Featured | in-cosmetics Connect

From byproducts to beauty: Mastering the journey of upcycling

in-cosmetics Group — Mon, 17 Feb 2025 08:45:54 +0000

(Sponsored Content)

At Gaia Tech, our mission is to transform agrifood byproducts into high-value ingredients. In collaboration with cosmetic brands, manufacturers, and distributors, we address the growing demand for sustainable and effective raw materials in the cosmetic industry.

From Research to Market: Gaia Tech’s Approach to Industry Challenges

Initially, we developed a methodology to transform olive oil production sidestreams into high quality ingredients:

Phenoliva Active: Derived from olive pomace, this antioxidant extract is rich in hydroxytyrosol, a bioactive compound known for its anti-aging or soothing properties. Comprehensive testing has been conducted on its composition, toxicology, and stability, including final formulation examples. Clinical studies are currently ongoing and data is available upon request.
Phenoliva CleanChar: An activated olive biochar initially developed as a detoxifying agent for face masks, the powder has since gained interest as a pigment. Compositional and toxicology data is available, as well as formulation examples like beauty mask and mascara.

One of the significant challenges in promoting upcycled ingredients is ensuring they match the performance of conventional materials. For Phenoliva Active, overcoming the hurdles of color and odor standards was crucial. We are tackling these challenges using advanced filtration and encapsulation technologies to optimize these organoleptic properties. In the process of refining and customizing ingredients, various industry partners have underscored our ability to meet high-performance benchmarks, and praised Gaia Tech’s antioxidant technology as “the best they have tested so far”.

Upcycling Innovation: A Proven Process Tailored to Cosmetics

Building on our proven process to develop upcycled ingredients – from sourcing raw materials and conducting compositional analysis, to pilot production trials and forecasting production capacity – we expand this approach to other valuables sources of natural ingredients like apple pomace or grape marc. We offer two types of collaborations to partners:

Upcycled Ingredients: The olive-based ingredients are available in small quantities.
Development Services: Ready to partner up to bring innovative ingredients to the market.

We already started looking into a number of local and international sidestreams for new ingredients. Let us know what function you are looking for to develop innovations.

Looking Ahead: A Suitable Partner For Upcycled Ingredients

Gaia Tech provides expertise in raw material sourcing, chemical extraction and analysis, prototype production and formulation, engineering design and upscale preparation. With fully equipped laboratories and state-of-the-art pilot production facilities in Bern and Monaco, we are uniquely positioned to collaborate with cosmetic brands, manufacturers, and distributors seeking to expand their upcycled ingredient and product portfolios.

Are you curious about the ingredients we are working on and their transformative effects on final products? Visit us at In-Cosmetics booth 12C07, explore our offerings at www.gaiatech.ch, or reach out directly at hello@gaiatech.ch.

About the Authors:

Teresa González de Chávez Capilla Phd

Teresa González de Chávez Capilla earned a PhD in Environmental and Bioanalytical Chemistry. As a Senior Scientist with 10+ years of experience, she is specializing in chemical analysis and extraction. She is also experienced in formulating personal care products.

Samuel Bühlmann

Samuel Bühlmann holds a Master’s degree in Business Information Systems and has a track record of working with startups across various sectors. In 2023, he joined Gaia Tech as a co-founder, where he currently leads the communication and business development initiatives.

The post From byproducts to beauty: Mastering the journey of upcycling first appeared on in-cosmetics Connect.

Designing cosmetic actives – the in-silico approach

in-cosmetics Group — Wed, 20 Mar 2024 16:35:04 +0000

(Sponsored)

We caught up with Enrique Jambrina, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer at In Silico Discovery to find out more about their approach, benefits for end users and future trends

In-Silico Discovery is one of these trailblazing start-ups that designs cosmetic actives with computational techniques – can you tell us more about the company’s DNA?

The people behind ISD are really the engine that made this company a reality.

José María García Antón, the founder, is a well-known entrepreneur known for efficiently translating scientific research into marketed products (i.e.: Lipotec, LipoTrue The Deep Blue Sea Enterprise, PrimaDerm, etc).

He was the first one to think of taking advantage of the knowledge developed by pharmaceutical companies when approaching a disease through a specific protein or mechanism of action, and the possibilities that applying those technologies could offer for the cosmetic and biotechnological fields.

