Consumers, now more than ever, want personal care products that really deliver on their performance and promises. So how can you make sure you are choosing the best active for your cosmetic formulas?

Read on to learn tips and tricks to get the required results by choosing the best active ingredients specific to your product and cosmetic formula needs.

1. Review efficacy data of cosmetic actives carefully.

Cosmetic ingredient suppliers will usually provide detailed information showing how their active ingredients perform under certain conditions, which should include:

• how much of the active ingredient was used to get the desired results;
• how long it took to achieve those results;
• how often product was applied;
• the product form used to deliver the active ingredient.

You will need to review all of these items carefully when comparing different active ingredients and the relevance of the efficacy data to your desired use. For example, take particular note of:

• how many applications per day or week are required to get the results: if you are formulating a once a week face mask, the results may not be relevant.
• how much active was used: an active ingredient needed at 5%w/w to get similar results as an active used at 2%w/w may have formulation and cost implications making one active more desirable than another.
• how long the results took to be obtained: usually the faster you can see the desired results, the better customer satisfaction and brand loyalty.
• the type of formula the active was used in: if you are using the active in a gel-based serum, you may get very different results if the in vivo efficacy data was obtained from using an o/w cream.

Taking a critical look at these above considerations can help you identify which active ingredients have better suitability for your specific cosmetic formulation type and needs.

2. Actives from different suppliers, even with the same INCI, can have very different results.

The efficacy data you obtain from your cosmetic ingredient supplier is very specific to their ingredient.

This means that if you source a cosmetic active from another supplier, even if it has the same INCI or chemical name, it may be a different molecular weight, or may have used different extraction or manufacturing methods and therefore give very different results.

When using efficacy data from a cosmetic ingredient supplier, make sure you are sourcing your ingredients from that same supplier. What may seem like the same material from a different supplier could give a totally different outcome; see some examples of how this may impact your formulation and selections in this video.

3. Check pH, temperature and method of addition.

The cosmetic ingredient supplier information should provide you with details of:

• any charge incompatibilities, if relevant;
• pH of stability for that ingredient in a finished product. Be careful – this may differ from the pH of the ingredient in its raw form and what is written in its technical data or MSDS;
• how the active ingredient should be added; for example, if it should be added in the cool down phase or with heat, and if you need to use high or low shear processing to incorporate it into the formula;
• any other incompatibilities; if relevant.

If you use a great active ingredient in an incompatible formula, add at the wrong temperature, use the wrong shear or have a final pH that is not compatible, the material simply won’t work.

If you have the choice of active ingredients where one has broader compatibilities than another, then that would typically be the better active to choose.

You may also need to use a sodium citrate buffer to help stabilise the final pH of a formula within a tight range. Watch this video which explains how to select the best active along with an example of stabilising an active using a sodium citate buffer.

4. Consider delivery and penetration.

It is important to make sure your active ingredients get to the site where they can provide the best results. For example:

• oils and proteins provide the best results on the outer layers of the epidermis;
• humectants not only enhance delivery of active ingredients to the mid-layers of the epidermis, but also provide their best results when there; and
• very small molecular weight actives such as peptides will need to penetrate to the deeper layers of the epidermis to get the best results.

Make sure your cosmetic formulas incorporate penetration enhancers if deeper delivery is needed.

5. Understand how the active ingredients in cosmetic formulas work for best results.

When you understand how the active ingredients work, the depth of delivery they need, and their mode of action, you can make the best ingredient selections. This means making the best cosmetic ingredient selections for the whole formula, not just the active ingredients.

Functional ingredients like emulsifiers can support barrier protection, when chosen correctly. Osmolytes and amphiphilic formulas can enhance delivery. Which is needed for the actives you have chosen and the site of activity?

Understanding how your active ingredients work, along with their incompatibilities and site of activity, is fundamental in making the best choices for all ingredients in your cosmetic formulas. This is what ensures your final formula, and choice of actives, will have the best possible results.

When choosing the best active for your cosmetic formulas, make sure you read supplier data carefully and apply all the rules in this article to make the best active ingredient selection and get the best performance from your cosmetic formulas.

Happy formulating!

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Our microbiome is a complex system of millions of microorganisms that has only relatively recently been addressed by cosmetic formulations and skincare products. As knowledge of the microbiome grows so too does the choice of actives to support a healthy microbiome, and therefore, healthy skin.

This blog will look at some of the more recent active ingredient launches to support a healthy microbiome and the latest cosmetic advances in this sector.

Prebiotics vs probiotics as skincare ingredients

Before we look at the latest launches in microbiome materials, it is important that you understand a little about microbiome cosmetic ingredients. There are two classes:

• Prebiotics: this class of cosmetic material feeds and nurtures beneficial bacteria for the skin. You will normally recognise if a cosmetic ingredient because it will have an INCI name with inulin or ferment. Watch how to formulate a prebiotic skin yoghurt.

• Probiotics: in cosmetics, probiotics are fragments of good bacteria in a suitable carrier solvent for stability purposes. You will normally recognise these cosmetic ingredients with an INCI using the term lysate. Watch how to formulate a probiotic cream for skin renewal.

We can now also find certain actives that have neither a prebiotic or probiotic component, yet influence the microbiome in a positive way.

