Throughout 2024 we have seen an increased interest from consumers in luxury body care – formulas that go beyond just standard moisturising and feel amazing during and after application. As this trend will continue into 2025, lets look at what it takes to create luxe body care formulas…

Luxe body care starts with a gentler, more hydrating clean

Many luxe body care ranges start with a cleansing product with mildness claims beyond just the foaming agents. Gentle body wash products can include:

• micellar body wash formulas: use low inputs of non-ionic surfactants to provide just enough foam to give a luxe-feeling clean, without leaving the skin feeling stripped of its natural oil balance. Non-ionic surfactant inputs can be as low as 3%w/w active content and work particularly well in self-foaming dispensers.
• oil-to-milk and oil-to-foam formulas: oil-to-milk and oil-to-foam formulas both need special materials, such as Sucragel and Micromulse foam (both from Alchemy ingredients) used at 25-30%w/w to come together. These innovative functional ingredients enable the rest of the formula to use oil-based ingredients and yet still wash from the skin without an oily residue.
• foaming shower oil formulas: these cleansing formulas use a super fatting agent at a much higher input than normal (around 12-15%w/w) to provide a very mild, moisturising clean and creamy foam, along with a primary surfactant and matching input of lipids.

With these types of cleansing formulas, the skin already feels more hydrated and smoother than using traditionally built high-foaming body wash, for a more sensorially pleasing feel.

Proven hydration and elegant sensory essential in luxe body care formulas

Standard body lotion formulas use between 7-9%w/w lipid input, but that is not enough to meet the desired results of luxury lotion formulas. Not only is a higher lipid input needed – usually around 9-12%w/w – but the choice of lipids is incredibly important. They should be sustainable, ethically sourced plant oils, usually of an exotic or at least widely popular variety, with nutrient benefits to support skin hydration and repair. The combination of oils used must also provide a sensorial delight and leave the skin feeling soft and silky but never greasy.

In addition, the choice of emulsifiers used is incredibly important. Emulsifiers used in luxury body care should not only boost the stability of the formula, but its sensory aspects as well. It is an added boost if they can support the product story with clinically proven hydration.

Emulsifiers that can provide a boost to the product story or lasting hydration are many and varied; speak with your suppliers to find out about their product offerings. Some of the more interesting inclusions are the EmulsiPure range by AE Chemie, where plant derived emulsifiers are paired with various types of plant derivatives (for example, hemp oil, marula oil and green coffee extract, to name a few), for additional plant-based benefits. The Emulium range by Gattefosse contains a variety of choices all with the focus being on the sensory profile of the finished emulsion. Lucas Meyer also has a range of lecithin-based emulsifiers with varying sensory profiles, such as their Heliosoft, Heliofeel and Biophilic ranges. See how lecithin can improve the skin feel of your emulsions in this video.

Body care formulas get active

There is an ever-growing trend towards wanting ‘more’ from body care formulas these days. Lasting hydration is expected, but even more than that now: consumers are looking for their body care formulas to address very specific skin conditions and needs.

One example is to repair UV damage. Some great ingredient additions for this specific concern include vitamin B3, ectoin, beta-glucan and anti-oxidant rich extracts. More advanced actives include Repair Complex CLR (CLR Chemisches Laboratorium) and Gatuline Skin-Repair (Gattefosse). Sun protection is also an increasing trend to stop the damage in the first place – non-greasy, long wearing SPF50 body care is essential these days when facing the environment.

Another rapidly growing trend is for anti-acne and keratolytic performance. Alpha- and beta-hydroxy acids were normally only used in facial care but have now been found in an increasing number of body care formulas. These may be in a cleansing or exfoliating form, and may also be included in leave-on lotion formulas for lasting activity as well.

Last but by no means least are skin rejuvenation and hyperpigmentation actives. We’re seeing active ingredients traditionally used in face creams now appearing as hero ingredients in body care. Look for actives that have particular activity on age spots and skin-firming when adding to your body care formulas. Investigate Delentigo (Mibelle AG Biochemistry), Wakamine (Givaudan Active Beauty) and Gatuline Spot-Light (Gattefosse) for use in body care products intended to lighten age spots specifically.