Around this original concept he has been able to gather people with experience in the cosmetic field, in the creation of biotechnology-based start-ups, in pharma project design and execution, and, in computational drug discovery and design – the latter being possible through a solid technological partnership with Nostrum Biodiscovery.

As a brand-new company, the technological advances in the field of computer science offer us the possibility to efficiently identify new active molecules through virtual screening and de novo design without the need to run costly experiments.

In Silico Discovery (ISD) was then founded with the objective of developing a target-based computational approach for the efficient discovery of new potential actives with application in the cosmetic and biotechnological areas.

What makes In-Silico Discovery’s offering so unique?

We have built our own portfolio following a target-based approach. We have a strong interest in modulating the activity of the different cell types found in the epidermis (Merkel, Langerhans, melanocytes and keratinocytes) as well as in the communication between the nerve endings and these cells.

We have focused our first set of targets on the keratinocytes stem cell population present in the basal cell layer, which has been described as decreasing during ageing.

With this objective in mind, we have navigated through scientific literature to identify targets (proteins) which would have a role in controlling the functionality of this cell population, mainly through their proliferation and barrier functions.

Those selected targets are then modelled in-silico and analysed in the search for possible binding sites where our new molecules will be directed, potentially affecting its conformation and then its function.

The collaboration with Nostrum Biodiscovery gives us access to a series of proprietary algorithms such as PELEplat, pyDock and ED/MD Suite Simulation as well as their knowledge around ligand-protein interactions.

There are a few companies that offer computational services, but we are unique in offering our own selection of actives selected with proprietary in-silico tools, algorithms and molecule virtual libraries.

What are the key benefits for end users?

This in-silico approach focused on a specific target protein offers a highly efficient method in the early stages of active ingredients identification, speeding up discovery and avoiding the use of precious experimental resources, which can be focused on key experiments.

This methodology also provides a strong scientific hypothesis about the mechanism of action for these new cosmetic actives.

From our own experience, the projects can take 3 to 6 months depending on the target and the strategy followed which could be based in the identification of small peptides as binders of the protein of interest or the design of a novel small protein that will mimic the function of the original target, and which is easier to obtain than the original one.

Before starting any of our projects we perform a patent search to guarantee a significant level of freedom to operate. Lastly, our clients will find a list of novel molecules selected by the most advanced in-silico algorithms predicting their binding properties, ready to be synthesized, tested, and incorporated in their formulations.

Our findings and the strategy followed to identify those actives are protected by Trade Secret offering the end-users the possibility to fulfil a patent.

What does the future look like for In-Silico Discovery? What future trends can you predict in the world of cosmetic actives design?

Over the past few years, there has been an exponential increase in the knowledge of the mechanisms and genes involved in the ageing process and their implication in the origin and progression of different diseases such as oncology, inflammation, and neurodegeneration.

This interest has been echoed in the creation of new scientific journals (i.e.: Nature Aging), and the creation of companies like Altos Labs, focused on cellular rejuvenation programming.

Keeping a broad point of view when designing future cosmetic formulations will then be critical in order to apply those findings from other scientific areas into the cosmetic sector.

Topics such as senescence, autophagy, or mitochondria health are already of interest in the maintenance of skin homeostasis and such processes could be influenced by specific proteins whose functions we will be able to modulate.

On the other hand, the continuous and fascinating developments in the AI and machine learning fields, such as the design of de novo proteins, or the combination of different activities in just one molecule, will offer new and exciting ways to identify new actives in a very effective manner.

It will also continue to offer a new perspective on the modulation of those signalling pathways essential for skin health.

Find out more about In-Silico Discovery

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It is time to redefine “anti-ageing”

in-cosmetics Group — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 17:24:54 +0000

Sponsored – by Active Concepts

Tap into an innovative approach to neurocosmetics and upcycling. Say goodbye to outdated notions and make way for a new era where wrinkles are no longer ‘imperfections’ but rather stories of our journey!

The ability of the senses to help shoppers create long-lasting emotional and memory-based experiences is what gives them such significance in the cosmetic industry. Consumer interest in the relationship between cosmetics and biological responses, as well as how scientifically they might enhance feelings, mood, senses, and skin health, is at an all-time high.

