Safety, self-care and sustainability

In a world where consumers are looking to daily self-care rituals to help reduce stress, it’s more important than ever that brands are a part of these moments that matter. According to Mintel’s Future of Bath & Shower 2020, 59% of U.S. consumers agree that their beauty routines – including bathing or showering – is a good way to reduce stress.

Safety and sustainability are also incredibly important to today’s consumer. The rise in waterless cleansing systems and essential oil-based products are visible across the cleansing market. Designing next-generation cleansing solutions can be a challenge for any formulator. Finding the right combination of sensory, performance and product benefits can mean the difference between essential and forgettable products.

Cleansing agents for the face and body

Whether you’re developing cleansing solutions for the face or body, focusing on specific skin concerns or just general cleansing—the cleansing agents you select are critical. Consumers want products that cleanse without drying and are gentle but highly effective.

Using a sulfate-free surfactant system, like AKYPO® FOAM LM 25 by Kao Chemicals Europe, you can develop a luxurious foam that’s gentle to skin and eyes. Combined with BETADET® S-20 in the right ratio, AKYPO® FOAM LM 25 allows you to obtain transparency at low pH. When it comes to face cleansing routines, it’s important to keep in mind that your consumer may have a multi-step or layered process leveraging oil-based and water-based cleansers.

For a higher natural index, mild, naturally-derived sulfonated surfactants like Poly Suga®Nate 160P NC by Colonial Chemical, (ISO 16128 : 1) are extremely mild to both eyes and skin when compared to traditional anionic primary personal care surfactants. Non ionic surfactants like Dow’s EcoSense™ Alkyl Polyglucoside are a family of naturally-sourced, biodegradable surfactants that provide superior flash foam and mildness in face and body cleansing formulations. They can be used as primary or co-surfactants with a variety of primary surfactants. Univar Solutions provides a selection of versatile cleansing agents that can help you formulate for a variety of face and body cleansers without compromising on performance.

Thickeners and texturizers for cleansing

Building unique textures and formats for your face and body cleansing products is a great way to stand out on the shelves. You can explore gels, creams, jellies, balms or even milks. Sustainable cleansing formats are also great options, offering your consumers convenient, on-trend products. KAOPAN® TW-IS399S, from Kao Chemicals a sulfate-free simple and efficient thickener for cleansers is a great way to enter this important market. Want a more bio-based thickener? Try COSMOS-approved sclerotium gum Actigum™ CS 11 QD by Cargill Beauty to help you develop a new texture with outstanding performance.

Cold-processable Actigum™ CS 11 QD is an ideal naturally derived and readily biodegradable thickener and stabilizer with a smooth and soft texture. The Actigum™ range provides consistent viscosity and suspension efficiency in a broad pH range at room temperature and 45°C.

You can create a range of viscosities while also conditioning the skin and allowing for excellent suspension properties for pigments and even physical exfoliants.

Skin conditioners

An effective cleanser should leave the skin feeling clean, soft and prepared for the next steps in the beauty care process. There are a range of chemistries that can help you care for the skin within your cleansing solutions and expand on your product claims even to moisturizing claims. EarthOil’s baobab oil, available through Univar Solutions, is high in Vitamins C and has Omega-3, Omega-6 and Omega-9 fatty acids. It is a relatively stable oxidative oil due to the presence of natural antioxidants. The oil is known for its strong moisturizing properties for both skin and hair and is reputed to help skin elasticity. The oil is easily and quickly absorbed by the skin, leaving no oiliness or greasiness.

Additional ingredient solutions for face and body cleansing

Once you’ve selected your core cleansing materials, it’s time to explore the additional ingredients that can help with differentiation and ease the formulating process. Univar Solutions has included some versatile colour, neutralizing agents and sensory enhancers to help you create truly unique formulations in its cleansing solutions for face and body. Find out more information here: www.univarsolutions.com/skincleansing/europe