For skin firming, try Gatuline In-Tense (Gattefosse), Slimming Factor Karkade (Lipoid Kosmetik), Asiaticoside (Seppic), Regu-Slim (dsm-firmenich), Sculptessence (Lucas Meyer Cosmetics) and Zirhafirm (Provital). Check out this video for more body firming formula ideas and this anti-cellulite cream for more actives with body smoothing efficacy data.

Add a touch of shimmer…

Depending on who your body lotion formula is for, a touch of shimmer can give additional effects. We’re not talking a party-level input, but instead, a subtle shimmer that adds to the appeal of a product. For Asian skin types, a pearly effect is highly desirable; for Caucasian skin types, a gentle glow. All skin types look healthier when more supple, so when hydrated and a very small input of effects pigment is present, it can give the final formula a little something more.

Aromatic appeal important too

As with all body care, the way it smells is incredibly important. The aroma of a product formula is not only the first thing noticed by most consumers, it can also be a lasting reminder of why they love their luxury skin care. Just remember when formulating luxe, the aromatic profile needs to match the target market very closely and is generally more complex than budget body care. Speak with your fragrance supplier for highly substantive materials and test your intended aromas on your target market to make sure it’s as desirable as the rest of the product formula so that they want to wear it every day.

With such a wide and diverse market of users, luxury body care is growing rapidly. Make your next body care formulas luxe with these formulation tips to meet the demand for this booming product category.

Happy formulating!

Feeling inspired?

Then why not visit one of the in-cosmetics events around the world?

BROWSE SHOWS

Attendees seeking clean beauty solutions lead the fore at this year’s in-cosmetics Global

22 February 2023: Ingredients that respond to the clean beauty trend will take centre stage at this year’s in-cosmetics Global. The sector ranks as a clear favourite among cosmetic manufacturers and R&D specialists, with two-thirds (65%) of the top product views responding to this growing beauty trend, according to product directory searches.

Anticipated to grow at a robust CAGR of 40.1%, the global clean beauty market is expected to reach $37.65 billion by 2028 . It has rapidly gained momentum as conscious consumers look for products made from ingredients that are safe, non-toxic and have the lowest possible impact on the environment. Far from a new trend, sustainable beauty and wellbeing have been on the rise over the past few years, with the Soil Association Certification declaring 2022 as its 11th consecutive year of growth based on the progression of certified organic beauty and wellbeing products.

The Association’s Organic Beauty and Wellbeing Market Report revealed that nearly half (48%) of consumers are now more concerned about the environment than prior to the pandemic and 55% are more likely to purchase environmentally friendly products .

Other notable trends making it to the top of attendees ‘must-sees’ at this year’s event include personalisation (25%), while wellbeing and CBD share the third spot, with 15% of the top product views.

Ingredient Innovation

Among the exhibitors unveiling trending ingredients at this year’s event, Active Concepts S.r.L will respond to two of this year’s biggest trends – clean beauty and CBD. Its 20829-ProCutiGen® Bond is a lipopeptide derived from chia seeds. It can be utilised for hair strength and protection thanks to its rich source of protein, helping to prime hair cuticles and prevent damage, ideal for chemically treated hair.

It will also highlight its AC Hemp Oil Liposome PF, which capitalises on the potent anti-inflammatory benefits associated with hemp oil and CBD. It uses encapsulation technology to enhance activity and stability, while the inhibition of Interleukin-6 activity is thought to alleviate the chronic inflammatory process, which is linked to skin ageing.

Fellow exhibitor, Laboratoires Expanscience will demonstrate its skin and hair sebum regulator, made from upcycled avocados. 5α-Avocuta® T is an oil-based natural active ingredient that helps regulate sebum secretion by inhibiting 5 α-reductase activity. In a haircare application, it is proven to reduce dandruff by 67%, and greasy hair appearance by 78% in just three weeks. When used in skincare, it can reduce the greasy appearance of the T-zone by 78% .

Microcaps will introduce attendees to its novel microencapsulation technique which enables the
fabrication of highly uniform and microplastic-free beads to enhance the sensory and visual qualities of cosmetic products and to deliver water and oil-based actives. Selco Wirkstoffe Vertriebs GmbH will profile its 18-ß-Glycyrrhetic acid, which is obtained by hydrolysis of Glycyrrhicinate from the roots of Liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra). It will also welcome attendees to see and try Bromelain (100), a natural plant protease that is derived from pineapple strains.