How microbiome ingredients work in cosmetics

When microbiome ingredients were first launched in cosmetics, the approach was relatively simple: they were either feeding the microbiome to promote growth of the beneficial bacteria (prebiotics); or interacting with receptors on skin cells to stimulate the desired activity within the epidermis (probiotics).

If you are concerned about lysates being fragments of bacteria compared to live cell cultures, it is important to note that while live probiotics are effective in food, lysates have significant clinical efficacy to prove their beneficial results even though they are not technically living. This also helps cosmetic chemists overcome the issues of trying to keep bacteria alive in cosmetic formulas – it is impractical!

Since the lysate form of selected bacteria is more than effective to elicit desirable visible results, and is much easier to stabilise long term, it is the chosen form in skincare and hair care formulations.

Finally, there are new classes of active ingredients that impact the microbiome through their action, rather than being a true prebiotic or probiotic.

Innovative microbiome cosmetic ingredient launches

These cosmetic actives have been chosen because of their innovative impact on the microbiome backed by great scientific data.

• Quora Noni (Vytrus Biotech): this very clever cosmetic active uses the stem cells of the Noni fruit to block microbial communication, known as ‘quorum sensing’. Since plants have developed their own defence mechanisms against bad bacteria, it makes sense to harness this activity to use in skincare. This active has a balancing effect on the microbiome, with particular applications for oily, acne prone skin and to help regulate sebum production. It is also ideal to use on the scalp to treat oily scalp and hair as well as dandruff caused by microbiome imbalance.

• Kannabia Sense (Vyrtus Biotech): a pre-biotic material that uses cannabis stem cells to stimulate the microbiome of the skin to produce positive neurochemicals that then communicate with the brain and skin. This material is particularly innovative because of its use of stem cells and neurocosmetics and psychodermatology to feed the microbiota to improve the appearance of the skin. One of the great things about this material is there is no CBD so that it doesn’t have regulatory restrictions, yet has clinical evidence to show is wrinkle smoothing and hydrating efficacy to make the skin glow.

• Genencare XL (IFF): this is an exciting ingredient because it is upcycled from the by-products of paper production. It is therefore a sustainable prebiotic that stimulates lactate production by S. epidermis whilst maintaining skin hydration and strengthening the skin barrier.

• WKPep BRP3 (Shenzhen Winkey Technology Co): innovative because it uses peptide technology to balance the microbiome and improve the skins’ physical and immune barrier. A blend of acetyl heptapeptide-4 and acetyl tetrapeptide-2, it has been clinically proven to reduce inflammation and inflammatory ageing, whilst boosting the skin barrier to reduce trans-epidermal water loss for more hydrated and supple skin. It is particularly suited to reduce irritation of sensitive skin types and stimulate skin repair.

We are also seeing control of body odour using microbiome balance for a new range of deodorant products. Actives with deodorant activities by balancing the microbiome of the underarm include Dermosoft Decalact Deo MB (Evonik), usNeo (Lipoid Kosmetik) and Deobiome Noni (Vytrus Biotech).

Suppliers at the front of innovation

Your suppliers are always happy with speak with you about their latest innovations. Ask them about trending microbiome materials incorporating stem cells, peptides, psychodermatology and sustainability as well as body care to make sure you are using the latest innovative ingredients with fantastic product stories beyond the standard pre- and pro-biotic products currently available.

Formulate big results from the tiny organisms living within the microbiome of the skin.

Happy formulating!

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Sustainable, green, natural, organic, eco-conscious… the use of these environmentally friendly sounding terms abound in the cosmetics industry. But how true are these statements, and are they overused?

This blog will look at the myths and realities of cosmetics and their ingredients to answer the question, just how environmentally friendly are cosmetics? And how can you make sure your cosmetic brand is providing the reality, rather than adding to the myths?

Myth:

If you don’t hold the proof, don’t make the claim.

One of the first things that could help a consumer discern if a cosmetic brand is really being truthful is for that company to provide valid % based claims, and certification where possible.

Unfortunately, when talking to brands, we find that often they are ‘told’ a claim or use a claim to mimic a competitor, without actually holding the evidence about the cosmetic formula or its ingredients from the suppliers and Cosmetic Chemists directly.

Cosmetic regulations require cosmetic brands to hold evidence for all claims they make about a product – including eco-conscious and environmentally based claims.

Yet it is surprising how often we have brands seeking urgent help when they are required to provide this evidence because they didn’t hold it in the first place. Read this blog for more information on how to avoid ‘accidental’ greenwashing.

Make it a reality: To be truthful, make sure your cosmetic brand holds the proof for any sustainability, natural, green or similar claims it wants to make about the cosmetic formula, its ingredients and even its packaging.

Even better – use official sources to certify the content of ‘natural’ or organic input; but at the very least make sure your % claims are backed up by suitable evidence that will satisfy a regulator.

Myth: using water to boost the ‘natural’ content of the formula.

Did you know that claims such as ‘contains 95% naturally sourced ingredients’ typically count somewhere between 70 – 90% of water as part of that claim?

Sure, water is used in a vast majority of cosmetic formulas as one of the major components, and while it is natural, it does make a consumer think their cosmetic product contains a much greater input of natural plant oils and extracts rather than pointing out the actual water content.

Make it a reality: wouldn’t it be more truthful to state the % natural excluding the water input? For example, a claim such as ‘contains 95% naturally sourced plant ingredients.’

