What is Natural Betaine?
Natural betaine is an amino-acid derivative that also occurs in our body and skin as a small hydrophilic molecule which attracts and retain water. In nature, betaine can be found in the cells of sugar beets. Natural betaine is upcycled from the waste stream of sugar production process.
Benefits of Natural Betaine for Skin Care
In the world of skincare, words like "anti-aging," "moisturizing," and "soothing," are hardly new. These have long been some of the key functions consumers look for in their skincare products, and that hasn't changed. But betaine can be a way to offer those effects through plant-based means.
Natural betaine is used in personal care as a moisturizing ingredient because of its humectant properties (hydration-optimizing). Natural betaine is also known as an osmolyte that can help manage water balance in skin and protect it from dehydration by osmosis. Osmosis is the driving force by which water is transported in and out of the cells. In the skin, keratinocytes are actively using osmolytes to survive hyperosmotic stress due to skin dryness. They synthetize specific betaine transporters on their membrane to increase betaine intake to retain water and limit water loss. Additionally, natural betaine can help strengthen tight junctions integrity to improve cell cohesion and limit the loss of water through the skin barrier and protect the skin from dehydration.
For those with sensitive skin, natural betaine poses no cause for concern. Natural betaine is mild on the skin and can help mitigate the irritation caused by surfactants. Natural betaine is also commonly used to formulate baby care products because of its mildness.
Not only does natural betaine support product performance, it can help improve product texture to create skincare products that provide a better all-around experience for consumers. When it comes to products like moisturizing creams, consumers want products that feel smooth and not sticky on skin. Natural betaine helps to increase product sensory profile, like improved silky feeling, reduced stickiness and oily feeling, as well as improved product spreadability for that desired texture.
Natural betaine is compatible with many skincare ingredient and most popular actives, like vitamin B5, glycolic acid, hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, and niacinamide.
Benefits of Natural Betaine for Hair Care
Moisturization isn't an issue that's limited to skincare. For many consumers, improving moisture and protecting both the scalp and the hair itself are top concerns. Natural betaine can be highly effective at meeting these haircare needs.
Just as natural betaine can help strengthen the skin barrier on the face, it can help strengthen skin barrier integrity on the scalp and protect it from surfactant irritation. On the hair itself, due to its high affinity with keratin, natural betaine can both deeply penetrate the hair cortex and deposit on the hair surface. Additionally, natural betaine can be effective at binding to damaged sites on hair to improve hair strength, reduce broken fibers and split ends, contributing to a smoother, healthier appearance overall with less frizz.
In toiletries, natural betaine is also known to improve foam quality in surfactant-based formulation like shampoo, shower gel or face cleansers. Indeed, by reducing the bubble size, it helps to increase the foam density and stability over time, for an improved sensorial experience.
Natural Betaine vs. Cocamidopropyl Betaine
In skin and hair care ingredients, people often misunderstand the difference between natural betaine and cocamidopropyl betaine. While the names are similar, these ingredients have some very distinct differences.
Natural betaine is a natural ingredient derived from sugar beets while cocamidopropyl betaine, or coco betaine, are synthetic type of surfactants with long fatty acid chains derived from coconuts, but the differences don't stop there. Cocamidopropyl betaine and coco betaine function very differently from natural betaine. While natural betaine is an active ingredient valued for its moisturizing, protection and sensory benefits, cocamidopropyl betaine and coco betaine are surfactants that act as foaming agents and cleansers.