The notion behind neurocosmetics is that some topical ingredients have the power to influence the skin, stimulate the neurological system, and have a positive impact on our wellness by evoking certain feelings and experiences. The recent discovery that bitter receptors exist not only on the tongue but also throughout the entire epidermis may mark a new age for the study of neurocosmetics and present new potential for the creation of cutting-edge cosmetics.

Active Concepts has developed AC AmaraSense: a bitter blend comprised of licorice root, willow bark, and artichoke extract, substances recognized for their bitter taste and positive effects both on body and skin health. Licorice root is characterized by glycyrrhetinic acid, it is recognized for antioxidative, lenitive, and antimicrobial activities, white willow bark extract is characterized by tannic acid, it is known for wound healing and antimicrobial properties – artichoke is recognized for its purifying properties, and is rich in antioxidants that help to prevent oxidant stress and promote skin health.

AC AmaraSense represents a new ingredient launch that serves as the basis for creating cutting-edge cosmetics that activate sensory receptors on the skin and provide customers with new perspectives on how to take care of their skin and attain a glowing complexion. A distinctive and alluring narrative for a simple-to-use water-soluble product that can satisfy the growing demands of the modern consumer: a scientifically supported, efficient, and innovative beauty regimen.

Moreover, a new way of thinking about anti-aging has emerged as a result of the movement toward self-care and well-being that was heavily promoted during the COVID-19 epidemic. Consumers are more realistic about the anticipated outcomes now that anti-aging marketing that promised to erase wrinkles and other aging symptoms has instantly ended. The skin is seen by the younger generation as an extension of the body. Self-acceptance is a prevailing trend nowadays. In this context, the idea of “positive aging” is gaining popularity.

Diet has a huge impact on our looks, health, and happiness. A diet rich in fresh produce, whole grains, lean protein, and low in sugar is highly advised and the Mediterranean diet, one of the healthiest diets that is great for your body and health, places a big emphasis on olive oil. The cultivation of olive trees, the production of olive oil, and the use of olive oil have all been known and practiced in the Mediterranean region for over 7000 years.

When olive oil is extracted, only a small portion of the total number of polyphenols in the olives are transferred to the oil, while a sizable portion is kept as olive vegetation fluids (OVW). OVW used to be dispersed throughout farms, but because of their heavy organic pollution, they had a detrimental effect on the ecosystem. In light of sustainability, it is now more important than ever to revitalize olive waste.

Active Concepts is tackling this environmental concern head-on and turning a problem into a sustainable solution with AC OleaShield. The biofermentation of recycled olive vegetation water used to develop AC OleaShield gives it powerful antioxidant qualities by way of the autophagy detoxifying process. With this new active ingredient, Active Concepts is able to utilize renewable resources ethically and efficiently while providing advantages for the skin, including preserving skin homeostasis to combat age-related reduction in skin cell function.

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Microcare® Eco: When sustainability goes beyond naturality

in-cosmetics Group — Sat, 14 May 2022 11:00:07 +0000

A Q&A with Marc Geerdens, Regional Commercial Director – Personal Care, Thor

(Promoted Content)

1. Due to the understandable growing environmental concerns of today’s consumers, Thor has designed a new Microcare®Eco product range with sustainability at the heart of its mission. Can you tell us more about how this product range employs a sustainable process?

Our innovative Microcare® Eco product range is based on the biomass balance approach. In this concept fossil feedstocks are substituted by renewable raw materials at an early stage in the value chain.

2. What kind of innovative ingredients is Thor working with in order to achieve the goal of sustainability?

The biomass balance process consists of the use of renewable and circular feedstock, derived from by-products of agricultural production, crop or food processing or organic waste residues. As the already available organic feedstock is used in the process, there is no impact on the environment and therefore
a real sustainable approach.

3. We’re hearing a lot of buzz words within the cosmetic industry and often they seem to be used interchangeably. Is there a difference between ‘sustainability’ and ‘naturality’?

Yes, there is. To replace fossil based raw materials by naturally sourced ingredients was a good intention. The problem is that we have a sugar-coated view about how the plants are cultivated and where they are coming from. As soon as it comes to mass production you need huge areas of arable land that could have been rainforests or untouched land in other parts of the world. You are intensifying monocultures and in most of the cases you need fertilizers, pesticides and additional water that will have a negative impact on the environment as well. Which means that the feedstocks natural but in no way sustainable.