Another more truthful approach would be to use the higher % input, but make it clear that it contains the water input? For example, ‘contains 95% naturally sourced ingredients including water.’

Myth: what is the true carbon footprint of your product?

Even if your cosmetic formula does contain a high percentage of natural and sustainable ingredients, have you considered the carbon footprint of that product?

Here are some things to consider:

• What processing is needed to obtain the cosmetic ingredient? For example, many esterified materials (which includes a vast majority of emollients and emulsifiers) and surfactants need very high temperature processing to go from the raw form to the ingredient that actually gets used in a cosmetic formula. This can add significant carbon burden. Learn more about how this impacts many common cosmetic materials with this video: Sustainable and carbon neutral beauty.

• How far has that ingredient travelled, and then your finished product? If you are using cosmetic ingredients from far off locations and then shipping your finished products a long way to consumers, that travel component and the fuel needed to cover the delivery is adding to the carbon footprint.

• Was high temperature processing or high shear needed to manufacture your product? If so, there is an increased carbon loading.

• Don’t forget your packaging! Is it truly as sustainable as you claim – or is it more recyclable than sustainable? See sustainable packaging tips and products here.

Reality: tips to help you create truly environmentally friendly cosmetics

Now that we’ve looked at the items you need to be wary of, let’s look at tips on how to improve the environmental score on your cosmetic ingredient choices, and cosmetic formulas.

• Review your cosmetic formulas and calculate the water content, natural ingredient content, or upcycled ingredient content and promote this on your label. Learn how to calculate the sustainability content of a cosmetic formula here.

• Switch to more locally sourced cosmetic ingredients or make functional ingredient choices that provide performance benefits as well to minimise the number of ingredients needed.

• If you are shipping a lot of products, consider if you could make them ‘concentrated’ so the consumer adds water before use, rather than shipping a high content of water. You could also consider which products you could make waterless: powder to foam, waterless bars and other waterless forms can be an innovative way to send product without water. This would also help with the % natural claims (excluding water) too!

• Use upcycled ingredients where possible – upcycled ingredients, those that would otherwise be considered waste, are a fantastic way to boost the environmental benefits of your cosmetic formulas.

• Use cosmetic ingredients source using biotechnology – commonly fermentation – as this has a very low carbon footprint.

• Use cosmetic ingredients that enable you to cold-process the formula – manufacture large quantities of product without needing a heating or cool down phase. This saves dramatically on manufacture times and energy requirements to be much more environmentally friendly.

• Check the true sustainability of your packaging and avoid heavy packaging such as glass. While glass sounds ‘natural’, it takes very high temperatures to create, needs extra packaging to prevent breakages and is very heavy for shipping, which adds significantly to fuel and the carbon footprint.

Use the above tips to boost the environmentally friendly message of your cosmetic product to your marketing benefits but also to resonate with the conscious consumer of today.

There are so many ingredient and packaging choices now available, make sure you speak with your suppliers and look for environmentally conscious innovations at your next in-cosmetics exhibition to take big steps toward truly sustainable and earth friendly cosmetic products with your next developments.

Happy formulating!

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Cosmetics are broadly defined as products to visibly improve or protect the skin, so when it comes to using the term ‘preventative skincare’, it should not be taken lightly.

Yet there are some types of cosmetics that can be considered preventative, or at least, able to combat damage effectively. Let’s take a closer look at what they are, their key ingredients, and how they can support a claim of preventative skincare.

1. Sunscreen formulas

Undoubtedly, the number one preventative skincare product has to be sunscreen. Using sunscreen regularly can help prevent all types of skin damage, from drying out and burning, through to premature ageing and skin cancer.

Sunscreens are treated differently to standard skincare products when it comes to regulations; in some regions of the world they are considered drugs (USA and Canada) or therapeutic (Australia), while in the EU they are considered cosmetics but additional directions and claims can be made with the intention to protect the consumer and provide preventative skincare.

When formulating sunscreens, there are 3 key things you need to remember to get started:

1. you will need to use appropriate UV filters to obtain broad spectrum protection. This means using both UVA and UVB filters – the UVA filters must provide at least one third of the stated SPF claim.

2. check regulatory limits of sunscreen filters specific to the country that you are formulating for; this means you will generally need to use a combination of UV filters to achieve the desired broad spectrum and UVA:UVB performance.

3. depending on how much oil soluble UV filters are used, you may need to formulate a water in oil emulsion to ensure suitable stability and spreading, which contributes to achieving the best SPF rating and performance.

Watch tips on how to formulate SPF50+ sunscreen formulas.

2. Botox like peptides

Another preventative type of cosmetic formula is one that can help reduce expression-induced muscular contractions that would normally contribute to wrinkles. One of the most effective class of cosmetic ingredients that can provide this functionality is peptides with a botox-like activity. Learn more about peptides, proteins and collagen in cosmetic formulas here.

Peptides with this activity tend to mimic the peptides which are normally produced by the body to prohibit muscular contractions. By providing these mimics, the cosmetic product can help reduce the number and depth of these expression lines, and thereby ‘prevent’ the formation of deep wrinkles.

Delivery is especially important with these botox-like peptides – they are extremely small but need to travel a comparably huge distance through the epidermis. Watch our video on cosmetic absorption by the skin to see how difficult this delivery can be; and then watch how to increase cosmetic penetration to the required delivery sites.

