RedSnow Beauty in season - Beauty in season 20220223 EN

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RedSnow®
Beauty in season

MUTTENZ, FEBRUARY 24, 2022

On South Korea’s Jeju Island, January and February are blooming time for a much-revered flower.
Clariant harnesses its secret for healthy looking and resilient skin.

"To appreciate the beauty of a snowflake, it is necessary to stand out in the cold.” The quote by
the Greek philosopher Aristotle is close to two and a half millennia old. But countless modern-day
visitors to Mount Hallasan seem to agree. Each year, they flock to the volcanic island of Jeju,
some 80 kilometers off the coast of mainland South Korea to explore and extensively photograph
the winter wonderland surrounding South Korea’s highest mountain.

The island of Jeju draws visitors year-round and usually sees its first snow of the season in late
November. However, the last crisp winter days of late January and early February offer a
particularly charming spectacle. That is when bright spots of red and dark pink dot the snowy
landscape in and around Hallasan National Park. The sight comes courtesy of Camellia japonica,
a hardy shrub that wears its fleshy green leaves all year but only puts on its floral dress for a few
weeks at the end of winter.

A staple in traditional medicine
There are tens of thousands of cultivars of Camellia japonica with a wide range of flower forms
and colors. Gardeners in Japan, China, and Korea have been growing them for centuries. Some
specimens are even known to be several hundred years old. Yet the varieties flourishing on Jeju
are remarkably winter hardy and hold a special place in the hearts of Koreans.

The beautiful plant, known as dongbaek in Korea, is not just the star of the countless winter
snapshots uploaded to social media around this time of year. Extracts of Camellia japonica also
have a long history as a medicinal plant in Korea and are a staple in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
The variety grown on Jeju is especially revered. That is because the volcanic island is seen as a
unique treasure trove of botanical riches. Jeju is home to more than 1,800 different plant species –
many of which are found nowhere else in the world. The island is even listed as a UNESCO world
heritage site.

Camellia japonica, one of the most famous flowers in Korea, can be found around the country and
more particularly in Jeju. Dongbaek oil, made from the seeds of Camellia japonica, is rich in oleic
acid, linoleic acid, and palmitic acid. These are known for their antioxidant and anti-irritant
properties when used in skincare products. Clariant draws out a unique variety of flower extract
from the Camellia japonica on Jeju blooming this time of year. In fact, Clariant named this active
ingredient RedSnow as a reference to the bright flowers poking through the snowy blanket. The
active ingredient is particularly rich in protocatechuic acid, a type of phenolic acid with strong
antioxidant properties.

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Moreover, Clariant has shown in extensive in-vitro and ex-vivo tests how RedSnow can block aryl
hydrocarbon receptors in skin cells. These are usually triggered by certain airborne pollutants such
as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals with particles smaller than ten or
even 2.5 microns. This way, RedSnow can help prevent the production of free radicals that cause
oxidative stress to the skin. In addition, it helps reduce the activation of MMP-1 genes and
increase collagen production. All of which means that RedSnow can help protect the skin not just
from irritation, but also premature aging caused by pollution in urban and outdoor environments.

On South Korea’s Jeju Island, January and February are blooming time for a much-revered flower. Clariant harnesses its secret for healthy
looking and resilient skin.

What speaks to customers
Anti-pollution skincare is a hot topic, especially for affluent consumers in megacities across the
region. Environmental factors such as airborne pollutants are a great concern since they are
harmful to health and skin and can cause skin irritation as well as premature aging. RedSnow is
Clariant’s answer to this growing issue.

Since 2016, Clariant’s Active Ingredients business unit has partnered with BioSpectrum, a Korean
manufacturer renowned for its active ingredients derived from plants on Jeju. Camellia japonica is
one of several plant species BioSpectrum and Clariant harvest there. All are sourced in
accordance with the island's special status as a world heritage site and national park. Some
products are even made from by-products of pruning.

As a result, RedSnow combines much of what today’s consumers look for in an active ingredient:
more sustainable, tradition, and scientifically proven effectiveness. A delicate flower conquering a
harsh environment may also be the perfect metaphor for the resilience of beauty.

RedSnow® – The air pollution defender against aging

Visit Clariant’s blog hub ‘The Moleculist’ for more trending stories.

Note to the editor, see next page.

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Join Clariant’s round table on the transformation to low-carbon!

Sneak preview Clariant at in-cosmetics!

From solid formats to 100% bio-based: Clariant bolsters
sustainable beauty at in-cosmetics Global
Natural and sustainable – good for us and the planet. Discover Clariant’s new ingredients and
BeautyForward® formulations to push renewable carbon content higher and answer care trends.
Expect powerfully effective plant-derived active ingredients to reinforce hair and skin’s resilience to
weather and emotional stress. Experience a 100% RCI skin barrier-strengthening emollient from
heritage plant oils, alongside a 100% natural preservation booster. And, give waterless formats a
pampering, protective skin after-feel with our novel, solid, sugar-based, fully biodegradable
surfactant.

Plus, boost your transition to 100% bio with new 100% bio-based, fully segregated versions of our
surfactants and PEGs. Learn more at stand E70!

We are back – Save the Date for Clariant Personal Care’s in-cosmetics media event.

DATE:                    April 4
TIME:                    17:00 CET
HOTEL NAME:              Pullman Paris Tour Eiffel (Room: Grenelle-Passy-Lena)
ADDRESS:                 18 Avenue de Suffren Paris, 75015 FRANCE

To register, please contact:
Stefanie Nehlsen: Stefanie.Nehlsen@clariant.com or
Siria Nielsen: snielsen@emg-marcom.com.

We look forward to welcoming you.

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GLOBAL TRADE MEDIA RELATIONS

Stefanie Nehlsen
Phone +41 61 469 63 63
stefanie.nehlsen@clariant.com

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Read our latest blog on The Moleculist.

RedSnow® IS A TRADEMARK OF CLARIANT REGISTERED IN MANY COUNTRIES.

www.clariant.com

Clariant is a focused, sustainable and innovative specialty chemical company based in Muttenz, near Basel/Switzerland. On 31 December
2020, the company employed a total workforce of 13 235. In the financial year 2020, Clariant recorded sales of CHF 3.860 billion for its continuing
businesses. The company reports in three business areas: Care Chemicals, Catalysis and Natural Resources. Clariant’s corporate strategy is
led by the overarching purpose of ‘Greater chemistry – between people and planet’ and reflects the importance of connecting customer focus,
innovation, sustainability, and people.

Blog article and photography can be downloaded from www.clariant.com or www.PressReleaseFinder.com.

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