4. What does it take for a company to gain the trust of consumers within the Eco space?

Recent market surveys are showing that consumers are really concerned about their future environment and that sustainability is a key driver when making purchase decisions. As a cosmetic manufacturer you need to build up credibility in terms of real eco-responsible ingredients and concepts. Once you have achieved that, you will gain a positive company image because your products are recognised as innovative and eco-friendly. And finally, you will gain a competitive advantage.

5. Can you tell us what ‘100% renewable raw materials’ means exactly, and how this can be guaranteed?

As explained, the biomass balance approach is based on organic waste. The raw materials themselves, as well as the whole value chain, is monitored by a certified process. Thor Germany and all products of our Microcare Eco portfolio have been successfully audited independently by a third party. As a result, we are allowed to say that 100% of the fossil-based raw material in the value chain required for the manufacturing of the specific product was replaced by sustainably certified biomass.

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“The new cosmetic normality”

in-cosmetics Group — Tue, 29 Mar 2022 06:35:57 +0000

By Prof. Carla Scesa, Editor in Chief, HPC Today Journal, Tks Publisher

A rapidly changing world is influencing cosmetology, which today focuses not only on external beauty but on all the factors that generate wellness. In fact, we are addressing (especially in the more developed countries) people who are ageing (and Italy is in first place) and who have been heavily affected, also psychologically, by Covid, lock down, smart working. There is therefore the consequent growing desire to find a new equilibrium in life.

Even for cosmetics, there is a lot of discussion about environment and problems linked to it. But the digital world of the Internet is also being addressed, with global sharing of information and choices.

The result is a new way of thinking, proposing and formulating, which is often described as ‘the new cosmetic normality’.

People seem to no longer be looking for “emotional” ingredients, but for well-defined substances validated by experimental tests and biochemical research. This scientific information is accompanied by boosters which increase absorption to reach cellular targets with the lowest concentration of active substance and proven efficacy.

The Pandemic and the environment also influence the study and production of cosmetics with a low environmental impact, involving resources as local as possible, to reduce transport and storage problems. The use of process energy is reduced through production at lower and controlled temperatures (room temperature processes), and water consumption is limited as much as possible, both during industrial processing and in formulation and subsequent application (particularly interesting, for example, in trichological preparations for professional use).

Advanced textures are being studied which, during application, modify their physical state or ‘dialogue’ with the skin’s neurotransmitters towards new sensations which increase their effectiveness: creating physical and psychological well being.

The growing presence of the Internet, with its immense communication potential, favours the creativity and technological expression of new, often young, ‘cosmetics protagonists’: small entities of study and research, also from little-known cultures and traditions, and therefore potentially very innovative. The ‘sea route’ is increasingly opening up with all its as yet unexplored secrets.

But the ‘net’ can also generate confusion and misinformation: invisible dangers that nevertheless influence the choice and hence the development of new cosmetics. Products are formulated that communicate daily (an average of eight cosmetics a day) with the human body, influencing the response of its largest protective organ: the skin. Major changes are taking place that affect the skin’s immune response, which has to adapt more and more rapidly to physiological changes due to ageing and the environment. We are particularly concerned with increasing exposure to electromagnetic radiation (mobile phones, computers) from the earliest years of life, in addition to the well-known sun rays whose impact on the earth is changing as a result of climate change.

So how can we meet today’s cosmetic challenges? With knowledge and scientific research made up of studies and new targets: from the microbiota, to epigenetics, to chrono-biological interactions, and with the increasing use of artificial intelligence.

This is a stimulating challenge for cosmetology technicians, but also for the media, which must be an attentive and well-prepared sentinel to inform us all about safe and informed choices.

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The tide is high for ‘blue beauty’: Why algae is the source of the hottest new cosmetic ingredients

in-cosmetics Group — Fri, 25 Mar 2022 17:00:43 +0000

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.

(Sponsored Post)

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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Personal Care Global Magazine looks forward to in-cosmetics Global 2022

in-cosmetics Group — Wed, 23 Mar 2022 10:49:50 +0000

April in Paris – it’s great to be back!

