Rootness Awake is the latest from the partnership between Clariant and Plant Advanced Technologies PAT, a French start-up well known for their exclusive technology that allows to cultivate plants in aeroponic and optimized conditions in order to boost the production of large quantities of highly interesting compounds.
Sustainably-grown sweet potato roots
Rootness Awake is an enriched extract of inflammation-fighting compounds obtained from sustainably-grown Ipomoea batatas (sweet potato) roots.
Based on PAT’s patented technology, the soil-free cultivated roots were submitted to gentle exudation. The living roots are thus delivering phytochemical profiles in high concentrations.
In that case, the target compounds were Dicaffeoylquinate esters (DCQE), a range of molecules that are very difficult to source through other processes and already known for their remarkable antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Eye contour area
Rootness Awake offers efficacy in reducing discoloration and ensuring firmness, promoting a revitalized more youthful eye contour. Indeed, the new active ingredient focuses on several physiological aspects: decreasing the release of inflammatory mediators, helping reduce the microvascular network, and ensuring skin thickness, integrity and firmness are strengthened. All of these combine to reduce under-eye pigmentation and edema (fluid build-up).
The extract’s activity is demonstrated in in vitro, ex vivo and also clinical evaluations. According to Clariant, in tests over 28 days on women aged 18-35 years showing constant signs of fatigue, Rootness Awake is shown to improve and smooth out dark circles, reduce puffiness, and strengthen eye contour stiffness. The overall result is a lightened, more “awake” eye contour.
The eye contour area is one of the first places where signs of fatigue and aging appear. The skin here is exceptionally thin which means the bluish-red hue of the vascular network is easy to see. Low contents of collagen and elastic fibers also make the area more sensitive to shadowing due to skin laxity and sagging. Inflammation in cells caused by pollution and UV radiation, stress, chronic lack of sleep, and an unhealthy lifestyle is known to exacerbate disruption to this area and the visible effects.
“Dark circles and puffiness accentuate a tired appearance and are common beauty concerns regardless of gender and age,” comments Julie Droux, Senior Technical Marketing Specialist, Clariant Natural Ingredients. “Plant Milking Technology has enabled us to use an eco-friendly process to discover active molecules with potent properties in sweet potato roots, and to create an enriched extract with high efficacy in tackling many of the biological pathways responsible for alteration of the eye contour. Rootness Awake gives formulators new, unique opportunities to develop effective targeted care and eye contour products that contribute to progressing sustainability in skincare.”
The new active ingredient adds up to Clariant’s Premium range, which already includes Prenylium and Rootness Energize, which were launched in 2020.
