We’re pleased to introduce personal care formulators to COOLIN stay, a new cooling ingredient from LABIO that’s now available through HARKE UK & Ireland.
When skin is continuously and repeatedly exposed to extreme heat, such as through summer sun, hot showers and saunas, ageing can be accelerated by collagen breakdown and oxidative stress in skin cells. Dermatologists are increasingly referring to this as ‘heat ageing‘, and it’s a growing area of interest for formulators looking to expand beyond UV protection alone.
Continuous and repeated exposure to heat:
- Increases MMP-1, a collagen-degrading enzyme, which decreases skin elasticity and makes it prone to wrinkles.
- Activates TRPV1, the skin’s heat sensor, which increases skin sensitivity.
- Increases inflammatory responses and reactive oxygen species (ROS), which accelerates skin ageing, damage, and dullness.
COOLIN stay is a cooling active that’s been specifically designed to address the effects of heat ageing. It works through a dual mechanism, calming the skin’s heat receptor (TRPV1) while activating its cold receptor (TRPM8). This reduces heat-induced stress and delivers a cooling sensation that lasts considerably longer than menthol alone.
Key Benefits of COOLIN stay
INCI: 2,3-Butanediol, Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate, Erythritol, Albatrellus Confluens (Mushroom) Extract, Menthyl Lactate, Menthone Glycerin Acetal, 1,2-Hexanediol
- Blocks the heat-ageing pathway: COOLIN stay inhibits heat-induced ageing by blocking TRPV1 activation, helping to reduce collagen breakdown (MMP-1) and heat shock protein expression (HSP27/HSP70).
- Delivers immediate, long-lasting cooling: Menthyl lactate and menthone glycerin acetal activate TRPM8 for an instant cooling sensation, while erythritol provides an additional cooling boost through its endothermic (heat-absorbing) reaction.
- Outlasts standard menthol: COOLIN stay outperformed 0.2-0.3% menthol for cooling duration and intensity across forearm, scalp and facial testing, with scalp cooling sustained for over two hours.
- Gentle on skin: Menthyl lactate and menthone glycerin acetal sit in the safer EWG tiers versus menthol, and COOLIN stay itself returned a Skin Irritation Index of 0.00 in patch testing – classified non-irritating.
Testing Data
COOLIN stay has been evaluated through a combination of in-vitro assays and clinical testing on the forearm, scalp and face. Here are a few key results:
- In-vitro heat ageing assay: Under 45°C heat stress, COOLIN stay reduced MMP-1 expression in a concentration-dependent manner and lowered HSP70/HSP27 expression at both 1 and 3 hours after heat exposure.
Image source: LABIO (please contact us for further testing data and context)
- TRPV1 inhibition: A calcium influx assay showed up to 29.8% inhibition of TRPV1 channel activation under heat stimulation.
- Forearm cooling (infrared thermal imaging): 3% COOLIN stay produced 4.1°C of cooling immediately on application and remained 2.7°C cooler after 4 minutes, with cooling sustained for up to 10 minutes (3 to 5 minutes longer than 0.3% menthol).
Image source: LABIO (please contact us for further testing data and context)
- Scalp cooling duration: In a 42-subject trial, a 3% COOLIN stay gel cream sustained scalp cooling for over 2 hours, with roughly double the cooling intensity of 0.2% menthol.
- Facial cooling: Cooling was maintained for over 20 minutes following a single application.
Key Applications
COOLIN stay is ideal for applications across skincare, body care and scalp care, such as: cooling facial gels; after-sun products; soothing and cooling serums; cooling lotions and sprays for hot weather or post-exercise use; cooling tonics.
Find Out More
To find out more about COOLIN stay, request further testing data or samples, or discuss formulation specifics, please get in touch with our experienced team here at HARKE UK & Ireland. We’d be happy to talk through requirements and share further information.