After a three-year hiatus, the Personal Care Global magazine team cannot wait to be back in person at in-cosmetics Global and meet as many people as possible over the three days.

(Sponsored Post)

Much has changed since April 2019 here at Personal Care Global, which is exclusively focused on raw materials, ingredients, and formulations.

We now publish ten issues a year of Personal Care Global, which not only covers the historically important regions of Asia, Europe, and North America but also the emerging markets of South America, Africa, and the Middle East.

To reflect the truly global nature of Personal Care Global, the magazine now includes regular sections written in Chinese, Japanese and Korean tailored for those markets.

In addition, Personal Care Global has grown its highly popular ‘Little Book’ series, which delivers prototype formulations from the world’s leading ingredient suppliers.

The latest edition is the Little Book of Sustainable Ingredients, will be launched at in-cosmetics Global in Paris and will be at personal care events for the following 12 months.

Everyone loves the Little Books from the Personal Care Global team and sustainability is highly topical, so the inaugural edition of Little Book of Sustainable Ingredients is sure to fly off our in-cosmetics Global stand N14.

For the past 20 years, Personal Care Global magazine has provided cosmetic formulators with the latest ingredient information from the world’s leading suppliers.

It is now published in print and digital form ten times per year, along with a weekly e-newsletter. Together they reach over 18,000 targeted readers worldwide.

The personal care industry is fast-moving and new ingredients are launched every day, all competing for the attention of manufacturers.

Personal Care Global magazine provides a unique service, by focusing exclusively on presenting technical information on personal care and cosmetic ingredients in a clear, easy-to-read format.

At least 70% of the pages in every issue are editorial. This mostly comprises high-quality technical articles written by industry experts, academics, consultants, and others, covering areas such as sun care, skin care, hair care, colour cosmetics, anti-ageing and preservatives, among many others.

Every issue has three dedicated features, but there is always scope for articles on other subjects. In addition, we feature interviews with leading figures from the industry and comprehensive coverage of exhibitions and conferences, plus summaries of new formulations, regional focuses on the key emerging markets and the latest industry and product news.

We also preview and report from the major industry events all across the world.

Meanwhile, https://personalcaremagazine.com/ is the primary source of information for formulators looking for technical articles, formulations and sources of supply, with traffic being driven by our market leading magazines, as well as our monthly newsletters to 20,000 opt-in subscribers.

If you have a feature idea, press release or other item for potential publication by Personal Care Global, please get in touch with us. At in-cosmetics Global, we can be found at stand N14.

Via email, we can be reached at editorial@personalcaremagazine.com. We look forward to seeing and or hearing from you in due course.

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Evonik’s advanced delivery systems Portfolio: A Q&A with Joan Gonzalez, Evonik’s Global Head of Marketing

in-cosmetics Group — Mon, 21 Mar 2022 11:44:36 +0000

Since Evonik’s acquisition of Infinitec, it has built a large and extremely advanced delivery systems portfolio in cosmetics and is able to provide countless solutions to R&D, formulators, and even marketers. We heard from Evonik’s Global Head of Marketing – Delivery Systems, Mr. Joan Gonzalez to explore this topic further.

(Sponsored Post)

1. Over the past few years, we’ve seen a real rise in interest and emphasis on active ingredients within skincare products. While the active ingredients play a large role in creating skincare products that are effective, the delivery systems of these ingredients are just as important. Could you expand further on this?

Although many consumers are unaware of the important role delivery systems play in their favourite skin care product, they are one of the most critical, vital components to ensure the overall functionality and performance of a product. It is a bold claim, but true. Active ingredients are the true stars of a personal care or skin care product, as they are the ingredients that deliver on the product claims. But they rely on innovative, effective delivery systems to make good on the claims found on skincare, personal care, or beauty product labels and packaging. We should always understand active ingredients and delivery systems as a duo. One is as important as the other.

2. How would you describe the present impact of delivery systems in the cosmetic industry?

We’ve seen how beauty and science have become more intertwined, with science and technology playing key roles in the advancement of the beauty industry. Consumers, too, have become more ingredient savvy. They evaluate product quality and performance over marketing hype to maintain their brand loyalty. Over the few past years, an increasing number of beauty brands are using these “smart” delivery systems to launch higher-performing skin care and make-up products. To engage consumers and create a loyal following, brands must differentiate themselves and their product offerings to compete with all the noise in the beauty market. For most of our clients, it is critical to stay ahead of the curve by using cutting edge ingredient technology to offer their customers next-generation products that produce real results.

