Algae-derived polysaccharide in powder form for sensitive skin: New launch by DIC
Last update on Jun 29, 2026
Cosmetics formulators working on sensitive-skin and clean beauty products have a new powdered material to evaluate. DIC Corporation has developed SACRANEX™ Powder, a new powdered form intended primarily for skincare.
According to DIC, the product is a modified version of the high-molecular-weight polysaccharide SACRANEX™, extracted from indoor-cultivated Suizenji nori (scientific name: Aphanothece sacrum), a freshwater blue-green algae indigenous to Japan.
Delivers moisture-retention properties & protects skin from external stimuli
According to the company, SACRANEX™ Powder provides cosmetics manufacturers with this high-performance algae-derived material in a more user-friendly form, helping to address the growing demand for formulations for sensitive skin and for clean beauty products, as well as to reduce environmental impact during transportation. Global sales are scheduled to begin this month.
SACRANEX™ is a high-molecular-weight polysaccharide derived from Suizenji nori, an edible freshwater blue-green algae indigenous to Japan that is commercially cultivated indoors. According to DIC, the company drew on algae cultivation and functional extraction technologies developed over half a century in its Spirulina business to establish what it describes as the world's first indoor mass cultivation process for Suizenji nori, used in producing SACRANEX™.
DIC reports that this process made it possible to ensure stable supplies of rare Suizenji nori extracts while contributing to the protection of local ecosystems and biodiversity. The supplier reports that SACRANEX™ delivers moisture-retention properties and protects the skin from external stimuli that can lead to issues such as dryness and roughness.
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DIC notes that the cosmetics industry has shown increased demand in recent years for greater workability in compounding and improved handling during processing. To meet these needs, the company developed SACRANEX™ Powder, a powder form that, according to DIC, capitalizes on the performance characteristics of the original microfiber-form SACRANEX™. Compared with its predecessor, DIC reports that SACRANEX™ Powder increases flexibility in formulation design, allowing you to create a wider variety of products.
With the launch of SACRANEX™ Powder, scheduled for June 2026, DIC aims to expand the range of applications for SACRANEX™ in cosmetics products, particularly skincare, and to reinforce its ability to offer solutions to an expanded customer base.
SACRANEX™ Powder was presented in March this year at PCHi 2026, a personal care and homecare ingredients exhibition in the People's Republic of China (PRC), through local sales partner DKSH Performance Materials China Ltd. There, it won a Silver Award in the Moisturizing/Hydrating category at the 2026 PCHi Fountain Awards, which DIC attributes to the material's functionality. DIC states that it intends to build on this accolade to increase brand awareness and promote the adoption of SACRANEX™ Powder in markets around the world, including the PRC.
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