Silab introduces Metallomia for menopausal skin care
It is designed to regulate iron release in menopausal skin, helping to reduce oxidative stress and combat metallo-ageing.
FRANCE – Silab has introduced Metallomia, a detoxifying natural active ingredient derived from marshmallow root.
During menopause, iron levels in the body can rise significantly. This can trigger oxidative stress and contribute to skin ageing through cellular damage.
This process, known as metallo-ageing, is further intensified by UV exposure. Ultraviolet radiation can break down iron/ferritin complexes, causing a large, uncontrolled release of iron and heightened oxidative stress.
To counter the harmful effects of excess iron in menopausal skin, Silab developed Metallomia. The active ingredient reactivates ferritinophagy, a process that helps regulate iron availability and restore key epidermal functions.
By reducing iron/ferritin complexes, Metallomia also helps limit oxidative stress when the skin is exposed to UV radiation. Through this targeted mechanism, the company says the ingredient significantly reduces metallo-ageing.
After 14 days of use, the skin of Caucasian volunteers was reported to be revitalized. The skin barrier was reinforced, while the complexion appeared more even and radiant.
In Asian volunteers, pigment spots were significantly reduced after 28 days of use.
When applied before UV exposure by Caucasian volunteers, Metallomia helped prevent lipid peroxidation. Within hours after UV exposure, the appearance of redness was also limited.
For the development of Metallomia, Silab focused on the molecular composition of marshmallow roots, which are particularly rich in mucilages. The company established a traceable supply chain with French partners.
The raw material supply was validated against the criteria set out in the European Pharmacopoeia and authenticated using DNA barcoding.
To make full use of the mucilage-rich marshmallow roots, Silab developed a specific enzyme-engineering process to extract polyuronides.
Metallomia is a patented active ingredient recommended for use in all skincare products targeting menopausal skin at a dosage of 0.5% to 2%.
It is supplied as an aqueous solution, making it easy to formulate. The ingredient complies with biodiversity regulations, has a 100% natural origin content according to ISO 16128, and meets international cosmetics regulations in regions including Europe, the United States, China, and Japan.
This follows Silab’s recent release of new clinical evidence supporting the use of CICACTYL as a post-laser skincare ingredient.
The natural active ingredient is designed to speed up and improve the quality of skin healing by targeting four key biological processes involved in the proliferation phase of wound repair.
CICACTYL is a purified natural active ingredient developed to accelerate skin repair and enhance healing.
It acts on four biological events during the proliferation phase: supporting granulation tissue formation, improving the vascular network, stimulating wound re-epithelialization, and reducing inflammation.
The healing performance of CICACTYL was initially demonstrated in a clinical study involving adult Caucasian participants who experienced mechanical skin damage through stripping.
Silab has now expanded this evidence with two additional cohorts of participants treated with fractionated non-ablative or ablative lasers.
Across the three clinical studies, CICACTYL was shown to improve repair kinetics and the quality of damaged skin from the first applications. It also helped reduce erythema, dryness, and scab formation.
Fractionated non-ablative laser rejuvenation procedures can cause erythema and weaken the skin barrier. When formulated at 1%, CICACTYL led to a recovery of more than 90% of barrier function within 48 hours, compared with 63% for the placebo.
The ingredient also significantly reduced post-procedure erythema, with this effect observed in 92% of volunteers.
Fractionated ablative laser treatments can cause erythema, skin dehydration, and surface damage in the treated area. Dehydration typically peaks seven days after the procedure, while surface damage peaks around four days after treatment.
On this type of skin lesion, the area treated with CICACTYL showed a favourable improvement in erythema. Within the first 24 hours of application, erythema was three times less severe than in the placebo-treated area.
CICACTYL also supported skin rehydration and improved the quality of skin repair following the laser procedure.
CICACTYL is a natural active ingredient that is 85% purified in galactomannans obtained from carob gum (Ceratonia siliqua). It has a natural origin content of 100% under ISO 16128.
CICACTYL is supplied as a preservative-free powder with a recommended use level of 0.05% to 1%. Its INCI name is Galactomannan & Maltodextrin, and it is free from harmful or potentially allergenic substances.
To secure a sustainable supply of carob gum, Silab has established partnerships with several suppliers in the Mediterranean region.
These suppliers are certified for organic agriculture and provide carob gum with tightly controlled quality.
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