Fazer Group: enters the global personal care market

Helsinki / FI. (fg) Alongside the strong heritage in food production, Finland’s Fazer Group is now also offering plant-based ingredients to the personal care industry. «Fazer Xylitol» and «Fazer Oat Oil» – based on locally sourced Nordic Oats – are suitable for personal care products and used by the largest cosmetics companies in the Nordics. These plant-based ingredients are provided by Fazer Foodtech, which combines sustainable ingredients with technology.

Fazer is merging state-of-the-art technology with plant-based ingredients to meet both the emerging consumer demand for sustainable ingredients within personal care and to optimise the use of resources of the planet. Fazer’s ingredients used in personal care products are solely made of Nordic Oats. Rich in fatty acids, antioxidants, and phytochemicals, that soothe, replenish, and moisturise the skin, hair, and nails, Nordic oats are an ideal choice for those seeking natural and sustainable personal care products and solutions.

Oats and their nutrients have been used in beauty care for thousands of years, but as synthetic ingredients took over the market, natural ingredients took the back seat. Personal care consumers are increasingly aware of the harmful effects of the synthetic ingredients, on the environment and their health. Consumers are demanding good-for-you alternatives and transparency from companies regarding the ingredients and product development processes.

Unique, plant-based ingredients made of Nordic Oats

Fazer supports the beauty industry standards by offering two products – «Oat Oil» and «Xylitol» – which can easily be incorporated into personal care products.

The benefits of «Oat Oil» in skin care are based on its natural antioxidant properties and good fatty acid composition. The main fatty acid in oat oil is linoleic acid, which enhances the formation of skin ceramides, natural fatty compounds, and thus improves the skin’s protective barrier and moisture retention. Oat oil is also rich in vitamin E, which antioxidant effect protects the skin from external oxidative stresses such as air pollution and UV light.

«Xylitol», the world’s first xylitol made from oat hulls, is used as a humectant in skincare products aimed at hydrating and calming the skin. Xylitol has an antibacterial effect, so it balances the skin microbiota by preventing the proliferation of harmful microbes. Xylitol enhances the repair and regeneration of the skin’s protective barrier and helps to retain moisture in the skin. In addition, xylitol soothes irritated skin and can reduce redness by preventing the proliferation of blood vessels on the skin.

Fazer is a preferred partner in the personal care industry

Personal care industry is looking for new and interesting raw materials to meet the demand for sustainably manufactured ingredients in beauty. Companies partnering with Fazer, such as Lumene, Berner, and Nordic Beauty Inc are incorporating «Oat Oil» and «Xylitol» into their products.

«Consumers are increasingly aware about sustainability, and demand detailed scientific information and transparency regarding the ingredients used. We want to highlight the quality and Nordic sourcing of our ingredients and have been praised by premium personal care industry brands as a reliable partner, due to our transparency and commitment to sustainability,» says Jenny Andersson Collby, Marketing and Communications Director, Fazer Foodtech.

Fazer’s expansion of its plant-based ingredients into the personal care industry demonstrates the company’s unwavering commitment to sustainability. Oats of Nordic origin, most of which are grown near to Fazer’s own mills, are used to produce ingredients such as «Xylitol» and «Oat Oil». Every part of the oat kernel is utilised, with «Xylitol» being produced through an innovative upcycling technology that maximises the kernel’s side streams. «Oat Oil» derivatives are extracted utilising a gentle, solvent-free CO2 extraction method. What remains of the oat kernels are turned into bioenergy, resulting in a very low total carbon footprint.