3. Whitening and brightening actives

There are a lot of complexion brightening actives available, ranging from vitamin B3 and C through to a multitude of plant extracts and even certain types of peptides. Speak with your suppliers to see what options they can provide.

While sunscreen can help prevent the entire melanin production reaction from happening, brightening actives can be considered a type of ‘preventative’ skincare ingredients because they use one or more pathways to inhibit, or prevent, the activity of melanocytes such as:

1. neutralizing reactive oxidants

2. inhibit tyrosinase activity

3. inhibit melanocyte dendricity and/or

4. block the transfer of melanosomes to keratinocytes

4. Antioxidants

Antioxidants can be considered preventative skincare because they quench free radicals before they are able to cause damage to our skin. Some of the key antioxidants you should be incorporating into your formulas for this preventative effect include:

• Mixed tocopherols – undoubtedly one of the most widely used and known antioxidants found in a vast range of cosmetic formulas to not only protect the formula from oxidative changes, but also the skin. Just remember, when formulating, the acetate form will protect the skin but not the formula, so if you need to improve the stability of your cosmetic formula with anti-oxidant protection, always use the pure tocopherol form.

• Vitamin C – another widely known antioxidant, it can also brighten the skin. Vitamin C can be a lot trickier to formulate with, given its many incompatibilities (depending on the specific form used) and its relatively low shelf life. Make sure you formulate with vitamin C carefully to get the desired results, watch this video for tips.

• Ferulic acid is another antioxidant with brightening skin benefits and is especially useful in after-sun products.

• Resveratrol, ectoin and a host of other antioxidant herbal extracts – speak with your suppliers for materials with potent antioxidant activity for the skin.

Just remember: antioxidants that help stop free-radical damage in the skin don’t necessarily have any antioxidant activity to help lengthen the shelf life of your cosmetic formula. Only a few materials such as mixed tocopherols, alpha-tocopherol and resin-like rosemary extract can provide formula specific benefits.

5. Humectants and barrier protection

Humectants are the unsung hero of a cosmetic formulation; they provide suppleness and hydration to the skin without greasiness and can give an instant plumping and smoothing effect on application.

Barrier protection from ordinary lipids or specific film formers can also help hold water in the skin by significantly lowering and in some cases, almost preventing trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL). The combined effect of humectants with barrier protection helps keep moisture in the skin, an essential element to keep it healthy and looking great.

Preventative skincare is not a marketing term that can be bandied about; but when promoting sunscreens, botox like activity, whitening, antioxidant and TEWL protection, it is definitely a claim you can imply with caution.

These types of cosmetic products, and the ingredients used in their formulation, are the best defence against undesirable cosmetic effects, and even skin damage, for what is the closest thing we can consider as preventative skincare.

Remember to speak with your suppliers and visit your nearest in-cosmetics exhibition to formulate ‘preventative skincare’ with confidence.

Happy formulating!

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Among the plethora of skincare products claiming to reverse the signs of ageing, a new approach is emerging: the concept of well-ageing.

As the name suggests, it means ageing well, rather than trying to turn back the clock or strive for unrealistic ideals. As we age, our skin thins, collagen production slows, cell turnover reduces and skin sags or forms wrinkles in places we wish it wouldn’t.

Stepping away from the societal demands to always look young, well-ageing is a concept that means you look great for your age – at any age – rather than try to claw back the sands of time. So how do you formulate for the well-ageing consumer? And what are they looking for in their skincare regimes?

Well-ageing cosmetic ingredients

The well-ageing consumer is looking for cosmetic ingredients that nurture their skin and protect it from further damage. They want to look good for their age – whether that be 45 or 75 – so want some firming, an emphasis on plumping, but most of all nutrients to restore vibrancy.

Key ingredients to achieve the results the well-ageing consumer is looking includes:

Humectants for instant suppleness. Humectants also have an osmolytic effect, and can help carry actives to the mid layers of the epidermis. Ingredients with this effect can be as simple as glycerin or propanediol, but also include advanced humectant ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, sodium PCA and betaine.

Niacinamide (vitamin B3) gives the skin vibrancy and helps combat UV and pollution damage.

Actives with specific restorative activity against UV light and pollution, as these can increase ageing but are sometimes partly unavoidable. Learn about actives that are ideal to restore the skin after sun exposure here.

Peptides to support collagen production and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Peptides are biomimetic with the skin and in the right delivery system, can reach deep into the epidermis to give dramatic results. See how effective peptides can be in your well-ageing formulas.

Retinol alternatives to support cell turnover without the risk of irritation. Learn more about retinol alternatives and how they can be a fantastic addition to your cosmetic formulas where skin renewal is an important result for your consumer.

Formulating well-ageing skincare

One of the core principles of well-ageing is to boost vibrancy, and the best way to do that is to protect against trans-epidermal water loss. Water-in-oil (w/o) formulas are ideal to provide a breathable lipid shield to hold moisture in the skin, and by doing so, making it appear more nourished and hydrated, and ensure it remains that way.

One of the problems with traditional w/o formulas is that they can feel greasy, being a majority oil phase. The older your consumer, the more desirable extra lipids may be; otherwise look for clever formulation aids such as Bentone gels (Elementis) that enable you to formulate w/o creams and lotions with as little as 20-25% oil phase.

You can also use light skin feel lipids and silicones to make the end product a sensory delight rather than a greasy slick. Watch how easy you can create a w/o cream using the Bentone gels, especially since they are cold processable!

