How Eclo formulates supplements: actives, excipients, capsules and level of evidence

Eclo standard

Identity · dose · evidence · formulation

3 stepsidentity → dose → evidence

In brief. A formula should not be judged by the maximum number of actives, the biggest total milligram count, or the absence of an ever-longer list of “forbidden” ingredients. Eclo’s method aims to connect a formulation question with identifiable raw materials, understandable doses, an explicit level of evidence, a regulatory framework and a practical dosage form. Transparency also means saying when evidence concerns an ingredient — not the final formula.

1. Start with a question, not a catalogue of ingredients

The first step is defining the formulation question: skin hydration and barrier, extracellular matrix, radiance, fatigue or broader balance, for example. This helps avoid stacking actives simply because they are fashionable.

Biology then helps identify relevant ingredient families. It is not evidence of efficacy: a plausible mechanism must remain separate from human outcomes actually observed.

2. Identify each raw material precisely

Two ingredients with the same generic name can still be different. For a botanical extract, plant part, process and standardization matter. For a mineral, chemical form and elemental dose matter. For hyaluronic acid, raw-material characteristics matter. For a branded ingredient, specifications can sometimes connect the formula to a study conducted on that exact material.

Eclo therefore documents, where relevant, the brand or technology: ExceptionHYAL® Star, Céramosides™, SkinAx²™, Reggenerate™, Quatrefolic®, Quali®-C or TRAACS® / Albion®.

A branded ingredient is not automatically superior. Its methodological value lies mainly in traceability, specifications and the ability to verify that the material used matches the material studied.

3. Choose a dose that can be explained

A dose should not be chosen simply to produce the largest possible number on a label. Depending on the ingredient, the reference may be a dose used in a clinical trial, a raw-material specification, a regulated nutritional contribution or a combination of these factors.

Eclo distinguishes raw-material weight, elemental mineral dose, botanical-extract dose, standardized-marker content, % NRV and the dose actually tested in a study.

This prevents, for example, “562.5 mg of magnesium bisglycinate providing 56.25 mg of elemental magnesium” from becoming “562.5 mg of magnesium”.

4. Rank evidence instead of adding it together

Level	What it means	What it does not mean
Authorized regulatory claim	A nutritional function may be communicated under the conditions provided by European law	It is not a clinical trial of the product
Published study on the ingredient	An accessible scientific article studies the identified ingredient	The result does not automatically transfer to another raw material
Proprietary study on the ingredient	The supplier has data on its raw material	It does not offer the same verifiability as a complete peer-reviewed publication
Mechanism / preclinical	Biology supports a formulation hypothesis	The mechanism alone does not demonstrate a human benefit
Study on the finished Eclo product	The final product has been tested as sold	This level must never be created simply by adding ingredient studies together

5. Check the identity match between the study and the product

A study on affron® does not automatically document another saffron extract at the same dose. A trial on a proprietary water-soluble CoQ10 at 50 or 150 mg does not demonstrate the same result for 30 mg of ubiquinone. Conversely, when a study uses ExceptionHYAL® Star at 200 mg and the product provides 200 mg of that ingredient, the match is stronger — while still remaining an ingredient study.

6. Use nutrients with their exact regulatory role

Vitamins and minerals may have authorized health claims in the European Union when the conditions are met. Eclo prefers a precise authorized function to a marketing extrapolation from a mechanism.

For example, vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of skin when conditions of use are met. That does not mean a supplement “makes collagen” without limit, or that twice the dose produces twice the effect.

7. Excipients and capsules: what are they for?

A capsule cannot always consist only of the highlighted actives. Excipients may be needed for filling, homogeneity, stability or manufacturing. An HPMC capsule shell is a cellulosic support; plant fibres or powders may be used as formulation aids depending on the product.

The presence of an excipient is not, by itself, a defect. Its absence does not prove it would be dangerous either. Eclo avoids fear-based logic that defines quality only through a long “free-from” list.

8. Animal origin, plant origin and vegan status: three pieces of information not to mix up

The capsule material and the origin of the active ingredient are different things. An HPMC shell can be cellulosic while the formula contains an animal-derived active. Reggenerate™, for example, comes from eggshell membrane: a product containing it is therefore not vegan, even if the capsule shell is plant-based. The presence of an egg-derived ingredient must also remain consistent with the product’s allergen information.

This distinction avoids a frequent confusion between “plant-based capsule”, “vegetarian formula” and “vegan formula”.

9. Why is “clean” not a level of evidence?

“Clean” is not a harmonized scientific category that automatically ranks safety or efficacy. A natural raw material can be poorly documented; a synthesized compound can be thoroughly characterized. Quality is better assessed through identity, specifications, purity, control, dose, stability, compliance and available evidence.

10. Formulate to be taken, not only photographed

Number of capsules, size, smell, taste, timing, tolerability and regular use are part of real product design. A theoretically impressive formula that is difficult to take every day can lose practical relevance.

11. Keep sustainability and efficacy separate

Eclo may choose an upcycled ingredient, such as eggshell membrane recovered from a co-product. That is information about sourcing and circularity. It should not become clinical evidence: an ingredient is not more effective because it is more circular. Sustainability, analytical quality and efficacy are separate dimensions.

12. Do not promise more than the data show

If a study measures hydration, it does not automatically prove firmness. If it lasts eight weeks, it does not prove an effect in 48 hours. If it is conducted in a defined population, it does not automatically document every population. If it uses a proprietary ingredient, it does not document every ingredient in the same family.

13. Review the literature over time

The level of evidence is not fixed. A new publication can strengthen a hypothesis, clarify a population, show no effect on an endpoint or change the interpretation of earlier studies. Eclo science dossiers therefore include a last-review date.

14. Separate the science dossier from the quality dossier

A science page does not replace raw-material specifications, a certificate of analysis, batch-release controls or the regulatory product label. These documents answer different questions.

The science dossier helps explain plausibility, studies and their limitations.
The quality dossier documents, among other things, identity, specifications and controls of the product or raw materials.
The current label remains the reference for composition, allergens, precautions and conditions of use of the product sold.

15. Do not confuse ingredient evidence with compliance of a claim

A positive clinical trial does not automatically authorize any commercial wording. In Europe, nutrition and health claims follow their own regulatory framework. Conversely, an authorized nutrient claim is not evidence that the complete formula has been clinically tested.

The four final questions before selecting an active

Do we know exactly what it is? Identity, origin, form, standardization.
Do we know exactly how much we use? Actual dose and relevant unit.
Do we know exactly what was studied? Ingredient, population, duration, endpoints, comparator.
Do we know exactly what we can legitimately communicate? Available evidence and regulatory framework.

What this method does not claim

It does not turn every ingredient into a “clinically proven” active.
It does not assume a patented ingredient is automatically better.
It does not assume natural means automatically safer or more effective.
It does not confuse a supplier study with an accessible scientific publication.
It does not present a collection of ingredient studies as a trial of the final formula.
It does not replace quality controls or the regulatory product label.

Frequently asked questions

Does Eclo consider a branded ingredient automatically better?

No. A raw-material brand can improve traceability and the match with a study. It is not evidence of superiority by itself.

Do more actives mean a better formula?

No. Identity, dose, compatibility, tolerability, stability and level of evidence matter more than the simple number of ingredients.

Does a plant-based capsule make the product vegan?

No. Status depends on the whole formula. An HPMC shell can be plant-based while an active such as Reggenerate™ comes from eggshell membrane.

Does Eclo present ingredient studies as studies of finished products?

No. The editorial standard explicitly aims to preserve this distinction. A finished-product study is claimed only when the final formula itself has been tested.

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