Gattefossé unveils Silkaress™ and wraps skin with silk-like softness

The world is changing at a pace never seen before. Climate change is no longer a distant threat; it is a daily reality, reshaping our environment, our routines, and even our skin. 

As the weather swings unpredictably, humidity levels fluctuate, air conditioning creates rapid temperature transitions, the skin is forced to adapt to a new normal. For the beauty industry, this is both a challenge and an opportunity.

Gattefossé researchers have studied living systems capable of dynamic protection. One striking example is the delicate interplay between silkworm and white mulberry (Morus alba) leaves, which gives rise to the silk cocoon. In sericulture, silkworms feed exclusively on white mulberry leaves, whose richness in key nutrients gives silk its softness and protective properties.

Inspired by this natural bioconversion, we sought to replicate this phyto-structural sophistication, combining white mulberry leaves into a structured supramolecular extractive system known as NaDES.

Combining phosphoproteomic approaches with bioinformatic analysis, proteomics, and tissue engineering, Gattefossé unveils that Silkaress™ is able to significantly modulate protein phosphorylation in keratinocytes, the key mechanism behind cellular adaptation.

By activating critical signaling pathways for epidermal cohesion and vitality, Silkaress™ promotes skin resilience, supporting its ability to withstand shifting climatic conditions and preserve the integrity of the skin barrier.

In clinical studies on Caucasian volunteers with dry and sensitive skin, Silkaress™ was shown to restructure the micro-relief and homogenize hydration. This translates into a silk-like protective effect and a deep feeling of comfort and well-being. 

Silkaress™ offers softer, smoother, protected skin for a wide range of applications, including climate-smart skin care, everyday outdoor defense products, cocooning, and comfort-first formulas. 

In search of premium white mulberry leaves, we journeyed to the biodiversity reserve of the Cévennes National Park in southern France, the historic cradle of French sericulture. Here, our company partner, Sericyne, is devoted to revitalizing a historically emblematic regional industry with special attention to traceability, ethics, and durability. 

Silkaress™ is an organic-certified signature ingredient uniting performance, naturality, and a deep connection to French savoir-faire, crafted to meet cosmetic brands’ expectations for uniqueness and sustainability.

Silkaress™ will be introduced at Gattefossé booth 3G80, at in-cosmetics Global Paris 2026.