Results of a new study show that Elissara, a nutricosmetic by Monteloeder, SL, a subsidiary of SuanNutra, SA, exhibits multifactorial activity associated with healthy hair growth and hair follicle function. The four-botanical polyphenol-enriched ingredient demonstrated support of hair follicle function and hair resilience.
Hair appearance, and particularly hair loss, is a major concern affecting millions of men and women worldwide and has a substantial impact on self-esteem and social confidence.
“Consumers are increasingly concerned about their hair’s appearance and are seeking natural, science-backed solutions that support hair vitality,” explains Mariana Ortega, Science Marketing Manager for SuanNutra. “Supplement brands are responding to the growing demand for hair health solutions. The category is evolving from multivitamins targeting hair, skin, and nails toward more advanced, targeted products. We empower supplement brands with a complete beauty-from-within toolkit, enabling them to develop next-generation solutions that complement consumers’ healthy lifestyles and go beyond topical care.”
“Elissara is a great example of Visible Radiance, our branded beauty-from-within line. “This science-driven platform is designed as a ‘plug-in’ line for beauty brands,” adds Ortega.
Elissara is a proprietary combination of four herbs formulated to work together to support the scalp’s environment for more vibrant and healthier-looking hair. It includes standardized extracts of lemon verbena (Lippia citriodora), olive leaf (Olea europaea), Japanese pagoda tree (Styphnolobium japonicum), and rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis).
The preparation delivers a specific fingerprint of bioactive compounds, including: verbascoside, oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol, quercetin, and rosemary-derived diterpenes (carnosol and carnosic acid). Together, these phenolic compounds provide a broad spectrum of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity
This three-pronged preclinical trial, published in the August 2026 issue of the journal Biomolecules, involved laboratory assessments of human dermal papilla cells and scalp tissue samples exposed to environmental stressors such as pollution and UV light. Results showed that Elissara influenced multiple biological pathways associated with healthy follicle function and the hair growth cycle. In human dermal papilla cells, Elissara increased cell proliferation to approximately 2.5 times that of untreated controls.
Elissara increased both collagen and signaling proteins associated with healthy hair-follicle function, including markers involved in cell proliferation, structural support and follicular signalling in human scalp explants. Elissara was shown to help preserve growth-signalling IGF-1 protein levels important for hair-follicle development under environmental stress as well as reduce markers of oxidative damage, in scalp tissue exposed to PM2.5 pollution and UVA-induced environmental stress.