Serums are also a popular item that fit the well-ageing category. The well-ageing consumer wants the moisture protective benefits of a w/o cream or lotion, but they may also seek out specific spot-treatment type serums, such as:

Anti-ageing serums: packed with actives for a more instant and targeted anti-ageing effect; for example, around the eyes.

Hyperpigmentation serums: to target specific areas of hyperpigmentation on the cheeks or forehead.

Anti-eye bag serums: using actives that specifically target the skin under the eye, to firm and revitalize this specific hard-to-remedy area.

You may have other serum concepts to target specific well-ageing needs. Find out how to formulate serums and then add your chosen actives to suit your specific well-ageing consumer needs!

Why well-ageing is a great trend to follow

Consumers eventually tire of trying to be something they’re not. While anti-ageing may be the core focus of Caucasians and Hispanics from their mid-30s (and Asians and African-Caribbean skin types from their mid-40s), there comes a time when consumers just want to love the skin they’re in.

If you’re not sure of the skin differences, learn how skin ages by different ethnic skin types here. Once they’ve tried and tested various anti-ageing routines for 10-15 years, these consumers will move way from trying to fight the hands of time and instead want a more wholistic approach to the skin they have, and the age they are. It’s about acceptance that ageing is inevitable, but one can look happy, healthy and vibrant at any point in life, rather than chasing an impossible reversal.

Well-ageing is all about boosting the wellness of the skin, combating previous (and ongoing) damage, and supporting natural moisture protection to restore a healthful skin glow.

Speak with your suppliers about their well-ageing actives, and those mentioned in this article, as well as targeted actives to support the well-ageing movement.

Happy formulating!

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Peptide technology in cosmetic formulas has been around for more than 10 years, and the results you can obtain when using peptides – especially in the presence of suitable delivery agents – can be outstanding. So how do brands differentiate their performance in light of significant and often developed competitors?

This article will look at some of the latest innovations in peptide technology and formulation to yield even better results for today’s discerning consumer. Not sure of the difference between peptides, proteins and collagen, or how they should be used in cosmetic formulas? Watch this video for some great background information and then learn more about the peptide innovations we’re seeing in the cosmetic industry.

Cosmetic peptide innovation #1: In silico and AI development

Research and development of cosmetic ingredients has utilized Artificial Intelligence (AI) and ‘in silico’ methods (meaning computer simulations or models) to generate peptide solutions like never before. Using AI and computer models, raw material suppliers like Lipotrue are creating optimized peptides, and combinations of peptides, to target specific enzymes and biomarkers to obtain their results.

Their latest launch, SP(AI)3 is turning heads by using such unique technology to create a hexapeptide that targets the 3 markers involved in sebum synthesis, pore size and inflammation for outstanding anti-acne results.

Cosmetic peptide innovation #2: Cyclic peptides

Peptides are the combination of amino acids into – usually – chains. While still extremely small, these chains are typically linear and contain a specific subset of amino acids to yield a desired action. Cyclic peptides are a new technology used by cosmetic suppliers that sets these amino acids into a continuous ring, stabilised by hydrogen bonds, to give advanced activity, stability and efficacy.

An example of cyclic peptide formation aimed at counteracting the impact of wrinkle formation at various times in the day has been launched, again, by Lipotrue. Their material Poptide shows they are one of the key leaders in peptide innovations and technology for the cosmetic industry.

Cosmetic peptide innovation #3: Crystallisation

Peptides often come highly diluted in solutions to make them water soluble and easy to add to cosmetic formulas in the cool down stage of processing. Crystallisation, however, provides a super-concentrated powder form of the peptide that can easily be solubilized in a water loving solvent (like glycerin) and then added to formulas. Crystallisation involves taking a highly saturated solution where individual peptides come together and form a crystal-like concentrate.

Using patented crystallization techniques, Active Peptide Company have created their eye-catching blue GHK-Cu Copper Peptide powder, for advanced anti-wrinkle and anti-ageing results.

Cosmetic peptide innovation #4: Hydrolysed proteins and silk peptides

Peptides used in cosmetic formulas are either:

• tripeptides or hexapeptides that have been synthetically produced;
• extracts rich in certain peptides, where the efficacy of the extract can be directly traced back to the presence of the proteins/peptides present in the plant material; or
• hydrolysed proteins.

Of these, the use of hydrolysed proteins and silk peptides has been largely under-rated – until now. Hydrolysed proteins and hydrolysed silk are essentially the original protein broken down into peptide chains to make them small enough to be biomimetic with the skin and hair, and easy to incorporate into a cosmetic formula.

The original protein is far too large and insoluble to be of any use; but when it is in the hydrolysed form it can be delivered easily through personal care. In this form it provides the peptide building blocks that repair hair and skin and provide a protective, breathable film against further damage. The results are noticeable straight away, yet there is no residue.

Hydrolysed proteins are also highly substantive, meaning there are certain grades that are particularly resistant to wash off and have proven efficacy in rinse off cosmetic formulas. Don’t underestimate the power of these peptide sources – while not deep acting like tripeptides and hexapeptides, their activity at the surface of the skin or hair is incredibly important for barrier repair, maintenance and instantaneous results.

