Expanscience, an independent family-owned French company that is mission-driven and B Corp certified, launches Calybiota® Bio, a new active ingredient certified by COSMOS. Expanscience, which is committed to responsible supply chains, provided financial and technical support for the Chinese cooperative that harvests schisandra berries in Sichuan (for the Sweetone® Bio active ingredient) for the achievement of FairWild certification. This is the first time that a cooperative in China has obtained this certification. Expanscience has already received the Fair for Life label for its Macaline and Skinhairgium Bio active ingredients, which come from the maca supply chain in Peru (2019), as well as for its organic illipe sourced in Indonesia (2021).
Calybiota® Bio, a 100% natural ingredient that restores skin balance
A polysaccharide-rich extract obtained from calyxes growing on the red cotton tree, which is sourced from Africa, Calybiota® Bio is COSMOS certified by Ecocert.
Particularly recommended as an ingredient in cosmetic products for skin care and intimate hygiene, its role in protecting vaginal flora has been demonstrated in a clinical study*. This study revealed a prebiotic effect on the flora, a reduction in inflammation and feelings of discomfort, moisturizing of the intimate area and improvement in sexual comfort.
Calybiota® Bio is also recommended for skin that is acne prone, atopic/eczematous or hypersensitive, as well as for deodorant formulas. This active ingredient protects the skin and maintains cutaneous microbial balance.
FairWild, a certification that guarantees wild resource sustainability and respect for local communities
As part of its “impACT” program focusing on CSR, Expanscience supported the FairWild certification of its supply chain for harvesting wild schisandra berries, which are used to obtain the Sweetone® Bio anti-blemish active ingredient.
One of the major facets of this certification is a guarantee of sustainability in managing resources that are not farmed. Schisandra sphenanthera is a wild climbing plant native to the center and west of China that is also found in Korea and Japan. It is referenced in traditional Chinese medicine.
Since they are common resources for cosmetic ingredients, non-farmed plants must be managed very carefully to guarantee practices that are rigorous, reasonable and protective of both the resource and its habitat. This type of management ensures that the quantities harvested are proportional to amounts available and that harvesting practices guarantee the renewal and preservation of the resource and its environment.
The first pharmaceutical and dermo-cosmetics laboratory and supplier of cosmetic ingredients to obtain B Corp certification in 2018, Expanscience has been a member of the Union for Ethical BioTrade (UEBT) since 2011. Now a “mission-driven” company, Expanscience commits to working toward the common good through its purpose, which is “to help individuals shape their well-being,” and has established a series of social and environmental objectives, such as “contributing to the achievement of planetary climate goals” and “protecting and regenerating biodiversity”. Supporting partners to enable certification of company supply chains is part of this approach.
*Clinical study made with Calybiota. Bio formulated at 1.25% in a cleansing gel and a cream used together daily for 28 days on four groups of women (post-vaginosis, post-mycosis, irritation and post-menopause; n = 48).
About Laboratoires Expanscience
You don’t give your all without a good reason. At Expanscience, we are a mission-driven company and our purpose is to help individuals shape their well-being, from the youngest to the oldest. That's what has motivated us to move forward, carry out research and innovate for over 70 years. Independence is our lifeblood. We’re a French company that is 100% family-owned, with products in over 100 countries from brands like Mustela, Babo Botanicals and Piasclédine 300. For us it’s clear: the well-being of people cannot be separated from that of the planet, and it’s up to all of us to ensure this. Our positive impact on society and the environment has been recognized by the B Corp label, and we commit to being a company that’s better for the planet.