PLANT EXTRACTION UNDER THE MICROSCOPE

Molecular distillation is the scientific process that enables Mustela experts to create innovative cosmetic active ingredients. It is a physical process that does not rely on solvents and makes it possible to concentrate molecules of interest without altering them. Starting from an oil-based plant extract, Mustela experts separate the different molecules under high-vacuum conditions and at specific temperatures, in order to enrich the unsaponifiable fraction (the portion that is insoluble in water) of the original oil. The resulting product is therefore concentrated in beneficial active molecules. For example, molecular distillation increases the concentration of the unsaponifiable fraction of sunflower oil tenfold, from 1 to 10. This makes it possible to obtain an active ingredient with specific benefits for babies’ atopic-prone skin, helping to replenish and strengthen the skin barrier. Sunflower is a key ingredient in Mustela’s Stelatopia range.