Cosmetic peptide innovation #5: Multi-peptide combinations

Peptides are only needed in very small amount in cosmetic formulas, which is a good thing, because they are usually quite expensive. You only need a relatively small input of these materials to get great results, but they can add to the cost of a cosmetic formula quite significantly.

It is interesting to see that some of the more luxury brands, where performance is absolutely essential, are using combinations of peptides. They may describe their product as containing a peptide ‘cocktail’, or as a peptide ‘blend’, or even multi-peptide serum like in this example.

Consumers will readily pay more for a product with clinically proven efficacy, and these blended peptide formulas can often yield outstanding multi-faceted results from the tiny but effective peptide molecules they contain.

Keep up with peptide innovations in your cosmetic formulas…

While I’ve summarised the latest trends for you, it is up to you to speak directly with your suppliers and check out the Innovation Zone at your nearest in-cosmetics exhibition. You’ll always see the best and latest innovations there, and dozens of suppliers with peptide technology, and perhaps the next best thing, at these amazing events.

Happy formulating!

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It’s essential to source good quality ingredients when making cosmetic formulas, because you can’t make a chocolate cake without cocoa, and let’s face it, carob is not a suitable replacement.

The same concept applies to sourcing cosmetic ingredients: what may seem the same material from different suppliers could vary significantly enough to render a batch unstable or unsuitable, and turn a high performing product into nothing special.

You also can’t make certain formulas perform the way you want them to without sourcing from the correct supplier, and sometimes they may be a little tricky to find.

So, let’s look at the do’s and don’ts of cosmetic ingredient sourcing to help you find the contacts you need, and source exactly the right materials, to make sure your formulas turn out great, every time!

How to source cosmetic ingredients tip #1: Expect to need multiple suppliers

This is the most important aspect of creating unique and high-performing cosmetic formulas. I often speak to those new to the industry and they are dismayed when they need to contact 4 or more suppliers to get the ingredients they need for just 1 formula.

But this is completely normal! While there may the occasional time where you can source everything you need from just a few suppliers, it is more common for you to need to go to at least 4 different cosmetic ingredient suppliers (and sometimes many more) in order to get the exact materials you need.

Remember to keep economies of scale in mind: where you can use multi-functional or core functional materials – such as humectants, emulsifiers, surfactants, preservatives and antioxidants – in multiple formulas, then this is a great idea. However, there will be many actives where you’ll just have to source all required options to ensure you have a unique formula.

Watch this webinar where I talk about needing multiple suppliers and building your supply network.

How to source cosmetic ingredients tip #2: Expand your network

The next most important step is to build your supplier network. Visit in-cosmetics trade shows, your local society conferences and your local cosmetic supplier days and make sure you meet the different distributors, and who they represent.

That way, when you need a certain material, you know exactly which distributor you should contact for information and a sample.

Remember, the suppliers for different materials varies by your location, so its important that you are finding your nearest distributor or material representative to get the answers and support you need.

How to source cosmetic ingredients tip #3: Be specific with trade names

A rose by any other name may have smelt as sweet to Shakespeare, but a material by its INCI name could be any of a dozen different grades to various suppliers.

When sourcing cosmetic ingredients, you need to be specific about trade names, because this could make a huge difference in a formula.

For example, Lubrizol suppliers various carbomers and acrylates, so you can’t just go to them and ask for ‘carbomer’ or an acrylate cross polymer because:

• Carbopol 934, Carbopol 940, Carbopol 980 and Carbopol Ultrez 10 all have the INCI name ‘carbomer’ but with different play times and after feels;

• Carbopol Ultrez 20, Carbopol Ultrez 21, Pemulen TR-1 and Pemulen TR-2 all have the INCI name ‘acrylates/C10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer’; however the Carbopol range have very different skin feels to the Pemulen range and suit very different products. Carbopol Ultrez 20, for example, suits clear foaming formulas and gels; Carbopol Ultrez 21 suits styling gels and hydroalcohol gels; while the Pemulen polymers are best for creams and lotions depending on the viscosity required of the finished product.

In other words, just using a ‘carbomer’ or polyacrylate based on INCI name could dramatically alter the skin feel and stability of the finished product… hence using trade names is essential when speaking with suppliers to get the exact grade of material you need.

How to source cosmetic ingredients tip #4: Avoid e-bay and Amazon

If you want quality cosmetic ingredients, then you need to speak directly with your suppliers.

While it might seem like a good idea to trawl various sites for the best price, you could be purchasing a very wrong material (read why: revisit tip 3), or not get crucial information for regulatory and quality reasons (read why: go to tip 5).

Your cosmetic formula and finished product must have the required batch to batch consistency, which starts with quality ingredients, and that means going direct to reputable suppliers.

How to source cosmetic ingredients tip #5: Avoid suppliers who don’t provide good paperwork

Make sure your supplier can provide at least the following information, accurately and promptly:

• The INCI name, compositional information and CAS number. The INCI name and CAS number should match what is listed on the CosIng website.

• A recommended input rate appropriate for cosmetic formulas based on testing and/or regulations.

• A technical data sheet providing processing and sourcing information sufficient to use the material in a suitable way to ensure stability in a finished formula, and so you can determine how natural or synthetic the material is.

• If it is an active ingredient, the technical data sheet should also provide suitable efficacy data and clinical results to determine the best input and product form for you to achieve the same results.

• An MSDS with all safety, compositional ranges and disposal information.

If a supplier can’t provide you with this information, then you should look for another supplier.

