Green Science Alliance has developed a beauty serum that uses natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES), which are also used in green chemistry.

Green Science Alliance Co., Ltd. has developed a beauty serum using natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES). The product is scheduled to go on sale on November 2, 2026, through the company’s online store and other channels.

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A beauty serum utilizing NADES (Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents), which are also considered green chemistry solvents

The company has been conducting research and development on NADES for some time and has now applied a specific type of NADES to a beauty serum.

In recent years, the cosmetics and dermatological cosmetics industries have undergone significant transformation against the backdrop of the principles of green chemistry and growing consumer awareness of “clean beauty.”Green chemistry in the cosmetics field is defined as the design and manufacture of products using methods and raw materials that minimize adverse effects on human health and the environment. This is a technology that reduces the use of toxic, petroleum-derived volatile organic solvents by replacing them with natural substances, for example.Additionally, the concept of green chemistry encompasses the use of renewable and biodegradable raw materials, the minimization of waste in manufacturing processes, the reduction of additives, and the reduction of water and energy consumption throughout the entire manufacturing process.

In conventional skincare and cosmetic formulations, synthetic glycols, petroleum-derived penetration enhancers, and potent chemical preservatives are widely used to enhance the stability of active ingredients and optimize skin penetration and user experience.However, these ingredients have come under increasing scrutiny in recent years due to their large carbon footprints and toxicity. As a result, the development of multifunctional, bio-derived, and environmentally sustainable solvents has become a major cutting-edge theme in modern cosmetic engineering.

Solvents form the foundation of most cosmetic formulations, as they enable the simultaneous incorporation of various ingredients used in cosmetics.Solvents are also a key factor in controlling the speed and transport efficiency with which active ingredients pass through the skin barrier; they play a role in delivering ingredients deep into the skin (such as the dermis), thereby directly enhancing the formulation’s efficacy (bioavailability).However, many of these solvents are petroleum-derived, and some possess properties that make them harmful to living organisms, posing risks to human health and the global environment. In response to stricter regulations on substances with carcinogenic or mutagenic risks, the cosmetics industry faces an urgent need to transition to alternative ingredients.

Consequently, bio-based solvents and natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) have recently been attracting significant attention from the cosmetics industry.

(Natural) deep eutectic solvents (NADES/DES) have recently garnered attention in the cosmetics field as next-generation “green” solvents for applications such as dissolving poorly soluble ingredients, providing high-performance moisturization, and delivering low-irritation skin care.They are compounds synthesized from hydrogen-bonding donor and hydrogen-bonding acceptor compounds that are liquid at room temperature and possess the following main characteristics:

1. For ingredients that are highly bioactive and beneficial to the skin but are difficult to dissolve in water or oil (conventional solvents)—known as poorly soluble ingredients—NADES can dissolve them stably and at high concentrations, regardless of whether they are hydrophilic or hydrophobic.

2. NADES is used as a green solvent to efficiently extract active ingredients (such as antioxidants, flavonoids, carotenoids, and polyphenols) from biomass—including plants and algae—with minimal environmental impact, without the need for toxic, petroleum-derived organic solvents.

3. Since it does not evaporate like ethanol or other alcohols, non-volatile NADES can remain as an active ingredient in cream- or gel-based cosmetics.

4. It controls the rate and transport efficiency at which active ingredients pass through the skin barrier, enabling them to reach deep within the skin (such as the dermis).

5. It functions as a natural moisturizer and humectant, and can dissolve and stabilize delicate, skin-beneficial active ingredients such as ascorbic acid (vitamin C).

6. It can be used as a thickening and moisturizing agent that combines long-lasting functionality comparable to that of polymers with a pleasant, non-sticky texture.

The serum developed by GS Alliance, which incorporates the company’s NADES, is designed primarily to enhance moisturizing effects and provide a pleasant, non-sticky user experience. Going forward, we plan to develop serums containing active ingredients derived from plants and biomass.

■ What Are Deep Eutectic Solvents (DES)?

Deep eutectic solvents (DES) are a new type of solvent with properties similar to those of ionic liquids. They are systems formed from eutectic mixtures of Lewis acids or Brønsted acids and bases, and consist of various anion and cation species.These compounds, which are liquid at room temperature, can be synthesized using hydrogen-bonding donor compounds and hydrogen-bonding acceptor compounds as raw materials. By synthesizing them using two or more compounds, it is possible to obtain a eutectic mixture with a melting point lower than that of any single component.Synthesized deep eutectic solvents have characteristics such as low vapor pressure, flame retardancy, and high thermal and electrochemical stability (wide potential window). Furthermore, a major advantage is that they are generally less expensive than ionic liquids and are often non-toxic.

■ What Are Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents (NADES)?

Deep eutectic solvents made from natural components are specifically referred to as Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents (NADES); they are less toxic and more environmentally friendly.Natural components such as amino acids, organic acids, sugars, and choline are frequently used as raw materials. These solvents have significantly lower melting points and remain liquid at room temperature, making them “green solvents” suitable for applications in environmentally friendly green chemistry.

Examples of NADES applications include battery electrolytes, solvents for organic synthesis, gas adsorption, the dissolution of cellulose and lignin, plasticizers, biofuel refining, the extraction of rare earth elements and rare metals, and the extraction and dissolution of various plant-derived substances—such as catechins, caffeine, flavonoids, palmatine,ephedrine, and other plant-derived substances, as well as its application in cosmetics based on these dissolution and solubilization properties.

■Company Overview

Company Name: Green Science Alliance Co., Ltd. 

(Fuji Pigment Co., Ltd. Group)

Representative: Dr. Ryohei Mori (Ph.D. in Engineering), R

epresentative Director

Headquarters Address: 2-22-11 Kohana, Kawanishi City, Hyogo Prefecture 666-0015

Business Activities: Research and development of cutting-edge technologies in the environmental and energy sectors to address decarbonization challenges

　　　　　　　　 Research and development of cutting-edge technologies in the environmental and energy sectors to address decarbonization challenges.

　　　　　　　　 such as UNIDO and WIPO GREEN.

Branches/Joint Ventures: Minato Ward, Tokyo; Biel/Bienne (Canton of Bern, Switzerland); Toronto (Ontario, Canada), Mexico City (Mexico),

　　　　　　　　 Massachusetts (U.S.)

URL: https://www.gsalliance.co.jp/