3. What are the advantages of cosmetic delivery systems and how can formulators make better use of them when creating finished products?

The first directive of a delivery system is to solve a problem. At the beginning, a cosmetic delivery system was a technology created to incorporate, integrate, protect, and stabilize the active ingredients within a skin care, personal care, or cosmetic product. But, nowadays, delivery systems equal performance as they have other critical abilities such as making sure active ingredients arrive at their intended destination at the optimal consistency, temperature, pH, in the correct amount of time or extend their bioavailability within skin time to yield superlative results. Our technology also allows for the use of fewer actives with better efficacy, contributing to clean and more sustainable cosmetic formulations. And it is this integration of active ingredients that make cosmetic delivery systems so vitally important to product formulations. Cutting-edge delivery systems are ace at helping formulators create both highly powerful and highly stable products that help active ingredients step up to the plate and deliver big results.

4. Can you talk to us about your extensive delivery systems portfolio?

There is no single, unique delivery system that works for everything, since its selection depends on many factors, either by the type of ingredient that is intended to be incorporated and its physical and chemical characteristics, the place of the action or even the duration of such action. Having the largest and most advanced portfolio of delivery systems technologies allows us to always find the best solution for any specific problem. The present offer of Delivery Systems allows us to expand the capabilities of our active ingredients business and strongly contribute to create the value and innovation our customers love.

5. Do you feel the matter of delivery systems gets lost when it comes to skin care marketing?

Today is one of the most exciting times in history for cosmetic and beauty product formulators but also for marketers and consumers. Thanks to incredible innovations in delivery system technology, brands are now offering the most effective products ever to bring consumers a myriad of results and the beautiful, healthy skin and hair they lust after. We are far from reaching the notoriety that active ingredients have, but it is becoming more and more common to see how Delivery Systems gain importance in the final products of many cosmetic brands. At present, the innovation and technology that Delivery Systems provide represent a great added value in such a competitive market.

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Returning to in-cosmetics Global 2022: Dr. Andrew Warmington, Editor of Speciality Chemicals Magazine

in-cosmetics — Fri, 18 Mar 2022 14:45:55 +0000

(Sponsored post)

Saying that I am looking forward to in-cosmetics Global returning in person on 5-7 April is not to say anything very surprising.

It’s Paris in the springtime, this is the one big event in my year where the attendee base is not mainly middle-aged men in suits like, er, me, and it is always a good one for journalists because so many companies use it to launch and/or showcase new products. This is something of a rarity at industry events in the pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals markets, the other two major markets we cover in Speciality Chemicals Magazine.

Paris was the venue the first time I went to in-cosmetics Global in 2003. It was a significantly smaller show than it is now – and I had just come from a plastics industry title where the triennial European event took over all 17 halls of Messe Düsseldorf for nine days. The single large hall occupied by in-cosmetics seemed like a breeze by comparison.

All the same, there was a lot to do and quite a steep learning curve to climb, not least in learning the very different language and emphasis in the personal care sector by comparison with the industrial markets I had been covering. It was so much more driven by marketing, subjectivity and emotion.

Nonetheless, there was – and indeed is – plenty of good, old-fashioned chemistry at the heart of personal care formulation. And back then, there was a distinction between the chemical companies familiar to me from other markets, including most of the biggest in the world, who overlapped into personal care and the (generally) smaller specialists in natural products.

Unlike almost all of the other journalists who attended then, my interest was firmly with the former. Seaweed extracts, citrus oils, natural peptides, Bolivian yak butter (OK, so I made that one up) and the like were not on my radar screen in 2002, nor in most cases were they for the chemical companies.

Fast forward a bit and the world has changed a lot. The chemical companies now speak the language of personal care in exactly the same way as everyone else. They have moved into that space by a mixture of acquisition and organic expansion into new areas of expertise. At the same time, they are not afraid to say that what they do is chemistry.