If you follow these 5 tips, you’ll soon be in touch with the right suppliers to source quality cosmetic ingredients every time.

You’ll also find the best cosmetic ingredient suppliers will be in touch with you when there is a new launch or innovation so you can stay ahead of the pack with the latest cosmetic formulation launches.

Happy formulating!

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Our microbiome is a complex system of millions of microorganisms that has only relatively recently been addressed by cosmetic formulations and skincare products.

As knowledge of the microbiome grows so too does the choice of actives to support a healthy microbiome, and therefore, healthy skin.

This blog will look at some of the more recent active ingredient launches to support a healthy microbiome and the latest cosmetic advances in this sector.

Prebiotics vs probiotics as skincare ingredients

Before we look at the latest launches in microbiome materials, it is important that you understand a little about microbiome cosmetic ingredients. There are two classes:

• Prebiotics: this class of cosmetic material feeds and nurtures beneficial bacteria for the skin. You will normally recognise if a cosmetic ingredient because it will have an INCI name with inulin or ferment. Watch how to formulate a prebiotic skin yoghurt.

• Probiotics: in cosmetics, probiotics are fragments of good bacteria in a suitable carrier solvent for stability purposes. You will normally recognise these cosmetic ingredients with an INCI using the term lysate. Watch how to formulate a probiotic cream for skin renewal.

We can now also find certain actives that have neither a prebiotic or probiotic component, yet influence the microbiome in a positive way.

How microbiome ingredients work in cosmetics

When microbiome ingredients were first launched in cosmetics, the approach was relatively simple: they were either feeding the microbiome to promote growth of the beneficial bacteria (prebiotics); or interacting with receptors on skin cells to stimulate the desired activity within the epidermis (probiotics).

If you are concerned about lysates being fragments of bacteria compared to live cell cultures, it is important to note that while live probiotics are effective in food, lysates have significant clinical efficacy to prove their beneficial results even though they are not technically living. This also helps cosmetic chemists overcome the issues of trying to keep bacteria alive in cosmetic formulas – it is impractical! Since the lysate form of selected bacteria is more than effective to elicit desirable visible results, and is much easier to stabilise long term, it is the chosen form in skincare and hair care formulations.

Finally, there are new classes of active ingredients that impact the microbiome through their action, rather than being a true prebiotic or probiotic.

Innovative microbiome cosmetic ingredient launches

These cosmetic actives have been chosen because of their innovative impact on the microbiome backed by great scientific data.

• Quora Noni (Vytrus Biotech): this very clever cosmetic active uses the stem cells of the Noni fruit to block microbial communication, known as ‘quorum sensing’. Since plants have developed their own defence mechanisms against bad bacteria, it makes sense to harness this activity to use in skincare. This active has a balancing effect on the microbiome, with particular applications for oily, acne prone skin and to help regulate sebum production. It is also ideal to use on the scalp to treat oily scalp and hair as well as dandruff caused by microbiome imbalance.

• Kannabia Sense (Vytrus Biotech): a pre-biotic material that uses cannabis stem cells to stimulate the microbiome of the skin to produce positive neurochemicals that then communicate with the brain and skin. This material is particularly innovative because of its use of stem cells and neurocosmetics and psychodermatology to feed the microbiota to improve the appearance of the skin. One of the great things about this material is there is no CBD so that it doesn’t have regulatory restrictions, yet has clinical evidence to show is wrinkle smoothing and hydrating efficacy to make the skin glow.

• Genencare XL (IFF): this is an exciting ingredient because it is upcycled from the by-products of paper production. It is therefore a sustainable prebiotic that stimulates lactate production by S. epidermis whilst maintaining skin hydration and strengthening the skin barrier.

• WKPep BRP3 (Shenzhen Winkey Technology Co): innovative because it uses peptide technology to balance the microbiome and improve the skins’ physical and immune barrier. A blend of acetyl heptapeptide-4 and acetyl tetrapeptide-2, it has been clinically proven to reduce inflammation and inflammatory ageing, whilst boosting the skin barrier to reduce trans-epidermal water loss for more hydrated and supple skin. It is particularly suited to reduce irritation of sensitive skin types and stimulate skin repair.

We are also seeing control of body odour using microbiome balance for a new range of deodorant products. Actives with deodorant activities by balancing the microbiome of the underarm include Dermosoft Decalact Deo MB (Evonik), usNeo (Lipoid Kosmetik) and Deobiome Noni (Vytrus Biotech).

Suppliers at the front of innovation

Your suppliers are always happy to speak with you about their latest innovations. Ask them about trending microbiome materials incorporating stem cells, peptides, psychodermatology and sustainability as well as body care to make sure you are using the latest innovative ingredients with fantastic product stories beyond the standard pre- and pro-biotic products currently available.

Formulate big results from the tiny organisms living within the microbiome of the skin.

Happy formulating!

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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!

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Formulating waterless cosmetics has continued to be a growing trend as consumers want more eco-friendly, travel ready, and low waste personal care products. Just what product forms work for waterless cosmetics, and how are they put together? Read on to find out…

How to formulate waterless bar formulas – where it all began

We first started seeing waterless bar formulas from mostly innovative, eco-friendly Indie skincare brands over five years ago. The concept was simple: formulate a concentrated ‘bar’ that consumers could wet just prior to application, then apply as if it was a regular liquid product.

