Amorepacific, the K-beauty company, is stepping up its research into microorganisms for use in personal care with the opening of its Green Tea Probiotics Research Center.
The new centre will expand on the company's research into Lactobacillus, which it discovered is present in organic green tea, and its benefits for cosmetics, health care and other applications.
According to Amorepacific, its R&D team has been studying green tea since the 1980s, and in 2010 discovered a new green tea probiotic strain from leaves grown organically on South Korea's Jeju Island.
The newly discovered probiotic strain was found to have strong antibacterial properties, decrease inflammation in the stomach and to survive and persist better in the intestinal tract, according to the company's research.
As well as continuing to harness the benefits of this green tea strain, Amorepacific said it will also use the new center to expand its research into microbiomes, studying the microorganisms that live on the human body to help it develop more effective personal care products.
The new facility is part of Amorepacific's ongoing efforts to ramp up its R&D capabilities, following the opening of its Anti-Pollution Research Center and Sulwhasoo Herbal Medicinal Science Research Center in 2019.
Today, the company has a portfolio of more than 30 cosmetics, personal care and health care brands including Sulwhasoo, Laneige, Etude House and innisfree.