Excessive scalp oiliness, itchiness, and dandruff affect nearly half the world's population, and unfortunately, I'm one of them.
To make matters worse, I have an oily scalp, fine and dry hair. So whenever I'm lazy and skip washing my hair, it clings to my scalp while the ends remain dry and split. It's as frustrating as it gets.
So, since I started researching shampoos, I first tried all the renowned brands' signature oil-control ingredients myself, from major companies such as Croda, BASF, DSM, IFF, and others.
Some had decent oil-control abilities, while others were completely overrated. None of them left me truly amazed.
That is, until I discovered ACNESIUM from the French company Silab. The first time I used it, I knew—I had found the one!
This oil-control ingredient led to the creation of Unilipo Oil Control Shampoo with Apple Polyphenols N°29.
Active ingredients introduction as follows:
0.5% French Silab ACNESIUM
The account manager from Silab, Phillippe, and their R&D team are old friends of ours. We frequently exchange ideas and discuss formulations via email. One day, Phillippe insisted on having a video call, saying there was a groundbreaking ingredient we absolutely needed to know about.
That's how we learned about ACNESIUM. ACNESIUM, listed in the formula as "PUNICA GRANATUM PERICARP EXTRACT," is a natural active ingredient extracted from the immature pomegranate peel.
It is said that Silab spent a total of 7 years in search of the oil-control and antibacterial "PUNICA GRANATUM PERICARP EXTRACT." They found that immature pomegranate peels contained the highest and most abundant levels of polyphenols, and the effects far surpassed those of other ingredients (my personal experience attests to this).
Excessive scalp oiliness can stem from a variety of causes, including androgen DHT, bacteria, autophagy of fat cells in sebaceous glands, and stress, among others.
Most common oil-control ingredients tend to focus on one aspect (such as inhibiting DHT), while "PUNICA GRANATUM PERICARP EXTRACT" targets each of these factors!
Clinical trials have shown that continuous use of 0.5% ACNESIUM can significantly reduce the levels of FATTY ACIDS on the faces of the subjects (PALMITIC ACID: -42%, SAPIENIC ACID: -61%, OLEIC ACID: -49%, SEBALEIC ACID: -65%); significantly reduce SQUALENE levels (-28%); significantly decrease CHOLESTEROL levels (-26%); and reduce ARACHIDYL DODECANOATE levels (-35%).
Excessive keratinization of the skin is one of the important causes of acne and dandruff. In a 3D skin model, 0.010% ACNESIUM can completely restore the thickness of the over-keratinized stratum corneum to normal by reducing the synthesis of keratin 5 and 16.
Excessive inflammatory mediators can trigger a series of scalp issues.
At a test concentration of 0.010%, ACNESIUM suppresses the secretion of inflammatory mediators CCL5, CCL20, and CXCL1 by up to 100%, 78%, and 94% respectively.
The inhibitory effects on the secretion of IL-1α and IL-8 are equally impressive, reaching 90% and 88% respectively.
Most oil-control and anti-dandruff products on the market rely on killing bacteria, using ingredients such as zinc pyrithione (ZPT), ketoconazole, piroctone olamine, and selenium sulfide.
Their advantages include strong antibacterial properties, immediate effectiveness, and low cost; however, they also have drawbacks such as high irritation, the potential for developing resistance, and the tendency to migrate.
ACNESIUM takes a different approach by targeting the protective barrier of pathogenic bacteria—biofilm.
Biofilm is an extracellular matrix secreted by bacterial colonies, containing DNA, proteins, and polysaccharides. It acts as a protective layer that surrounds clusters of harmful bacteria, optimizing their living environment, facilitating communication and mutual aid among them, and shielding them from external threats such as antibacterial agents. This is a significant reason why dandruff is persistent and can quickly return.
At a concentration of 0.010%, ACNESIUM significantly prevents the formation of Propionibacterium acnes biofilm by inhibiting communication between
This means that when communication between bacteria is disrupted, their virulence and productivity naturally decline. Even without the presence of antibacterial agents, pathogenic bacteria can no longer wreak havoc. The advantage of this antibacterial action is that it is gentle, effective, does not harm beneficial bacteria, and does not lead to the development of resistance.
In fact, ACNESIUM is one of Silab's key ingredients for treating acne. After reviewing their detailed research report, I found that these effects could also work well on the scalp, so I added it to the shampoo. The results were indeed extraordinary. When I emailed Phillippe and Silab's R&D department to tell them I had used this ingredient in an oil-control shampoo, they found it very interesting.
By the way, ACNESIUM is a highly concentrated powdered ingredient, with an effective concentration of 0.05%. We added 0.5% to the apple shampoo, which is the upper limit of the recommended dosage—quite a generous amount.
1% XYLITOL
ACNESIUM is the key ingredient, and other active ingredients are there to support it.
XYLITOL can inhibit the expression of various synthesis-related genes, thereby further preventing the formation of biofilm.
