Article by Kezzia, Founder of Incicellar – as featured in Issue 10 of Beauty Folio Magazine
When I think of papaya, I instantly think of summer and tropical fruits, hot days spent enjoying juicy slices of papaya, mango and watermelon in the sunshine. But papaya has so much more to offer than its delicious flavour.
For those who don’t know, papaya contains a natural enzyme called papain. In the beauty industry, papain is well known for its gentle exfoliating properties. It works by breaking down proteins, specifically keratin, found in dead skin cells on the surface of the skin. In simple terms, it helps dissolve the “glue” that holds these cells together, allowing them to be shed more easily and revealing brighter, smoother looking skin underneath.
This gentle exfoliating action can help improve rough skin texture, soften the appearance of fine lines and help keep pores clear, without the abrasive friction associated with physical scrubs. By lifting away dull, compacted skin cells and encouraging natural cell turnover, papain can also contribute to a more radiant complexion and help improve the appearance of uneven skin tone over time.
Another benefit of exfoliation is that it removes the barrier created by accumulated dead skin cells, allowing serums, oils and moisturisers to penetrate more effectively and make better contact with the skin.
At Incicellar, we stock an oil soluble version of papaya enzyme, which opens up exciting possibilities for formulators. While many enzymes are designed for water based products, oil soluble papain can be incorporated into cleansing oils, balms, facial oils and other anhydrous formulations.
This ingredient is particularly special to me. When I had my skincare brand, Leonie Botanics, I used this beautiful ingredient in my award winning Luminosity Oil to Milk Enzyme Cleanser. The cleanser went on to receive a Gold Award in 2024 at the Free From Skincare Awards, so when I launched Incicellar, this ingredient was naturally at the top of my list of ingredients to stock. I loved working with it as a formulator and seeing what it could bring to a finished product.
Being able to offer it to fellow formulators through Incicellar feels like a full circle moment. Whether you’re developing a luxurious cleansing oil, a treatment balm or an innovative facial oil, oil soluble papaya enzyme offers a unique way to bring gentle exfoliation into oil based formulations.
And for consumers looking for papaya enzyme in their skincare, it’s an ingredient worth keeping an eye out for. Its gentle exfoliating properties can help leave skin looking brighter, smoother and more radiant, without the harshness often associated with physical scrubs, strong chemical treatments or higher strength acids, which can cause irritation or sensitivity for some people.
While everyone’s skin is different, papaya enzyme is often appreciated as a gentler approach to exfoliation, helping to reveal a fresher, more radiant looking complexion.
Thank you to Kezzia for this wonderful article about papaya enzyme. You can find more about Incicellar’s extensive ingredient range on their website, and get 15% off with the code BEAUTYFOLIO15.
You can find this article, along with my recommedations, in the latest issue of Beauty Folio Magazine here.
Calling all formulators – Have you seen our giveway on Instagram and Facebook?
We’ve teamed up with Incicellar to offer one lucky formulator the chance of winning a £50 Gift Card to spend on beauty ingredients!
Beauty Folio 