Choosing cosmetic ingredients: FILORGA's approach
October 1, 2024 - Choose your product
Many of you have asked us how our skincare products are formulated, where the cosmetic ingredients we use come from, or whether our products are safe and effective. At FILORGA, we make a point of answering these questions as transparently as possible. We don’t hide anything from our customers, so we’re happy to show you what goes on behind the scenes!
Making an exceptional beauty product requires the cosmetic ingredients used to undergo rigorous selection processes — the best recipe in the world is nothing without high-quality raw materials. In this article, we explain the different steps we follow to choose the active ingredients that are eventually used in FILORGA skincare products.
Science and aesthetic medicine as cornerstones
Our cosmetic ingredients are not chosen on a whim or because of current trends. This is not and never will be our philosophy at Laboratoires FILORGA.
When we create a skincare product, it is always based on the latest scientific findings. Throughout the year, our expert formulators keep a close eye on scientific developments, meaning they are always aware of new studies and discoveries published in only the most reputable journals in cosmetics, dermatology, and aesthetic medicine.
Our experts also travel to trade shows, where they attend conferences and meet suppliers presenting their latest innovations.
Aesthetic medicine has also been firmly rooted in Laboratoires FILORGA’s identity since its creation by Dr Michel Tordjman in 1978. This means that all the cosmetic ingredients that we follow and use are inspired by techniques from aesthetic medicine. For example, the active ingredients contained in our signature ingredient, NCEF [New Cellular Encapsulated Factors], are the same as those used in injections. We also use peptides inspired by botulinum toxin injections, hydroxy acids inspired by peels, and plant-based growth factors inspired by PRP injections.
The effectiveness of a cosmetic ingredient takes pride of place
A commitment to scientific awareness means nothing without strong guidelines. For FILORGA, these are formed around one crucial factor: the effectiveness of ingredients. If there is no evidence that a particular compound is effective, then we don’t use it in our formulas.
Secondly, our skin experts individually analyse each of the problems that people face. For example, they look at:
- The mechanisms that influence the development of wrinkles around the eyes
- The effects of the environment on the skin barrier
- The causes of hyaluronic acid deficiencies in the skin.
Using these as starting points, they focus on seeking cosmetic ingredients that demonstrate the highest effectiveness in these areas.
Trusting relationships with suppliers
After all this work keeping themselves informed of scientific developments and meeting professionals in the cosmetics industry, our expert formulators have a clear vision of the active ingredients they will be able to use.
These cosmetic ingredients are then sorted according to their mechanisms of action. Simultaneously, we begin seeking out the suppliers that can provide the product that will do the best job of allowing us to achieve the level of excellence we strive for.
To do this, we select several potential suppliers and carefully study the following criteria:
- The manufacturing process. We ensure that the ingredients have been produced in accordance with the standards in force and in particular that they comply with European Regulation 1223/2009. This regulation governs the entire cosmetics industry and sets safety and environmental standards.
- Efficacy studies. We want to be sure that the active ingredient is rapidly effective. To do this, our experts go back to the scientific literature, this time focusing on studies carried out on the supplier’s active ingredient. There are big differences in quality and efficacy between suppliers, and the supplier must be able to prove that the ingredient they’re selling actually provides the benefits they’re supposed to.
- Compatibility with our future formulas. This is a logical continuation of the previous point. The cosmetic ingredient being considered must be compatible with other ingredients in a new formula. Otherwise, the formula may not be stable and may not meet Laboratoires FILORGA‘s quality requirements.
Finally, we favour natural active ingredients or those of natural origin, but not of animal origin.
Over the years, we have built up close relationships with our suppliers and are in constant contact with them. They are very familiar with FILORGA’s requirements and our main areas of innovation. They can therefore make appropriate recommendations for our future cosmetic products. Our suppliers also regularly come to present their latest innovations to us and provide us with samples of new ingredients.
When all screening and selection stages have been completed, formulation preparation can begin. This is followed by numerous clinical and ‘field’ trials on volunteers in order to assess the efficacy of our products. To find out more about this other aspect of our product development, have a look at the cosmetic tests carried out by Laboratoires FILORGA.