However, waterless bar formulas proved to be far more difficult to create, in the early days at least. In order to create a bar form, you not only need to take out the water portion of the formula, but then increase the functional content of the formula so that it will work properly when wetted, and make the final product set just right. If the bar is too hard, it will crumble, crack, or be too hard to work with, even when water is added. If the bar is too soft, it can be deemed ineffective by consumers or again, too difficult to work with. The trick with waterless bar formulas is therefore to get the right setting and melting point for ease of use and manufacture, whilst also achieving the right consistency, hardness and performance during consumer use.

Here is a guide to get you started for a cleansing bar:

• 20 -40%w/w anionic foaming cleanser in powder or wax form only – use the lower side of input for facial bars, or the high side for shampoos. Watch how to make waterless face & body wash here.
• 10 – 35%w/w lipid content – this will depend on whether you are formulating a face cleansing bar (more oil), body wash (mid range input) or shampoo (low input).
• 5-7%w/w glycerin – this helps with flexibility of the bar, foaming and skin feel.
• 10-25%w/w non-ionic surfactant/emulsifier with a high HLB value in waxy or powder form only. Use the lower input for shampoos and body wash, and the higher input for facial cleansers. This material will also help you adjust the final hardness of the bar, once set. See how input differs when formulating waterless shampoo bars, here.
• 11 – 35% superfatting and solubilising agents. These can be adjusted to help create the desired end feel after wash off, as well as alter the hardness of the bar.
• 1-2%w/w glycerin based extracts – to boost marketing story, performance and skin feel.
• 1-2%w/w fragrance, essential oil, antioxidants or micas for sparkle.

You don’t need preservatives in a bar product as there is not sufficient water present to enable microbial growth; but you will need antioxidant if you are using natural plant oils and essential oils. Active ingredients can be added if they can tolerate the heat of processing.

As you can see, it takes a bit of trial and error to get the balance right between performance, hardness and consumer acceptance. It’s even trickier when you start formulating waterless conditioner bars and waterless moisturising bars!

Fast track your trials with this Formulating Waterless Bars workshop series, which gives very specific guidance based on product type.

How to formulate waterless foaming powders

Since hardness and form is not an issue with a powder product, these are much easier waterless formulas to create. In this case, you need to source powder foaming materials only, then use them in the following ratios:

• 10-25%w/w primary powder surfactant: if using a sulphate, and especially if creating a waterless face wash powder, use the lower input. If using isethionates, and for shampoo products, you can use a higher input.
• 10 – 15%w/w secondary mild surfactant: choose a mild powder surfactant to boost foam and gentleness, such as a sulfosuccinate.
• 20%+w/w starch: this helps the product remain free-flowing throughout its shelf life and also boosts a mild skin-feel on application.
• 3-5%w/w fast hydrating gum or polymer: this helps the product feel silky soft on application but also helps the product gel quickly for easy spreading and great foaming. Having this material helps ‘hold’ the product together when it is first wetted so that it doesn’t just fall off the skin while being applied.
• 1-2%w/w lipid, fragrance or antioxidant (optional): if adding these materials, you will need to spray them onto the powder while being mixed in a ribbon blender.

It is largely a matter of trying different inputs of your chosen materials then testing them with water to see which combination yields the desired results on application. Watch how to formulate a waterless foaming powder here. You can also get innovative with product forms, like waterless powder cleansing masks, like this one. Since there is no water present, preservatives are not needed either.

How to formulate waterless liquid concentrates

These are a newer ‘waterless’ product to enter the market and are again a bit trickier to put together. They are commonly not completely waterless, but instead, a very low water version of the normal presentation of the product, so they can be mixed with more water just before application and then used as normal. Packaging these products for suitable dispensing and explaining how a consumer should use them is the trickiest part with these products, because they are more costly to produce given their concentrated form – but cheaper in the long run, if a consumer uses them correctly.

Waterless liquid concentrates can also be quite viscous, almost paste like – so you may need to again fiddle with the form of these products to make them easy to use.

To formulate waterless liquid concentrates, you will need to subtract the water from your formula, so you are left with just functional materials. This means all functional ingredients will appear to have quite a high input compared to the water containing version. Here is a guide to inputs:

• Approximately 35%w/w of a 30% anionic surfactant plus amphoteric surfactant. There is water present in these materials which is why liquid concentrate products are not truly waterless, but instead, ‘no water added’.
• 5-8%w/w of a non-ionic surfactant or superfatting agent to boost foam and mildness.
• 5-8%w/w of a polyquaternium material in liquid form.
• 15%w/w glycerin is important to boost foam, increase mildness and improve skin feel on wash off.
• 1-3%w/w of a fast-hydrating gum or polymer to help hold the formula together when it is mixed with water just before use.
• Around 1%w/w fragrance, essential oils and antioxidant if desired. A preservative is necessary in these formulas because there is still water present in the surfactants and polyquaternium.

It can take a few trials in the lab before you get the form of these products just right – careful of them becoming too thick! Watch how to put together a shampoo concentrate here.

Go waterless today!

Consumers are increasingly demanding eco-friendly products and waterless cosmetic formulas are one of the best ways to deliver this to them! Just remember to follow the guides and be prepared for a few extra trials in the lab to get the form and performance just right. Remember to communicate the ideal mixing ratios on your packaging too, for ultimate consumer satisfaction.

Happy formulating!

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