Elkem launches a second personal care brand of silicone chemistries
For the past 25 years, Oslo, Norway – based Elkem served the personal care industry with its MIRASIL brand of silicone ingredients, which work well in hair care, skin care, and deodorants, according to the company site.
And still, the “MIRASIL brand continues as the foundation of the standard silicones to meet customers expectation of performance, reliability and efficiency,” explains Elkem, in a media release announcing the new PURESIL brand.
Elkem acquired specialty silicone gel maker Basel Chemie in April
Just last month, Elkem acquired Korea-based Basel Chemie. That company, founded in 1999, specializes in silicone gels for the cosmetics industry (as well as making water repellents for the construction industry).
“Elkem expects to generate strong synergies from the acquisition within research and development, value chain optimisation, complementary product offerings and global market positions,” said Frederic Jacquin, Senior Vice President of Elkem Silicones, at the time of the deal.
“Basel Chemie's leading position and technologies will reinforce our silicones portfolio for the personal care industry where Elkem has global reach and complementary products,” he explained.
“The company,” added Jacquin, “has a strong specialties position in the fast-growing innovative Korean cosmetics market, and we will get several synergies of integrating the global marketing offerings.”
Basel Chemie’s silicone technologies led Elkem to launch PURESIL
According to the recent Elkem media release, “PURESIL, a new brand created following the acquisition of Basel Chemie, a renowned Korean silicone producer, demonstrates Elkem’s commitment to strengthening its position as a specialty silicone supplier to the personal care market.”
The company’s MIRASIL brand covers the basic beauty formulation applications, while the new PURESIL brand is all about distinctive sensorial textures and other novel advantages. Under the PURESIL brand umbrella are two lines: one is a collection of elastomer gels the other is a collection of fluoro-silicone products.
The 11 different PURESIL Elastomer Gels vary by crosslinking density, elastomer content, and carrier. Carriers range from silicone to organics, volatile to non-volatile, etc. And one PURESIL elastomer gel features a sugar cane-derived carrier, making it more compatible with clean or green ingredient stories, as the company notes: “Along with the enhanced performance delivery, this innovative blend offers the option for customers looking to differentiate in environmentally friendly and sustainably sourced ingredients.”
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Deanna Utroske is a leading voice in the cosmetics and personal care industry as well as in the indie beauty movement. As Editor of CosmeticsDesign.com, she writes daily news about the business of beauty in the Americas region and regularly produces video interviews with cosmetics, fragrance, personal care, and packaging experts as well as with indie brand founders.
