Silab has unveiled Metallomia, a detoxifying active ingredient developed for menopausal skin. The French manufacturer says the ingredient targets a deficiency in ferritinophagy, the process that ensures controlled iron release so cells can meet their needs.
According to Silab, a modelling study of menopausal skin showed lower ferritinophagy activity. The company links this shortfall to a lack of bioavailable iron and to premature skin ageing, a phenomenon it calls metallo-aging. UV exposure can amplify the problem: Silab says radiation promotes the degradation of iron/ferritin complexes, leading to a massive, uncontrolled release of iron and significant oxidative stress.
Metallomia is designed to relaunch ferritinophagy in menopausal skin. Silab says this facilitates iron delivery and reactivates key epidermal functions. By reducing iron/ferritin complexes, the ingredient also aims to limit oxidative stress when skin is exposed to UV.
In volunteer assessments cited by Silab, Caucasian participants showed revitalised skin, a reinforced barrier and a more unified, radiant complexion from 14 days. In Asian volunteers, pigment spots were significantly reduced after 28 days. When Caucasian volunteers applied the ingredient before UV exposure, Silab reports that lipid peroxidation was prevented and redness was limited within hours after exposure. The company attributes these outcomes to the targeted mechanism and describes the result as a significant reduction in metallo-aging.
The ingredient is based on marshmallow root, whose molecular composition is particularly rich in mucilages. Silab has set up a traced supply chain with French partners and validated the supply against European Pharmacopoeia criteria and DNA barcoding authentication. To extract polyuronides from the roots, the company developed a specific enzyme-engineering process.
Metallomia is patented and recommended for care products intended for menopausal skin at 0.5–2%. It is supplied as an aqueous solution, which Silab says makes it easy to formulate. The company states that the ingredient complies with biodiversity regulations, has 100% natural-origin content under ISO 16128 and meets international cosmetics regulations in markets including Europe, the United States, China and Japan.
The announcement positions Metallomia around a specific biological mechanism, but it does not disclose volunteer sample sizes, full study protocols or independent replication. The reported skin benefits therefore remain company claims tied to the ingredient’s proposed mode of action.
Silab’s disclosure focuses on the ingredient’s mechanism and formulation parameters. It says the active complies with international cosmetics regulations and is suitable for products positioned for menopausal skin, but it does not detail the final product forms in which the ingredient has been tested or the full range of prototype formulations used.