Biotech Company Solazyme Expands Deal to Sell Algae-Based Cosmetics with Sephora

From fuel to cosmetics

It's already in your car. How about a little on your face?

Not content to try and revolutionize the fuel market, Silicon Valley biotech company Solazyme is targeting skincare products. By re-engineering algae, Solazyme has been able to create a cleaner fuel. It's a cool idea, embraced by some car and airline makers.

Now, Solazyme wants to get a little more glamorous.

It's expanding a deal to sell its Algenist line of cosmetics with skincare and makeup hotshot Sephora, and yes, the products will be algae-based. Solazyme has been working on cosmetic products for a couple of years. The latest deal with Sephora will focus on the Algenist line of Anti-Aging oil. It costs $79 per bottle, and is coming to a Sephora near you, whether you're in the US, Canada, Mexico, UK, France, Spain, Italy, or a half-dozen other countries. /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}

"Think of it as greener, more sustainable skincare." After all, says Solazyme Chief Scientist Anna Coragliotti, "Algae are survivors."

And Solazymepublicly traded, by the way, under the ticker symbol SZYMknows what to do with it.

"Cellular rejuvenation benefits to the skin, hydration benefits to the skin,” Algenist VP of marketing Tania Toubba said. “You're gonna get anti-aging products that really work."

The future? Look for algae-based food to come from Solazyme. They're cooking some up in their South San Francisco lab now. Lots of products will likely come from algae ... Let's just hope we don't accidentally confuse them.

Sephora’s new line of Algenist anti-aging products go on sale at Sephora stores Thursday.

 Scott Budman is on Twitter: @scottbudman

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