Clariant launches new youth concept at in-cosmetics 2011

Muttenz, January 19, 2011 - Clariant cherishes the vitality of teenagers and young adults with its new youth-focused guide recipes for personal care products set for launch at in-cosmetics 2011.

Clariant’s new “youth concept” offers sophisticated answers to the most common beauty and lifestyle issues affecting this market. It enables solutions to acne, oily skin, hydration, dandruff, and sun protection to be integrated into skin and hair-care formulations, while formulators can give decorative cosmetics a level of shine and brightness to reflect the joie de vivre of young people.

The concept covers a broad range of ingredients suited to the sensitivity of young skin, including those with natural origins, for optimal mildness and skin-friendliness. As a result, the tactile feel, appearance and effectiveness of skin and hair products, as well as decorative cosmetics, can be maximized to leave a refreshed sensation on skin and hair, and a naturally-appealing radiance.

Highlights from the latest product innovations at Clariant’s in-cosmetics 2011 booth N40 include vegetable-based products, shine-enhancing emulsifiers, rheology modifiers which provide superb skin sensorics and sulfate-free rinse-off agents. They address young people’s concerns for the use of “healthier” products with fewer or no preservatives, more natural ingredients, and less environmental impact. For example:

• Hostapon® SG: a novel amino acid surfactant for sulfate-free rinse-off products, such as shampoos, body soaps, facial cleansers and shaving preparations. Based on glycine, the amino acid of human collagen, it belongs to Clariant’s EcoTain range of natural and sustainable materials.

Hostapon SG contributes to good skin feel and mildness of a formulation. It is significantly milder than other anionic surfactants and free of preservatives, creating rich and creamy foams that rinse easily off skin and hair to leave a cleaner, fresher feel after use. The excellent foam is a highly appreciated visible effect that allows the consumer to use less of their product.

• Silcare® Silicone WSI: a water-in-oil / water-in-silicone emulsifier for body lotions and creams, sunscreen formulations and decorative cosmetics.

The emulsifier adds an appealing smooth and silky feel to formulations and helps to reduce the tackiness. This aids easy spreading and application, and leaves behind a good, fresh skin feel. By enhancing the shine of pigments in decorative cosmetics, SilCare Silicone WSI creates a glossy finish that can make eyes and lips look fresher and brighter. The added shine also boosts the appeal of the packaged product.

• Velsan® SC: a 100% natural, synergistic aid that supports the cosmetics industry’s move towards fewer preservatives in formulations, Velsan SC boosts the performance of classical listed preservatives, for example aromatic alcohols or organic acids. As a result, it decreases the overall amount needed for safe preservation.

Velsan SC is a non-sensitizing, non-irritating antimicrobial support ingredient. It can help to increase the viscosity of a formulation and act as an emulsifier. In shampoos, for example, this enables less Sodium Chloride to be used, leading to less eye-irritating shampoo formulations.

• Aristoflex® range: Clariant’s skin-care polymers Aristoflex AVS, AVC and HMB give an extra pleasant non-tacky skin-feel on top of their fast-breaking, refreshing effect, which is especially appreciated by young customers.

The new polymer Aristoflex TAC is suited as a suspending agent for pearls, bubbles, and particles in rinse-off applications like shower gels, liquid soaps, shampoos and anti-dandruff shampoos and facial cleansers.

Aristoflex TAC sets new standards for formulators looking to add a visual interest factor to transparent formulations, addressing the demands of the youth market for aesthetically attractive personal care products.

For formulators, its stability at low-pH can save money by allowing integration with organic acids to preserve formulations.

“During their teenage and young adult years both boys and girls have very specific requirements for their hair and skin,” comments Anne Timm, Head of Sales & Application, Personal Care EMEA at Clariant. “Our solutions create straight-forward possibilities to develop formulations that tackle the issues relevant today, and lay a foundation for healthier skin and hair in the future.”