Clean beauty: Greener cosmetic formulations with added value

By Carolina DiazQuijano, Director Technical Services Consumer Goods, Omya International

When it comes to cosmetics, just being “natural” is no longer enough. Awareness of potentially harmful components such as microplastics, harsh preservatives or nanoparticles like titanium dioxide have become widespread, and issues such as sustainability throughout the global value chain are gaining traction. Therefore, the current approach to finished products is that they should be real all-rounders in terms of efficiency, sensory appeal and “clean-green labelling”. Yet many cosmetic products still come with quite a high carbon footprint, as they are produced with a high percentage of solvents and are frequently wrapped in single-use packaging.

Proactive approach

Today, 2.3 billion people live in water-stressed countries. So it’s no coincidence that the waterless beauty trend is on the up, with sales of such personal care products booming. Manufacturing these cosmetics reduces water use and wastage, as well as the need for preservatives -- all key factors enabling market growth, according to Future Market Insights*^.

Waterless formulas also create less packaging waste due to reduced volume. In turn, manufacturers can benefit from lower transportation and packing costs, while the environment profits from a smaller CO₂ footprint.

Waterless oral care solution -- toothtabs with ultrafast disintegration and a highly stable formulation  (Image: tooth tabs I Shutterstock)

Technically challenging

For future-proof supply, Omya, an expert in natural minerals and complementary ingredients, is developing solid formulations for skin, oral and hair care, as well as make-up. However, as water is an effective and inexpensive solvent, it can account for up to 90% of a formulation. Therefore, creating water-reduced or even water-free personal and oral care products can be technically challenging, particularly in formulas that are both natural and effective. The Omya R&D team works with advanced minerals such as Omyaskin® and Omyadent® particles. The prototypes are easily dispersible and offer multisensory experiences for consumers, while also being highly efficacious.

Keen to develop holistic solutions, Omya complements its mineral portfolio with a broad range of natural and vegan ingredients, such as plant-based colours for decorative cosmetics or natural carrier systems. One such example is Cosmospheres®: Suitable for visually appealing personal care formulations, the cellulosic beads absorb liquid or powdered actives when both parts are immersed in fluids. Available in several different colours, the swollen Cosmospheres® maintain their spherical shape throughout the shelf life of the product. Gentle friction during application then allows the spheres to break and release their content, while leaving no residue.

For make-up and colour cosmetics, Omya combines proprietary and COSMOS certified Omyacare® grades with natural colorants from its distribution portfolio. The high-purity minerals are brilliantly white, colour-enhancing and an ideal match for vegetable colorants, such as the trendy colour-dispersible reds from radish, sweet potato or elderberry. From BB cream to lipstick and lip balm, all applications contain natural ingredients and have moisturizing and protective properties; they spread evenly and promise optimal skin feel.

The high purity and controlled low microbiology of the mineral particles support a long shelf life without the use of harsh preservatives. Thanks to customized particle size, external or internal structure, these efficacious ingredients can add functional value: In oral care products, such as toothtabs or powders, the Omya ingredients improve compactability, efficiently and effectively clean the tooth surface, and provide remineralization or desensitization capabilities. In skin care, select particles can scatter light and even out skin imperfections, increase foaming performance and promote smoothness.

Prototypes

Omya’s portfolio of waterless prototypes includes an effective solid make-up remover created from safe, natural ingredients in sustainable packaging. Furthermore, it’s easy to store and transport, and contains no preservatives.

Dry shampoo, meanwhile, has been brought bang up to date with the same natural ingredients for an easy restyle of hair in between washes. Again, it’s easy to store and transport in sustainable packaging, contains no preservatives and promises a matte finish and extra volume in seconds.

Omya has also created a detox, waterless face mask concept with natural, shelf-stable ingredients for an end product that promises deep hydration and a silky-smooth feel on the skin.

There is further potential to develop innovative new anhydrous formulations, too, such as serums, cleansers and oral care solutions.

For the waterless trend in oral care, toothtabs with ultrafast disintegration and a highly stable formulation are an ideal solution. Despite a minimalist INCI list, hydroxyapatite and calcium carbonate particles are scientifically proven remineralization agents, and are ideal for fluoride-free products. Additionally, enamel safe abrasiveness can be customized by selecting calcium carbonate of different origin and particle size distribution.

“For more than 130 years, our company has been closely connected to natural, high-quality raw materials – some of them manufactured by ourselves, with others being distributed. Therefore, we are committed to treating the environment sustainably to ensure innovations that promise to protect the needs of current and future generations,” says Stefan Lander, Vice President Consumer Goods, Group Sales & Marketing at Omya. “We’re proud to contribute to natural, renewable and pioneering solutions that respect nature, biodiversity and human health.”