The opportunity: Rhubarb crowns (roots) are valued in the herbal medicine industry for their anthraquinones and stilbenes. New bioactivity has been identified for skin lightening/whitening, with potential to treat melasma and age spots. We are developing new extracts and testing efficacy and safety.

We were faced with a tightly-priced fragrance brief with a naturals-only stipulation. It was clear that we needed to bring in some new raw materials and ideas. We contacted Dr Mactavish-West who came to our site to meet with our technical and commercial teams.

The problem: Yin Yang Skincare required scientific support for their product range, particularly supplying detailed descriptions of the natural plant-derived ingredients they use in their skin-care products. They also required analysis of some of the key components in terms of phytochemicals and amino acids.