The company refers to Cytovector as an intelligent penetration technology and said it can help the delivery of active ingredients due its positive charge, which improves the ingredients’ affinity with the cell membrane.
According to BASF, it can be particularly useful for formulations aiming to fight against wrinkle formation or whitening products.
The new reformulated Cytovector, Cytovector QD, can help formulators open up the Japanese whitening market, according to BASF, where there are significant growth opportunities.
Japan holds big potential for skin whitening
Skin whitening and brightening products find their main market in Japan, China and South Korea, and to a lesser extent India.
However, the sector is expanding with ingredients being formulated into a number of anti-aging products in the attempt to reduce the appearance of age spots and irregular pigmentation which can be associated with aging skin.
In Japan, skin whitening products come under the quasi drug regulation, which means their ingredients must be compliant with the Japanese Standard of Quasi-Drug Ingredients (JSQI) which is controlled by the Ministry of Health and Labor.
In order to fit the JSQI regulations, BASF had to remove one of the ingredients, the quaternized soy protein, and replace it with an ingredient listed with the JSQI of similar efficacy, BASF spokesperson Olivier Teillac explained.
In addition, Teillac explained that the encapsulated active ingredients associated with Cytovector QD must also be QD compliant with the JSQI if they are to be suitable for the Japanese market.