Posted on Jun 28, 2023
Northwest scientists help find a green alternative to produce beauty products: algae
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Lipstick made of what?
Paraffin is the most common wax produced worldwide, and it’s relatively common in cosmetics. But paraffin is made from petroleum, and a market has popped up for renewable alternatives to beauty products.
Researchers at Western Washington University and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute hope they’ve found the next big thing: wax derived from algae.
The scientists were originally trying to create new biofuels from a substance called alkenone, which is produced by certain ocean phytoplankton. They couldn’t get the biofuel idea to pan out economically, so they shifted their attention to a more promising market.
Now they’ve licensed their formulation to a new company called Upwell Cosmetics with the goal of commercializing the algae-based wax. The researchers say their invention has the potential to replace petroleum-based waxes in products such as lipstick, sunscreen and deodorant.
Read more about how alkenone performs in product trials in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science here.
Paraffin is the most common wax produced worldwide, and it’s relatively common in cosmetics. But paraffin is made from petroleum, and a market has popped up for renewable alternatives to beauty products.
Researchers at Western Washington University and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute hope they’ve found the next big thing: wax derived from algae.
The scientists were originally trying to create new biofuels from a substance called alkenone, which is produced by certain ocean phytoplankton. They couldn’t get the biofuel idea to pan out economically, so they shifted their attention to a more promising market.
Now they’ve licensed their formulation to a new company called Upwell Cosmetics with the goal of commercializing the algae-based wax. The researchers say their invention has the potential to replace petroleum-based waxes in products such as lipstick, sunscreen and deodorant.
Read more about how alkenone performs in product trials in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science here.
Northwest scientists help find a green alternative to produce beauty products: algae
Posted from opb.org
Science
Cosmetics
Western Washington University
Posted 11 mo ago
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."Dusty waves to the rescue
The ocean is the largest carbon sink on the planet, absorbing more than 30% of our annual carbon emissions. One of the big drivers of ocean carbon storage is phytoplankton because — like plants — they use carbon dioxide to grow. When they die, they sink to the seafloor and store that carbon away safe and sound.
Like all plants, phytoplankton also need nutrients to thrive. A lot of these nutrients come from the ocean itself. But we now know that a significant amount of those nutrients comes from the land — in the form of dust.
Researchers at Oregon State University, NASA Goddard and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County used satellite imagery to gauge phytoplankton health and abundance over time. They paired that with data about dust movement (from wind, storms, etc…) and how much falls into the ocean.
They found 4.5% of the world’s total annual carbon storage is driven by dust falling into the ocean and feeding the phytoplankton. That’s a lot of carbon sequestration.
The researchers caution that one of the coming effects of climate change is a change in the atmosphere, which is expected to decrease its ability to transport dust."
..."Dusty waves to the rescue
The ocean is the largest carbon sink on the planet, absorbing more than 30% of our annual carbon emissions. One of the big drivers of ocean carbon storage is phytoplankton because — like plants — they use carbon dioxide to grow. When they die, they sink to the seafloor and store that carbon away safe and sound.
Like all plants, phytoplankton also need nutrients to thrive. A lot of these nutrients come from the ocean itself. But we now know that a significant amount of those nutrients comes from the land — in the form of dust.
Researchers at Oregon State University, NASA Goddard and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County used satellite imagery to gauge phytoplankton health and abundance over time. They paired that with data about dust movement (from wind, storms, etc…) and how much falls into the ocean.
They found 4.5% of the world’s total annual carbon storage is driven by dust falling into the ocean and feeding the phytoplankton. That’s a lot of carbon sequestration.
The researchers caution that one of the coming effects of climate change is a change in the atmosphere, which is expected to decrease its ability to transport dust."
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I was thrilled to read about the exciting breakthrough involving algae-based wax for beauty products. It's a game-changer in sustainability! I recently had my Botox injections done, and it was a fantastic experience at Botox Santa Barbara. They really know their stuff, and it's great to see innovation not just in beauty products but also in cosmetic procedures. If you're interested, you can find more details at https://sbaesthetics.com/botox-santa-barbara/ It's incredible to witness how science and technology are shaping a more eco-friendly future for beauty and skincare
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