ISP INVESTMENTS LLC; THE BURT’S BEES PRODUCTS COMPANY has secured a major milestone in natural medicine with a newly patented skin care composition for anti-aging. This innovation focuses on their recent patent, titled ‘Skin care compositions comprising synergistic blend of sacred lotus and tea plant or sacred lotus and German Chamomile and cosmetic applications thereof’. The patent describes a targeted formulation designed to combat skin aging utilizing a physiologically acceptable medium and precise botanical ratios.

An Outstanding Invention in Natural Medicine

Because of its highly innovative approach to botanical anti-aging solutions, this patent was awarded Swanson Reed’s Patent of the Month for January 2026. It stands out as an outstanding invention in the Natural Medicine industry, pushing the boundaries of how natural serums can be combined for maximized efficacy.

Patent Abstract

The present invention is related to a skin care composition comprising (1) a physiologically acceptable medium and (2) a synergistic composition consisting of: a blend of a Nelumbo nucifera (Sacred Lotus) serum fraction and a Camellia sinensis (Tea) serum fraction in a respective weight ratio of 75:25; or a blend of a Nelumbo nucifera (Sacred Lotus) serum fraction and a Chamomilla recutita (German chamomile) serum fraction in a respective weight ratio of 75:25. The invention also relates to a method for improving skin appearance associated with skin aging comprising applying compositions thereof.

Meeting U.S. R&D Tax Credit Rules (The Four-Part Test)

The research and development behind this patent strongly aligns with the IRS’s four-part test for the U.S. R&D Tax Credit. Here is how the invention meets the criteria:

• Permitted Purpose: The objective was to create a new or fundamentally improved product—specifically, a more effective anti-aging skin care formulation using botanical extracts.
• Elimination of Uncertainty: The developers faced technical uncertainty regarding the exact ratios needed to achieve a synergistic (rather than merely additive) effect between the sacred lotus and the tea/chamomile extracts.
• Process of Experimentation: The researchers systematically evaluated alternatives, tested various weight ratios (arriving at 75:25), and measured the biological response on skin to validate their hypothesis.
• Technological in Nature: The development process relies on principles of the hard sciences, specifically organic chemistry, biology, and dermatology.

3 Practical Applications Qualifying for R&D Tax Credits

1. Formulation Stability Testing: Conducting iterative chemical and physical testing to ensure the 75:25 serum fractions remain stable, avoid phase separation, and maintain their active properties when suspended in various consumer-ready mediums (creams, lotions, serums) over time.
2. Clinical Efficacy Trials: Designing and executing clinical trials on human subjects to quantitatively measure the specific “synergistic” improvements in skin appearance (e.g., assessing reductions in wrinkle depth, increases in elasticity, or hydration levels) to substantiate the patent’s claims.
3. Extraction and Scaling Optimization: Developing, testing, and refining scalable extraction methodologies to isolate the necessary active serum fractions from Nelumbo nucifera, Camellia sinensis, and Chamomilla recutita, ensuring high yield and purity while transitioning from the lab to mass production.