Discover the latest ingredient launches

Taking place at the Fira Barcelona Gran Via from 28-30 March 2023 – the first time back in the Catalonia capital since 2015 – more than 800 leading personal care ingredient suppliers are anticipated to showcase the latest ingredient suppliers. Among them, 80% of the top 20 global cosmetics ingredient suppliers will be in attendance. This includes BASF, Croda, Ashland, Solvay, Clariant, Momentive, Evonik, Lubrizol, Nouryon, Arxada (formerly Lonza Specialty Ingredients), Stepan Europe, Wacker, Shin-Etsu, Roquette, DSM and Symrise. Meanwhile, over 140 new exhibitors will exhibit for the first time, including AntalGenics, Cellugy ApS, Escruder, Innomost and Sequential Bio.

Roziani Zulkifli, Event Director, in-cosmetics Global, said: “With a growing emphasis on sustainability and the continued efforts of consumers to make more conscious choices of the products they consume and dispose of, it is unsurprising that clean beauty continues to dominate. And, with more than 400 exhibitors confirmed to showcase ingredients that respond to the clean beauty movement, we have no doubt that attendees will leave this year’s in-cosmetics Global with an abundance of ideas and ingredients that meet this ever-growing trend.”

in-cosmetics Global returns from 28-30 March 2023 at the Fira Barcelona Gran Via Conference Centre. For more information and to register to attend, visit the website. 

For more information on this year’s exhibitors, visit the Exhibitor Directory

Is finding the right cosmetic ingredients a challenge? See how easy we make it. Start your search with in-cosmetics Discover, powered by Covalo.

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Feeling inspired to see ingredients and trends in action?

Then why not visit one of the in-cosmetics events around the world?

BROWSE SHOWS

Cosmetics Business’ Julia Wray explains why algae is the source of the
hottest new cosmetic ingredients.

The group called algae includes some of the most primitive life on planet earth, covering a vast swathe of species, from the slick of slime on a wet rock to majestic 30m-tall giant kelp, whose ‘forests’ provide essential marine ecosystems.

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This diverse group of organisms has long been utilised by humans for food, medicine, fertiliser and industrial products – and the beauty industry is no stranger to the power of the slippery stuff.

Not only are algae generally packed with vitamins and minerals, amino acids and micro-nutrients, but they also boast good sustainability credentials. Photobioreactor-grown microalgae in particular have a great environmental profile, as they may be mass produced in a sustainable way without altering the ecosystem.

It’s little wonder that algae are having a ‘moment’ in beauty. According to forecaster WGSN, coastal-foraged ingredients are a hotly tipped trend for 2022, with skin care and personal care products that include seaweed extracts, kelp, sea fennel and algae tipped to become mainstream must-haves.

The ingredient edit

But what is out there, ingredient wise, for cosmetics makers to take advantage of?

Microalgae specialist Algaktiv offers Algaktiv UpLift, a purified fraction of barrier polysaccharides, designed to lift, tighten and firm the face and body, which upcycles previously discarded material from the process used by Algaktiv’s sister company Algalíf to obtain nutritional astaxanthin. The product is derived from the polysaccharide-rich cell walls of ‘stressed’ Haematococcus pluvialis microalgae, native to Iceland.

From Laboratoires Expanscience there is Algaenia, a soothing active skin care ingredient inspired by one of the least hospitable environments on earth. Algaenia is produced from Chlamydomonas acidophila, a microalgae originally found in extremely acidic waters in volcano’s crater lakes. This protects sensitive skins from overreacting to chemical stresses by inhibiting the key markers involved in inflammation.

Snow Algae Powder is an active skin care ingredient from Mibelle Biochemistry derived from the Alpine-dwelling Coenochloris signiensis microalgae. It works by stimulating the Klotho longevity gene and the AMPK energy sensor that together lead to improved cellular defences, oxidative stress resistance, cell detoxification and repair to slow down the skin’s ageing process.

For scalp and hair care, meanwhile, Lubrizol Life Science’s AlgaPūr High Stability High Oleic (HSHO) algae oil comes from microalgae sourced from tree sap. The bio-oil contains over 90% of omega 9 in a highly-stable, liquid-based formula that is said to protect the hair fibre from breakage.

