SABRINA LEOTY-OKOMBI^1*, ALLISON GARLET², CÉCILE KALEM¹, NICOLAS STEFANO DEL BENE², GEORGE KRITIKOS³, CATHERINE BONNAUD-ROSAYE¹, WENDY CHAN², PHILIPPE MOUSSOU¹, VALÉRIE ANDRE-FREI¹
*Corresponding author
1. BASF Beauty Care Solutions SAS
2. BASF Corporation, Tarrytown, United States
3. BASF SE, GDB/BA – Digitalization in R&D, Ludwigshafen, Germany

Abstract

Hectic lifestyles as well as environmental influences negatively modify the physiological parameters of the scalp, making hair and scalp concerns more prevalent. In a new metagenomic study, researchers explored the disruptive influence of sebum on the scalp’s fragile microbiotic balance. The analysis confirmed that the diversity of the microbiota is lower on an oily scalp than on a normal scalp. They also identified six beneficial species with a particularly high occurrence on a normal scalp and a noticeably reduced presence on oily scalps that were assumed to promote overall scalp health. In response, a new active ingredient based on Sarcosine was developed. The active showed to significantly increase the diversity of the scalp’s microbiota and to boost recolonization with the six strains of beneficial bacteria. Besides this prebiotic effect, studies have demonstrated that sarcosine inhibits 5-α-reductase, lowering the level of scalp sebum. The results on microbiota and sebum secretion make sarcosine a perfect ingredient for the improvement of oily scalp conditions.

In an increasingly urbanized world, our hair and scalp are faced with a multitude of environmental influences that can negatively impact their beauty and vitality. Consumers are therefore seeking solutions that help combat the side effects of our modern world – especially since there is a growing awareness that stress and pollution play a role in the impairment of scalp health and ultimately the beauty and vitality of our hair (1). A high stress level increases the activity of the sebaceous glands in the hair follicles, leading to an overproduction of sebum. The scalp therefore becomes irritated and hair appears greasy or oily. At the same time, urban living can cause dust or pollution to form deposits on the scalp and hair fibers. Affected people experience itchiness and prickling or even a burning sensation and pain. Ultimately, the accumulation of dust, pollution, and sebum changes the physiological parameters of the scalp – and thus disrupts the fragile balance of the microbiota (2, 3).

In the past few years, skin microbiota has become an essential ally of the personal care industry. Intensive research done in this field has revealed that the skinâ ...