Nordic Oats for sustainable beauty – Fazer enters the global personal care market with its xylitol and oat oil products

Alongside Fazer’s strong heritage in food production, the company is now also offering plant-based ingredients to the personal care industry. Fazer Xylitol® and Fazer Oat Oil – based on locally sourced Nordic Oats – are suitable for personal care products and used by the largest cosmetics companies in the Nordics. These plant-based ingredients are provided by Fazer Foodtech, which combines sustainable ingredients with technology.

Fazer is merging state-of-the-art technology with plant-based ingredients to meet both the emerging consumer demand for sustainable ingredients within personal care and to optimise the use of resources of the planet. Fazer´s ingredients used in personal care products are solely made of Nordic Oats. Rich in fatty acids, antioxidants, and phytochemicals, that soothe, replenish, and moisturise the skin, hair, and nails, Nordic oats are an ideal choice for those seeking natural and sustainable personal care products and solutions. 

Oats and their nutrients have been used in beauty care for thousands of years, but as synthetic ingredients took over the market, natural ingredients took the back seat. Personal care consumers are increasingly aware of the harmful effects of the synthetic ingredients, on the environment and their health. Consumers are demanding good-for-you alternatives and transparency from companies regarding the ingredients and product development processes.

Unique, plant-based ingredients made of Nordic Oats

Fazer supports the beauty industry standards by offering two products – Fazer Oat Oil and Fazer Xylitol® – which can easily be incorporated into personal care products.

The benefits of Fazer Oat Oil in skin care are based on its natural antioxidant properties and good fatty acid composition. The main fatty acid in oat oil is linoleic acid, which enhances the formation of skin ceramides, natural fatty compounds, and thus improves the skin's protective barrier and moisture retention. Oat oil is also rich in vitamin E, which antioxidant effect protects the skin from external oxidative stresses such as air pollution and UV light.

Fazer Xylitol®, the world’s first xylitol made from oat hulls, is used as a humectant in skincare products aimed at hydrating and calming the skin. Xylitol has an antibacterial effect, so it balances the skin microbiota by preventing the proliferation of harmful microbes. Xylitol enhances the repair and regeneration of the skin's protective barrier and helps to retain moisture in the skin. In addition, xylitol soothes irritated skin and can reduce redness by preventing the proliferation of blood vessels on the skin.

Fazer is a preferred partner in the personal care industry 

Personal care industry is looking for new and interesting raw materials to meet the demand for sustainably manufactured ingredients in beauty. Companies partnering with Fazer, such as Lumene, Berner, and Nordic Beauty Inc are incorporating Fazer Oat Oil and Fazer Xylitol® into their products.

”Consumers are increasingly aware about sustainability, and demand detailed scientific information and transparency regarding the ingredients used. We want to highlight the quality and Nordic sourcing of our ingredients and have been praised by premium personal care industry brands as a reliable partner, due to our transparency and commitment to sustainability,” says Jenny Andersson Collby, Marketing and Communications Director, Fazer Foodtech.  

Fazer´s expansion of its plant-based ingredients into the personal care industry demonstrates the company's unwavering commitment to sustainability. Oats of Nordic origin, most of which are grown near to Fazer’s own mills, are used to produce ingredients such as Fazer Xylitol® and Fazer Oat Oil. Every part of the oat kernel is utilised, with Fazer Xylitol® being produced through an innovative upcycling technology that maximises the kernel’s side streams. Fazer Oat Oil derivatives are extracted utilising a gentle, solvent-free CO₂ extraction method. What remains of the oat kernels are turned into bioenergy, resulting in a very low total carbon footprint.

FACT SHEET

• Fazer is now entering the global personal care market, transforming Nordic Oats into beauty ingredients which are offered to companies in the industry.
• Nordic Oats are rich in fatty acids, antioxidants and phytochemicals that soothe, protect, and moisturise skin, hair, and nails, making them an ideal choice for those who prefer natural and responsible personal care products.
• Fazer Oat Oil is extracted using a gentle, solvent-free CO₂ extraction process.
• The benefits of Fazer Oat Oil are based on the natural antioxidant effect of oat oil and its good fatty acid composition. The linoleic acid contained in oat oil enhances the formation of natural fat compounds, the skin's ceramides, thus improving the skin's protective barrier and moisture retention. Oat oil is rich in vitamin E, which antioxidant effect protects the skin from external oxidative stresses such as air pollution and UV light.
• The Fazer Xylitol® production process is a patented circular economy innovation in which oat hulls previously wasted in oat mills are processed into xylitol, a sweetener and cosmetic active ingredient.
• Fazer Xylitol®, the world’s first xylitol made from oats, enhances the repair and regeneration of the skin's protective barrier, and helps retain moisture. Xylitol soothes irritated skin and can reduce redness by preventing the proliferation of blood vessels in the skin. In addition, xylitol has an antibacterial effect, so it balances the skin's microbiota by preventing the proliferation of harmful microbes.

Further information:  

Anniina Niemistö, VP, Communications, Fazer Lifestyle Foods, anniina.niemisto@fazer.com, +358 (0)40 674 4672 

Fazer serves the media by phone Mon–Fri from 8 am to 4 pm, tel. +358 40 6682 998 and at media@fazer.com. 

We develop food as a solution for a more sustainable planet and business

Caring for the well-being of people and the environment is part of Fazer's heritage and future. Our ambition is to be an innovative leader in whatever we do. We acknowledge the substantial impact that the way food is grown, produced and consumed has on people’s well-being, on the environment, and on society. Our sustainability work is guided by four focus areas: climate and circularity, sustainable products and innovations, sustainable sourcing, and people and well-being. We have identified our main development areas and defined clear goals and indicators for them. For us, sustainability is a journey towards a better tomorrow.

Fazer Group 

Fazer, The Food Experience Company, enables people to enjoy the best moments of their day. Our mission, Food with a purpose, builds on our strong 130-year heritage, consumer first approach and innovations to create the sustainable food solutions of the future. With our dedicated team of approximately 5,000 professionals, we focus on fast-moving consumer goods and our direct-to-consumer business in Northern Europe, and beyond with exports to some 40 different countries. Fazer’s operations comply with its Code of Conduct that is based on the Group’s values and the UN Global Compact. In 2022, Fazer Group had net sales of 1.100 million euros.   

Northern Magic. Made Real. 

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