While personal care products are intended for good, they often expose individuals to numerous toxins and chemicals. Even UV filter molecules that are in sunscreen, designed to protect us against the sun, are absorbed by the body which can cause disruptive effects on the endocrine system.
In an attempt to address this, the TARASÓL project has developed a sunscreen that is both organic and eliminates the exposure to risky chemicals. The sunscreen has been designed, developed, and commercialized by Icelandic company Taramar.
The team of scientists who created the water-based skincare product utilized compounds that interact in a way that is beneficial to the body. Their inspiration came from research on Icelandic seaweed, which has antioxidant powers similar to green tea and cranberries. Seaweed extracts have the ability to stimulate immunomodulating responses while also protecting the skin from aging effects.
Professor Gudrun Marteinsdottir, founder and CEO of Taramar, says, “TARASÓL is the result of years of basic research in marine biology and nutritional science leading to new knowledge on the functional properties of seaweed.″
Taramar scientists were able to produce a UV filter that doesn’t use toxic chemicals. They also discovered a safe and natural method to preserve the functional properties of seaweed bioactive molecules, while eliminating microbial growth with their NoTox technology.
Their result was the TARASÓL UV filter which lacks preservatives, and is safe for the skin and body. The researchers also found that organic compounds, such as collagen and vitamin C, are hard to transfer across cell membranes. In response, they encapsulated the seaweed components in a liposome-based delivery system that stabilizes and releases the bioactive UV filter upon sunlight exposure.
According to Marteinsdottir, the next steps include getting this product to production and distributing it, offering individuals an organic way to protect themselves against the sun.