And, while there are still a few brands who talk the language of ‘free from’ and ‘no artificial chemicals’, I think there is more of a general respect for the capabilities chemistry has brought to personal care. After three years without an in-cosmetics Global and now that I also wear another hat as editor of a specialist personal care magazine, I shall be very interested to see how the industry has changed. See you in Paris.

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Vita Naturgel®: A plant-based thickener designed to replace synthetic and microplastic thickeners. A Q&A with Paul Ramires, marketing manager, Quimivita

in-cosmetics Group — Wed, 16 Mar 2022 15:27:37 +0000

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In a changed world, the post-pandemic state of mind has evolved, and along with it, the needs and wants of society. Paul Ramires discusses with us the roles that both the personal care industry – and specifically Quimivita – play in this new landscape.

1. The pandemic seems to have shifted the collective mindset towards the ‘new natural’ – an eagerness to return to more holistic, natural, and sustainable ingredients (and finished products). Why do you think that is, and what opportunities does that present to the personal care industry?

If lockdowns have done anything, it has been to break the confirmation bias that blinds us for much of our lives. Although we only believe what we want to believe, when we can witness the opposite with our eyes, at that precise moment, our brain starts to agree with reality.

And the reality has been that the cessation of all human activity has revealed images such as cities with uncovered skies, animals walking through the streets and much, much time to think.

Sustainability is not a fact, but an awareness, and the combination of both factors has resulted in a drastic increase in the concern for consuming products that care for the environment.

I think that given the high level of stress generated by the fear instilled by COVID, a great opportunity from the cosmetics industry is to contribute to solving that need: wellness.

The good thing about wellness is that it can be approached from many fronts, but without a doubt, the one that is causing the most complaints today (and where many remains to be innovated) is clean beauty.

2. The launch of your latest ingredient, Vita Naturgel^®, is a remarkable achievement in terms of bypassing a big environmental concern right now, which is microplastic. How important was it for Quimivita to create a plant-based thicker to replace its synthetic counterparts?

One of the difficulties that cosmetic formulators often encounter is that natural ingredients allow them to put “clean beauty” claims on their products, but they do not have to be as effective as their synthetic alternative.

Vita Naturgel® is one more product from our line of speciality functional ingredients that fit into the clean beauty category and that have also been designed thinking not only of what the final consumer wants, but also of the formulators.

Our R&D department is constantly looking for new ideas to ensure that the new ingredients we develop can present a story linked to nature, while their effectiveness can be demonstrated in formulas.

This latest release combines a storytelling that has its origins in the ocean (more specifically in a very select variety of carrageenan and alginate).

In addition to being 100% biodegradable, this product also contributes to the community spirit, being cultivated in an artisanal way.

3. Vita Naturgel^® is a water-soluble, natural hydrocolloid extracted from certain species of red seaweed, Rhodophyceae, and brown algae. How did Quimivita discover this unique raw material?

I cannot talk about the origin of this ingredient without first mentioning our CSO, Manuela Bermudez.

Manuela is a person who not only has a long career in the cosmetics industry, which allows her to have a global vision of the sector, but also always seeks that innovation and efficiency go hand in hand.

In the case of Vita Naturgel®, the challenge was to find a thickener that was not only of natural and sustainable origin, but also retained its properties when produced.

By turning our attention to the sea, we found what we were looking for.

4. Aside from the sustainability factors, what are the other major benefits of replacing thickening agents that contain synthetic ingredients and microplastics with Vita Naturgel^®?

If, in addition to putting natural claims on your cosmetics, you want the consumer to notice an extra touch of naturalness in its application, Vita Naturgel® is made for you.

Vita Naturgel® is gelling, thickening, stabilising and has bioactive attributes.

This plant-based thickener allows you to improve the organoleptic characteristics of your products while providing smooth and creamy textures in emulsions and surfactants systems.

5. In the name of innovation and remaining future-focused, what’s next for Quimivita

We have several projects underway and although we prefer not to reveal much information about them, what we can say is that we are more aware than ever of the imperative need for the industry to turn towards more sustainable solutions and of the challenges these represent for cosmetic brands.

You can look forward to visiting Quimivita at this year’s in-cosmetics Global event on stand V65

The post Vita Naturgel®: A plant-based thickener designed to replace synthetic and microplastic thickeners. A Q&A with Paul Ramires, marketing manager, Quimivita first appeared on in-cosmetics Connect.

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