Anti-Aging & Cosmeceutical Corner
Navin M. Geria
Chief Scientific Officer
AyurDerm Technologies, LLC
navin@AyurDerm.com
Navin Geria, former Pfizer Research
Fellow is a cosmetic and pharmaceutical product development chemist and the chief scientific officer of AyurDerm Technologies LLC, which provides
Ayurvedic, natural and cosmeceutical custom formulation
development and consulting services to the spa-wellness-dermatology industries. He has launched dozens of cosmeceutical and ayurvedic anti-aging products. Geria has more
than 30 years of experience in the personal care industry
and was previously with Clairol, Warner-Lambert, Schick-Energizer, Bristol-Myers and Spa Dermaceuticals. He has
nearly 20 US patents and has been published extensively.
Geria edited the “Handbook of Skin-Aging Theories for Cosmetic Formulation Development” focus book published in
April 2016 by Harry’s Cosmeticology. He is a speaker, moderator and chairman at cosmetic industry events.
QUESTIONS ARISE OVER
PLANT STEM CELLS
STEM cells are found in both plants and animals. They divide
and can differentiate into
a range of cell types. It is
this regenerative property
of plant stem cells that has
captured the imagination
of cosmetic researchers. In
this column, we will briefly
review if plant stem cells
have anti-aging efficacy
when they are formulated
into topical products.
The plant stem cell mar-
ket for cosmetics is growing
at a CAGR of 15.9% and ex-
pected to exceed $4.8 billion by 2022, accord-
ing to Credence Research, San Jose, CA. The
key players in this market are L’Oréal, Estée
Lauder, My Chelle Dermaceuticals, Juice
Beauty and Intelligent Nutrients.1 Several
years back, stem cells were the marquee in-
gredients in the flourishing US anti-aging
market. But, recent regulatory crackdowns
and class action lawsuits against stem cell
clinics have weighed on the industry.
Human-based Cells
Stem cells are trendy in cosmetic proce-
dures. They are injected along with fat to
plump up the skin. In addition to their pres-
ence in many skin care formulations, stem
cells are touted as an age-reversing ingre-
dient in office-based treatments. However,
the US Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) recently issued warning letters to
three physician-owned stem cell treat-
ment centers in California, Florida and
New York. These centers were extracting
patient’s own fat, isolating the stem cells
and re-injecting them into the patient. All
three doctors received the warning letters
from the FDA to stop performing these un-
approved procedures immediately. Stem
cell therapy for anti-aging has not been
approved or been deemed safe or effec-
tive by the FDA. Furthermore, its use out-
side of clinical research is prohibited. In
recent years, researchers have conducted
extensive research on em-
bryonic stem cells which
have shown potential to
repair damaged tissues and
organs. As a result, scien-
tists researched using stem
cells in skin care products
to help repair wrinkles,
and restore and maintain
skin firmness and elasticity.
However, it is not possible
to use live human embry-
onic stem cells in skin care
products, so skin care com-
panies have turned to plant
stem cells.
Plant-based Stem Cells
Like humans, plants have stem cells, too.
In theory, these cells can protect the human epidermal stem cells from damage
and deterioration and they can stimulate
them to renew the skin. Primarily, botanical stem cells are used in cosmetic products in order to avoid the sourcing and
extracting controversies associated with
animal- and human-derived stem cells.
Grape, raspberry, lilac, rose and edelweiss
are common botanical sources.
The most promising stem cell so far
has come from an apple from the tree
known as Uttwiler Spätlauber, cultivated in
Switzerland more than 300 years ago. These
apples form a protective film made of stem
cells on the surface when the apple is cut.
Liposome encapsulated apple stem cells
topical cream in a clinical study, reduced
wrinkle depth by an average of 15% after
four weeks.2 Armed with these results, skin
care companies swarmed Mibelle Group, a
Swiss company that developed this won-
derful active. Numerous products contain-
ing this active, were launched several years
ago in the market at premium prices. These
products claimed to protect longevity of
skin cells and combat skin aging.
However, some biologists are skeptical
Stem cells have been the focus of intense research.