ACNESIUM's antibacterial effect is based on preventing communication between bacteria, while xylitol directly disrupts the production process.
Without the protective shield of biofilm, pathogenic bacteria naturally collapse. Therefore, you may find that if oiliness and dandruff issues are relatively mild, just using the apple oil-control shampoo can handle them. If there are more serious scalp issues, the apple oil-control shampoo can enhance the effectiveness of medications, supporting treatment.
1% French Seppic AQUAXYL™
This corresponds to the ingredients listed as 【ANHYDROXYLITOL】, 【XYLITOL】, and 【XYLITYLGLUCOSIDE】 in the formula. This ingredient is very popular in the skincare industry because of its excellent effectiveness.
It can stimulate the production of ceramides and cholesterol, enhancing the skin barrier; it stimulates the synthesis of natural moisturizing factors and hyaluronic acid in the epidermis and dermis layers; and increases the production of aquaporins. It offers excellent long-term and short-term moisturizing effects.
【DIPOTASSIUM GLYCYRRHIZATE】, 【PANTHENOL】, 【BETA-GLUCAN】, 【ALLANTOIN】, 【STEARYL GLYCYRRHETINATE】. There isn't much more to add—all of these are classic soothing ingredients.
Oily scalps are easily irritated due to the peroxidation of sebum, so we use a combination of multiple ingredients working synergistically to provide strong calming effects and ensure stability.
Due to the larger surface area, hair and scalp are exposed to more external pollutants on a daily basis compared to the face. Combined with the high secretion of oils, this necessitates a higher level of cleansing power for hair than for the face.
There are two main types of cleansing formulas found in shampoos on the market.
One type focuses on achieving an immediate "fresh" feeling after washing. Due to cost constraints, these formulas often use 【SODIUM LAURYL SULFATE】 or 【SODIUM LAURETH SULFATE】 (SLS/SLES) as the core surfactants, combined with additional foam-boosting agents.
This type of product dominates the market, accounting for nearly 99% of offerings in the mid-to-low-end range. The advantage is strong cleansing power, especially in terms of removing oils, which can leave you with a feeling of "really being clean" immediately after washing.
However, the drawbacks are equally apparent: the irritation to the scalp is very strong, and prolonged use can lead to hair becoming oilier and dirtier more quickly.
The other type of surfactant formula follows the recent trend of using gentler ingredients, such as amino acids or alkyl glucosides as the main surfactants.
While this provides some assurance of gentleness, it can compromise cleaning and stain removal capabilities. These formulas may include surfactants with stronger foaming capabilities to enhance cleansing.
In UNILPO shampoo, we took a different approach by using surfactants that are both effective in cleaning and gentle. While this may result in higher costs, the long-term care and protection for hair and scalp are well worth it.
SODIUM COCOYL ISETHIONATE (SCI)
is a type of sulfonate surfactant that is often chosen as the main surfactant in many high-end shampoos in the United States.
SCI provides rich, delicate foam and has excellent de-greasing capabilities without disrupting the skin barrier, making it a classic choice for shampoos that are both effective and gentle. Even those with sensitive scalps can use it with confidence.
Moreover, SCI is derived from natural plant oils and is fully biodegradable, making it very environmentally friendly. Given that the products we use for washing our hair and face end up flowing down the drain into rivers and oceans, environmental consideration is essential.
The downside is that it is expensive, so only high-end products with premium prices or brands that prioritize quality are willing to use it.
COCAMIDOPROPYL BETAINE
is a very common nonionic surfactant. It is low in irritation, gentle enough, and has decent foaming capabilities. However, its cleaning power is somewhat lower than other surfactants, so formulators often use it in combination with other surfactants in their formulations.
The advantages of these two surfactants are clear: they can achieve the desired oil and dirt cleansing effects without irritating the scalp or damaged hair.
Therefore, in addition to being suitable for oily hair, they are also appropriate for dry and damaged hair.
The shampoo also contains 【Apple (MALUS DOMESTICA) fruit cell culture extract】, which is rich in anthocyanins 2. In other words, it contains apple stem cell extract.
This extract contains a significant amount of apple polyphenols. More importantly, it has a delightful fragrance, also custom-made in the United States, designed to mimic the scent of freshly picked green apples. Many testers were captivated by the apple fragrance even before experiencing the shampoo's effects.
Powerful oil-control effects
After the product was created, we arranged for the efficacy testing laboratory to conduct oil-control trials as soon as possible.
The oil-control trial used SZ95 human sebaceous gland cells, which are the main units responsible for the lipid secretion of human skin. By adding different concentrations of shampoo samples and measuring the lipid content of the sebaceous gland cells, we were able to identify whether there was good oil-control efficacy.
The results showed that at sample concentrations of 0.00032% and 0.0016%, there was a significant inhibitory effect on sebum secretion (P < 0.0001).
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