How Camellia Sinensis leaf extract meets the demand for powerful foodie beauty

As predicted by Mintel’s Gastronomia trend report, there has been a recent surge of skin care product launches in the UK and the US that mention ‘food’. These brands mention concepts like ‘wholesome nourishment’ or ‘superfood actives’ that link beautiful skin with a healthy diet. Meanwhile, in the Asian market, the use of food or supplement-grade ingredients is gaining popularity. One such ingredient is Camellia Sinensis leaf extract, which is derived from the humble tea plant.

The young leaves of Camellia Sinensis have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years. According to CTM practitioners, a hot cup of green tea can cool the body, focus the mind, relieve headaches, and aid digestion, amongst other benefits. Green tea is also known to be a powerful antioxidant, hence its rise in the beauty and skin care space.

However, the presence of green tea in an ingredients list isn’t enough. Savvy consumers want to know that an ingredient’s efficacy is scientifically proven, not merely accepted due to tradition. Foodie beauty is a key trend – but it has to work. 

The powerful properties of Camellia Sinensis leaf extract

Green tea is a hot trend from the health food space that’s making waves in skin care. This is because products containing Camellia Sinensis leaf extract feature a remarkable list of claims, including powerful antioxidant, antimicrobial, and emollient properties, as well as a delicious fragrance. Certainly, green tea’s medicinal properties have been widely accepted in Asia for generations – but has science substantiated these claims?

In a word, yes. Green tea is one of the most researched natural ingredients, and in an ambitious study conducted by scientists in Poland, they found evidence for the majority of these claims. They discovered that the component called polyphenols demonstrated remarkable anti-inflammatory activity, which significantly improves skin microcirculation. Meanwhile, they also confirmed that tea catechins, a specific substrate of these polyphenols, were very potent antioxidant agents based on in vitro and in vivo studies. However, the study did find that not all extracts are created equal: the most powerful actives should contain a 50-90% concentration of catechins.

Meeting the demand for effective nourishment

For the beauty industry, the benefits of formulas containing Camellia Sinensis leaf extract are twofold: it responds to the foodie beauty trend, with robust scientific evidence that the ingredient works. However, there is a final requirement that brands must meet. 

Certainly, consumers want natural products that care for their bodies, but they want to care for the environment too. That is why it’s critical that natural ingredients are ethically sourced. According to research, 74% of French consumers say brands should have a sustainable program that aims to replenish the natural resources they use to make products (Mintel, 2018).

With these three imperatives in mind, Provital has developed numerous products that are natural and ethically-sourced, with scientifically-proven efficacy. A prime example is the Green Tea Eco extract. As a powerful free radicals scavenger, this extract harnesses the power of Camellia Sinensis leaf extract for a proven anti-aging effect. Plus, Provital’s Green Tea Eco extract is COSMOS certified organic, ensuring the tea crop is sustainably sourced.