French active-ingredient manufacturer Silab has introduced Metallomia, a detoxifying cosmetic active developed specifically to address a deficiency of ferritinophagy in menopausal skin. The company presents the ingredient as the outcome of a new modelling study of menopausal skin, which it says revealed a shortfall in the process that governs the controlled release of iron to meet cellular needs.
How the mechanism is described
According to Silab, insufficient ferritinophagy during menopause reduces the iron available to skin cells, a lack of bioavailable iron that the company links to premature skin ageing. Silab calls this phenomenon metallo-aging and states that it is amplified by UV radiation. In its account, UV exposure promotes the degradation of iron/ferritin complexes, leading to a massive and uncontrolled release of iron and, in turn, significant oxidative stress.
Metallomia is designed to intervene at that step. Silab says the active relaunches ferritinophagy in menopausal skin, facilitating the supply of iron and restarting the main epidermal functions. By reducing iron/ferritin complexes, it is also intended to limit oxidative stress when skin is exposed to UV.
Effects reported in volunteer testing
Silab reports that this targeted mechanism significantly reduces metallo-aging. From 14 days of use, the company says the skin of Caucasian volunteers was revitalised, with a reinforced skin barrier and a more unified, radiant complexion. In Asian volunteers, pigment spots were significantly reduced after 28 days. When applied by Caucasian volunteers before UV exposure, the ingredient prevented lipid peroxidation, and the appearance of redness was limited within hours of exposure.
These are the manufacturer's own findings, presented as ingredient testing rather than independently confirmed clinical outcomes.
Raw material, process and use levels
For Metallomia, Silab focused on the molecular composition of marshmallow roots, which are particularly rich in mucilages, and set up a traced supply chain with French partners. The supply has been validated against the criteria of the European Pharmacopoeia and authenticated by DNA barcoding. To make use of the roots' mucilage content, the company developed a specific enzyme engineering process to extract polyuronides.
The ingredient is patented and recommended at 0.5% to 2% in all care products intended for menopausal skin. It is supplied as an aqueous solution, which Silab describes as easy to formulate. The company states that it complies with biodiversity regulations, has a natural origin content of 100% under ISO 16128, and meets international cosmetics regulations in markets including Europe, the United States, China and Japan.