unlysed cell in its final form, which we can quantify with precision,” offered Marco Pane, Chief Scientific Officer at Probiotical and a member of the United States Pharmacopeia Probiotics Expert Panel. “We also exclude any animal-derived ingredients from all stages of production, from culture media to drying/processing aids.”
“Protected” from preservatives
The growth velocity of probiotic ingredients continues to carry the challenge of transport, manufacturing, and shelf stability. However, very few personal care/cosmetic products have demonstrated viable, probiotic organisms in a shelf-stable form. Additionally, both regulatory agencies across the world require that such products have a very low total microbial count, which mandates the use of antimicrobial preservative systems. The elegance of SkinBac removes concern for maintaining a “live” state of microbes, and “protection” from the microbicidal effects of cosmetic preservatives.
Stauber alliance
SkinBac ingredients are now available from Stauber Performance Ingredients. “We have worked closely with Probiotical to assess the utility and efficacy of SkinBac Beauty ingredients. They add a distinctive and innovative element to our portfolio, and complement our non-biotic skin care ingredients portfolio,” said Monica Mitchell, Stauber VP of Strategic Brand Sales and Marketing. “We believe the unique ability to be able to quantify the amount of SkinBac Beauty strains added to, and present within, a product over shelf life will impart a new level of confidence to our customers.”
