Bisabolol
How Amyris used its industry-leading biotechnology platform to sustainably scale bisabolol, a natural cosmetic ingredient - enabling our partner to satisfy growing global appetite for natural bisabolol while protecting ecological integrity.
230x reduction in land use
relative to botanically derived bisabolol.
Eliminated reliance on unsustainable harvest of Candeia trees
sourced from abundant and ethically produced sugarcane.
Enabled our partner to responsibly meet growing demand for natural bisabolol
Decoupled production from the ecologically vulnerable Cerrado region.
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Demand for natural ingredients has never been higher, yet sourcing of natural ingredients can put tremendous strain on sensitive ecosystems.
The ingredient Bisabolol, for example, has been used for centuries to heal and soothe skin, and is used extensively today in cosmetics by the largest global beauty and personal care companies in the world. For decades, this ingredient was harvested from the Candeia tree, which grows in ecologically vulnerable regions in Brazil. Demand eventually led to indiscriminate cutting of Candeia trees—including in state parks and designated conservancy areas—a practice which caused tremendous ecological harm.
Amyris addressed these challenges by developing a state-of-the-art precision fermentation process which produces bisabolol entirely from sugarcane.
Using engineered yeast strains, Amyris converts renewable and ethically sourced sugarcane into bisabolol at the industrial scale, eliminating reliance upon vulnerable ecosystems, eliminating product variability, and requiring 230x less land for its production.
An independent third party LCA analysis found that relative to Candeia-tree derived material, Amyris bisabolol has a 63% reduction in environmental cost, taking into account resource use, ecotoxicity, land use, emissions, and more. The same methodology showed that relative to synthetic petrochemical-derived bisabolol, Amyris bisabolol boasts a 49% reduction in environmental cost.
The final product is consistent, scalable with demand, and has industry-leading purity, outperforming both botanical and synthetic options.
Performance and versatility
Today, our Bisabolol is used by global skincare and personal care brands which use its soothing and healing properties to enhance the performance of products ranging from baby care to post-procedure.
Quality and sustainability
Its consistent quality, product performance, and sustainability story have turned Amyris bisabolol into a storytelling opportunity for numerous brands worldwide.
Innovation and resilience
The success of Amyris’ bisabolol demonstrates how biotechnology can future-proof supply chains for natural ingredients, ensuring long-term availability and ethical sourcing and protecting vulnerable ecosystems.