German chemicals company Wacker has launched its ‘nature-identical’ hydroxytyrosol into the Brazilian and South American markets.
The secondary plant metabolite and antioxidant, marketed under the name HTEssence, is said to target free radicals, protecting skin and hair from UV radiation-induced damage. HTEssence is recommended for use in skin and hair care products such as hair masks, leave-in conditioners and anti-ageing creams.
Hydroxytyrosol is said to be able to prevent wrinkle formation and skin ageing as well as influence melanin production, making dark patches lighter. It has an oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) value of 45,000 µmolTE1/g, which is 30 times higher than Vitamin C, for example.
In nature, hydroxytyrosol is found in olives and olive leaves but extraction is a challenging process and costly. HTEssence, however, is not produced in this way but is created via a process that allows for the compound to be fully synthesized. Wacker says that HTEssence features "markedly higher purity with a defined amount of active ingredient".
