Researchers from the Translation Center for Regenerative Therapies TLC-RT at the Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISC, working in collaboration with B-COS GmbH, have developed a biodegradable face mask designed as a two-component system that stimulates collagen production with the aim of rejuvenating the skin with lasting results. The anti-aging effect is triggered by ortho-silicic acid.
There is a huge range available: cellulose sheets, gel, cream, clay, activated charcoal or peel-off — when it comes to highly concentrated facial masks, there is something for any skin concern. They are advertised as targeting the signs of the skin’s natural aging process. In fact, conventional face masks do moisturize and plump the skin for a short time — but so far, there has been no scientific proof of manufacturers’ anti-aging promises of long-term wrinkle reduction. In the Cosmetic Silica Mask (CoSiMa) project, researchers from Fraunhofer TLC-RT at Fraunhofer ISC teamed up with B-COS GmbH to develop a cosmetic face mask system that stimulates the body’s natural production of collagen, reducing the formation of wrinkles with lasting effects. The project received funding as part of the German government’s Central Innovation Program for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (Zentrales Innovationsprogramm Mittelstand, ZIM) and additional support from the Fraunhofer AHEAD spin-off program. Plans call for the cosmetic product to be launched on the market later this year. The mask, which features the patented Fraunhofer RENACER® technology, will be marketed by a spin-off called CoSiMa GmbH.
The two-component system consists of a mask or pads made of silica gel nonwoven fabric that, when exposed to an activation solution designed specifically for this purpose, dissolve on the surface of the skin, releasing ortho-silicic acid. The fabric underwent ongoing development and refinement for a wide range of different applications over a period of decades. The CoSiMa team — including Dr. Sofia Dembski, Dr. Jörn Probst and Dr. Bastian Christ, all researchers in the Biomaterials team at Fraunhofer TLC-RT — had already been able to demonstrate through in vitro tests that the ortho-silicic acid stimulates collagen production in the skin. The independent dermatological testing institute Dermatest® confirmed in a study commissioned by collaboration partner B-COS GmbH that wrinkle depth was reduced and skin was firmer and had greater moisture content even before the four-week test phase was concluded. “With advancing age, people become increasingly deficient in collagen, which is the main cause of wrinkles forming. This makes it important to strengthen the connective tissue. Our mask is proven to fight the loss of collagen,” Dembski explains.
The mask, which is available in prototype form, comprises a set of five pads, which are placed in the under-eye area, on the forehead and at the corners of the mouth. The pads are moistened with the activation solution that comes with the mask and then left in place for a short time to take effect. After that, the RENACER® fibers can be massaged in and fully absorbed by the skin. One hundred percent of the ingredients penetrate the skin. The activation solution delivers an additional moisture boost combined with an instant feeling of hydration and freshness.
Some of the face masks commonly found on the market today contain ingredients that can potentially cause allergic reactions and synthetic polymers, some of which persist over long periods in the environment and can pollute wastewater unnecessarily, even though they are present in dissolved form, unlike solid microplastic particles. By contrast, the Fraunhofer TLC-RT face mask is completely biodegradable after the activation solution is applied, with proven bioavailability and no ingredients of toxicological concern, and unlike standard commercially available sheet masks, it also does not generate any cellulose waste, which poses challenges for water treatment systems. “Ortho-silicic acid is the natural form of silicon found in plants and other life forms, so our cosmetic product does not contain anything not found in nature. Instead, we use a natural substance that, as a product of the evolutionary process, is involved in certain functions in the human body, such as building connective tissue,” Christ says. “Consumers are increasingly focusing on sustainability in cosmetics and turning to products that do not harm the environment. Our anti-aging face mask satisfies this point a hundred percent,” Probst adds.
Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft