What are Lab Grown Ingredients?

23 March 2023 /
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We believe the next thing in sustainable beauty is creating sustainable technology for creating and manufacturing ingredients in the lab. 

One of the first things we turned our attention to was the harvesting of seaweed, our star ingredient. We harvest everything by hand off of the sandy beaches in Margate. 

Lab-grown ingredients in skincare refer to bio-identical substances created in a laboratory rather than being extracted from natural sources. This means the use of lab-grown ingredients in skincare can be more sustainable for several reasons:

Reduced dependence on natural resources: 
Extracting ingredients from natural sources can damage the environment and contribute to the depletion of natural resources. The amount of land and water required for cultivating and harvesting ingredients is staggering; creating things in lab conditions or vertical farms can massively reduce this impact.
 Reduced carbon footprint: 
Lab-grown ingredients can be produced with fewer resources and less energy than extracting ingredients from natural sources. This impacts harvesting, transportation and manufacturing.
 Consistency and purity: 
Lab-grown ingredients are created in a controlled environment, which can result in greater consistency and purity than natural ingredients, which can vary based on growing conditions and other factors.

 

Here are some examples of lab-grown ingredients in skincare:
Hyaluronic Acid: 
This is a popular ingredient in skincare products due to its ability to hydrate and plump the skin. Hyaluronic acid can be synthesized in a laboratory, making it a more sustainable alternative to extracting it from animal sources.
Peptides: 
Peptides are chains of amino acids that can help stimulate collagen production in the skin, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Peptides can be synthesized in a laboratory, making them a more sustainable alternative to animal-derived peptides.
Retinoids: 
Retinoids are vitamin A derivatives that can help improve the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and acne. Synthetic retinoids can be created in a laboratory, making them a more sustainable alternative to retinoids derived from animal sources.
Squalane: 
Squalane is a popular moisturizing ingredient in skincare products. While squalane is traditionally sourced from shark liver oil, it can also be synthesized in a laboratory from plant sources like sugar cane or olives, making it a more sustainable option.
Overall, lab-grown ingredients in skincare offer a more sustainable alternative to traditional, natural ingredients, and they can help reduce the skincare industry’s environmental impact.

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