Upgrade to pore-tightening cosmetic ingredient Laricyl®
- Joanna Sterkowicz
- Jul 18, 2023
- 1 min read
BASF Personal Care is releasing a revised version of its active ingredient Laricyl® that features a more sustainable cultivation of the raw material, while offering proven enhanced efficacy.
Laricyl is an extract from the Fomes officinalis mushroom. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, split-face and randomised study with 25 female subjects conducted by BASF, the revised version of Laricyl at a concentration of 3% improved the appearance of pores in size and number.
Image analysis showed that it minimised the appearance of visible pores immediately after application 2.8 times better than the previous version of the ingredient, with an astringent effect.
The active ingredient also helped to remove excess oil from the skin, making it less shiny without drying it out.
BASF now uses a method to cultivate the mycelium (i.e. the vegetative part of the fungus) by solid-state fermentation. This replaces the harvesting of the mushroom from the wild. The production of the mycelium, that is now organic certified, is carried out in Europe on solid medium within a controlled incubation room. The new version of Laricyl is 99.7% from natural origin according to ISO 16128.
It's really interesting to see BASF's move to solid-state fermentation for Laricyl®, not just for the sustainability aspect but also for the 'proven enhanced efficacy' it brings to pore appearance. That dual benefit of environmental responsibility and superior performance, especially in minimizing visible pores and managing excess oil, is a significant win for formulators and consumers alike. It highlights how innovation in sourcing can directly impact product effectiveness. While ingredients like Laricyl® are excellent for addressing existing pore concerns, navigating the vast array of cosmetic ingredients to ensure they don't inadvertently contribute to new issues can be a constant challenge. For those looking to proactively vet their product formulations or personal care routines, having a comprehensive resource for identifying pore-clogging…