Protection: latest in preservatives, anti-pollution & probiotic skin care
Preservatives: in crisis?
Demand for effective and safe preservative ingredients has never been higher, but with consumers and regulators alike turning against some established synthetic preservatives, can the industry keep up?
This is particularly a problem in Europe, suggests Barbara Brockway, director of personal care at AppliedDNA Sciences.
“The positive list of preservatives under the EU Cosmetic Products Regulation ((EC) No. 1223/2009), is ‘closed’ at the moment and animal testing bans etc. make it very difficult to get new preservatives accepted onto these lists,” she explained to CosmeticsDesign recently.
“The ‘glass half full community’ sees the preservative crisis as an opportunity for formulators to be more creative,” she suggests.
“For example by using the ‘hurdle’ approach, where a series of preservative factors are combined to make a formula very hostile and so reduce the level of preservative needed to kill microbes.”
However, the expert sees the situation ‘getting worse before it gets better’.
“The European Commission is very aware of the crisis. They have issued an infographic emphasising the importance of preservatives for cosmetic products and no one wants under-preserved products on the market.
“Cosmetic material suppliers are working very hard to help and of course innovative packaging technology offers formulators exciting ways to deliver cosmetics safely.”
Microbiome focus & anti-pollution
Products that boast microbiome related claims are attracting consumer interest across the western markets, with consumers increasingly buying into the idea that products should work with the skin’s natural bacteria, rather than attempt to reduce it.
There are several brands emerging as early leaders in this space in Europe. Gallinée a French brand, is one making strides, and an exclusive interview with its founder can be found here.
JooMo, launched initially in Europe, is another good example and continues to expand its product portfolio, while Mother Dirt, a US brand, expanded into Europe recently.
Meanwhile, it looks like the anti-pollution trend is enduring beyond a fad, although growth is a little slower than once was predicted.
Some key ingredients launches that have made a splash in this area include:
Lipo Chemicals’ Liposheild® HEV Melanin: it acts as an “umbrella” to shield the skin from HEV light,
Greenetech’s Soliberine: it claims to protect the skin against all types of light radiation
DSM Personal Care’s PARSOL® Max (blocks blue light), Niacinamide PC (counteract oxidative stress), and PEPHA®-AGE, a new microalgae bioactive which stimulates skin’s own defense.
Read our companion piece, live tomorrow, to find further detail and our expert analysis on these trends and challenges.
