Konjac & konjac root extract – the power of the Japanese root
Natural active agent for beauty products, skin and face care
Exotic ingredients are often said to have miraculous effects in order to boost the marketing machinery. But some of them actually do have extraordinary effects, such as konjac, also spelled konjak. Even though its name might be confused, the Japanese konjac root has nothing at all to do with the brandy known as ‘cognac’ here. It does not make you tipsy but has a lot of advantages as an active agent for beauty products.
The konjac root – the inconspicuous corm of the ‘Devil’s tongue’
The konjac root is the corm of the Devil’s tongue (in Austria, it is also referred to as voodoo lily). In Japan, konjac has been used for over 1,500 years as a medicine intended to prolong people’s lives. Whether it works is hard to tell, but it is a well-known fact that the fine flour made from the dried corm is particularly rich in glucomannan, a polysaccharide, which effectively stores water and can absorb up to 50 times its own weight.
Konjac used as a skin-care sponge
In Japan, the flour gained from the dried corm is mainly used to make low-calorie noodles (shirataki), while in our part of the world, the corm is more often used as a sponge which is extremely hard when it is dry but which changes into a soft, fine-pored washing utensil for thorough skin cleansing when it comes into contact with water. The natural pH-value of the konjac is alkaline and neutralises excess acidity of the facial skin. As a result, sensitive skin becomes less irritated, flushes are reduced and inflammations are supposed to be inhibited.
Konjac root extract as an active agent in cosmetics
Besides it great capacity of absorbing and storing water, konjac is the source of a lot of vitamins, minerals and trace elements as well as valuable lipids and proteins. Due to their natural structure, konjac-mannan solutions are not only a match for hyaluronic acid, but they also leave a silky moisture film on the skin and can also be used as inexpensive gelling agents. This Asian plant with its concentrated natural power is simply made for effective skin and face care products. You can currently find four varieties of the konjac root extract in our product range:
- Konjac Mannan 1.0 PHE 1.0
- Konjac Mannan 1.0 SP
- Konjac Mannan 1.0 SP PHE 1.0
- Konjac Mannan gel powder (COSMOS & ECOCERT)
Any questions? Don’t hesitate to contact us – we’ll be happy to provide advice.
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