For another good sustainability story, Clariant’s Epseama is upcycled from seaweeds that are not considered ‘good looking’ enough to be used as premium food products, but which still have a valuable composition. The Laminaria japonica-based product is said to address the three main causes of ageing – chronoageing, inflamm’ageing and photoageing – to reduce wrinkles, improve moisturisation and reduce spots on mature skin.

BASF’s Seanactiv, meanwhile, harnesses Fucus vesiculosus fucoidan to limit visible signs of ageing and fatigue around the eye area. Due to tidal activity, Fucus vesiculosus spends equal amounts of time underwater as it does on rock or sand, making it resistant to different conditions and temperature variations.

I certainly look forward to seeing what other algae-derived and inspired ingredients are due to launch at in-cosmetics Global 2022.

For more ‘blue beauty’ ingredients and information on other novel cosmetic materials, visit www.cosmeticsbusiness.com

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Watch five new cosmetics ingredients get put to the test. This time, Belinda Carli of The Institute of Personal Care Science trials:

1. Prestige Silver Glam and Silver Glow – Sudarshan

2. Chione Electric Sunset – BASF

3. EPS Seaglow – Codif

4. LipoFullereneN – Vitamin C60 BioResearch Corporation

5. Wonderage – Provital

Request your samples today and power your next formulations with the latest ingredients on the market.

Find out about other recent innovations in episode 5.

Watch five new cosmetics ingredients get put to the test. This time, Belinda Carli of The Institute of Personal Care Science trials:

1. Vercare Ellegant – Jover

2. Amihope LL – Ajinomoto

3. Biollagen Collagen Balls – Jiangsu Jland Biotech

4. Seapur – Codif

5. Nightessence Biofunctional – Ashland

Request your samples today and power your formulations with the latest ingredients on the market.

Find out about other recent innovations in episode 4.

In this fourth edition, Belinda Carli of The Institute of Personal Care Science puts five more new ingredients into action including:

Cloisonné Vibrant Raspberry F90H from BASF

Deobiome Noni from Vytrus Biotech

SymEffect Sun from Symrise

Syn-Glow from DSM

Jade Alga from Odycea

Be inspired by the latest raw materials featured in our episode, and start requesting your samples as you discover the next star ingredient for your products.

Catch up with epsiode 3

Power your personal care formulations, as Belinda Carli puts five more new ingredients into action including:

1. Oleasurf ML10 from Oleon
2. Ocean DerMX Lift & Firm from Organic Bioactives Ltd
3. Infini’tea from Ashland
4. PhytoCodine from Lipoid Kosmetik
5. Number 6 from Laboratories Expanscience

Be inspired by the latest raw materials featured in this third episode, and start requesting your samples as you discover the next star ingredient for your products.

Catch up on the second Ingredients in Action episode now.

In the second episode of Ingredients in Action, Belinda Carli of the Institute of Personal Care Science puts five more new and innovative raw materials to the test.

Get the information you need to know to make the right decisions for your formulations, as Belinda gives you her authentic and independent take on:

1. TEGORemo 95 MB from Evonik
2. Vitacel CS 300 Soft from J Rettenmaier & Sohne
3. StarDesign Power from Cargill
4. Bicoalgae Omega-3 from Bicosome
5. Reneseed from LipoTrue

Mark ingredients in action as your new starting point to source your new personal care ingredients .

Catch up and watch the first episode of Ingredients in Action now.

Inspired by our Innovation Zone, watch Belinda Carli, Director at The Institute of Personal Care Science, showcase the latest personal care ingredients launches in our brand new Ingredients in action Series. In the debut edition, Belinda introduces five, innovative, new products and demonstrates the materials in action so you can see first-hand how to use them in various formulations.

Belinda talks about the science and technology behind each personal care ingredient. Watch her put the following ingredients into action; InnovaBioTech Haberlea, PolyFructol Plus, K-Phyto [SC] Camellia, Akosky Kiss, and Natpure XFine Potato.

Discover the application benefits of each raw material in this independent review, curated to give you the real insights you need to both power your formulations and get ahead of the competition. Belinda cuts through the noise and provides you with the perfect start point to source your new personal care ingredients in 2020 and beyond.

Feeling inspired? Discover other new launches to inspire your next cosmetic creation in our Innovation Zone digest