%20Seed%20Oil%20Unsaponifiables%0ASupplier:%C2%A0%20Expanscience%20Laboratoires%20(France)%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%20%C2%B7%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%20%0AEvidence:%C2%A0%20%E2%97%8F%E2%97%8F%E2%97%8F%C2%A0%20Clinically%20studied%0AIn%20our%20formulas:%C2%A0%20The%20Innovator%20%E2%80%94%202%25%0AWhat%20i...){kind=link}
Soline BIO
INCI: Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil Unsaponifiables
Supplier: Expanscience Laboratoires (France) ·
Evidence: ●●● Clinically studied
In our formulas: The Innovator — 2%
What it is
Unsaponifiables are the minor fraction of a plant oil that will not turn into soap — the sterols, tocopherols and other complex molecules present at low levels but carrying most of the biological activity. Expanscience concentrates them out of organic sunflower oil by molecular distillation, a patented low-heat process. Certified 100% organic by Ecocert to COSMOS, sourced and produced in France. Expanscience was the first cosmetic ingredients supplier in the world to achieve B Corp certification.
Why it matters for changing skin
This is the one active in The Innovator that does not just supply lipids — it tells skin to make its own. It activates the PPARα receptor, which upregulates the skin’s own synthesis of ceramides and cerebrosides. Adding lipids treats today. Prompting synthesis addresses the underlying deficit.
Its clinical file is unusually specific: a single application at 2% delivered hydration measurable within an hour and sustained past 24 hours. It also modulates the inflammatory cascade, with reported inhibition of NF-κB by 36% — relevant for skin that has become more easily provoked than it used to be.
We use it at exactly the 2% that was clinically tested.
What it does
|
Concern |
How it helps |
|
Declining ceramide production |
Stimulates skin’s own ceramide and cerebroside synthesis |
|
Dryness |
24-hour hydration from a single 2% application, clinically shown |
|
Weakened barrier |
Strengthens the intercorneocyte lipid cement |
|
Reactivity and irritation |
Soothing action via PPARα; NF-κB inhibition reported at 36% |
|
Mature and depleted skin |
Developed for relipidating dry, atopic and mature skin |
On the label you may also see it as
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables · Sunflower Oil Unsaponifiables · Sunflower Sterols
Written by Joy Kirst
Joy Brown Kirst is the founder and formulator of Modern Age Skin, an award-winning clean beauty brand specializing in perimenopause and menopausal skincare. With an MBA from Rice University and over 20 years of experience in corporate leadership and entrepreneurship, Joy brings strategic business expertise to the beauty industry.
Following her successful career in the executive search industry, Joy earned her Diploma in Organic Skincare Formulation from Formula Botanica (2021), combining her business acumen with botanical expertise to create bioadaptive, results-driven formulas for hormonal skin changes.
Modern Age Skin’s hero product, The Innovator - Luminous Repair Oil, has won both the Shape Skin Award for Best Facial Oil (2024) and the Healing Lifestyles Earth Day Beauty Award (2025). The brand is Power Beauty Collab certified and Leaping Bunny Certified, reflecting Joy’s commitment to clean, cruelty-free beauty.
Joy and Modern Age Skin have been featured in Forbes, BeautyMatter, Well Defined, on television with Pix 11 in NYC, and on the Well Done, Thrive After 45, and Midlife Mavericks podcasts. Through her work, Joy is redefining skincare for women navigating hormonal transitions, proving that aging skin deserves sophisticated, science-backed solutions.