Sustainable and environmentally friendly oils for skin and hair care as well as for make-up or sun protection products.

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formulation naturality & sustainability
  • July 2, 2021
  • 6 mins of read time

Sustainable and environmentally friendly oils for skin and hair care as well as for make-up or sun protection products.

Bettina Barlog

The cosmetics market is constantly on the lookout for innovative, functional and environmentally friendly ingredients. The topic of sustainability in particular is becoming increasingly important and has long been an integral part of the beauty sector, especially since, according to Mintel, one in five Germans say that environmental concerns have become a higher priority as a result of the Corona pandemic1.  In the cosmetics & body care sector, products with sustainability claims have become increasingly important, especially in the last year. Last year, for example, 21 percent of soap, bath, shower and body care product launches were labelled as environmentally friendly, an increase of 7 per cent since 20162.

So consumers want natural and biodegradable cosmetics with minimal environmental impact. That is why we have developed a new generation of emollients, our Emogreen™ range, based on renewable resources and using patented production processes. It offers several key advantages over silicones: Silicone production is 5-times more energy intensive than our natural emollients. Also our Emogreen™ range offer a neutral carbon footprint (CO2 footprint) calculated "from cradle to gate". In addition, our application studies show that our Emogreen™ emollients are an excellent sensory alternative to silicone oils. 

Chemistry and nature are not opposites

Emogreen™ is a range of plant-based alkanes. In the cosmetics industry, alkanes are known for their sensory properties. They have been used throughout the world for a long time. Historically, they have been of synthetic or mineral origin. Although these compounds can be derived from plants, it must be said that because of their INCI name (alkanes), they are still stigmatised by brands and consumers because they believe it is a synthetic product derived from fossil sources. In essence, alkanes do not have the best image.

We understand this concern and have therefore decided to emphasise that alkanes can also be of natural origin, as plants synthesise them themselves. This is what our video storytelling shows: Since nature is made of atoms and molecules, everything is chemistry! Chemistry and nature are not opposites.

EMOGREEN - "natural chemistry”

EMOGREEN™ are liquid, inert, non-polar oils and highly pure thanks to the patented production process. EMOGREEN™ is based on sustainable plant biomass (the non-GMO source raw material is traceable to plantations and covered by a mass balance certificate according to RSPO). EMOGREEN™ is COSMOS-approved and NATRUE-certified and readily biodegradable (86% to 89% biodegradable after 28 days according to OECD Protocol 301B).

Emogreen, natural alkanes

Possible applications

EMOGREEN™ are non-oxidisable, stable, highly pure, inert and non-comedogenic... and therefore versatile. Emogreen™ are not only easy to incorporate into formulations because they are very liquid and thanks to their transparency, but they are also compatible with all types of oil phases (vegetable oils, esters, silicone oils, mineral oils...). Moreover, we have carried out numerous tests proving that Emogreen™ can be used for all cosmetic applications (skincare, hair care, sun care, make-up, cleansing, etc.). We describe these in more detail below:

Hair care

The nourishing leave-on conditioner has been formulated according to COSMOS Natural rules. It nourishes your hair without weighing it down. This formulation can be applied to wet, well-wrung or dry hair and ensures that your hair remains shiny and silky. EMOGREEN™ L15 makes it easier to apply the product to the strands and protects them from external aggressions.

Cosmos Leave-on Conditioner

This conditioning oil is a refined blend of marine-based active ingredients and natural oils to protect and enhance your hair! EMOGREEN™ L15 strengthens the capillary structure and brings shine.

Natural hair care oil

The effect of EMOGREEN™ L15 in hair care products has been proven in various tests: It improves shine, protects the hair fibre, including from repeated mechanical stress, provides heat protection up to 220°C, offers Volume&Frizz control and improves both wet and dry combability. All tests were carried out in comparison with different silicones.

Skin and body care

This multifunctional moisturiser was developed according to the COSMOS NATURAL standard and uses ingredients from by-products of industrial manufacturing processes. EMOGREEN™ L15 combined with LANOL 2681 provides a light and non-greasy skin feel. This combination gives a unique gliding sensation and a powdery and soft finish.

WeLL: Waste Less Lotion (Cosmos)

On contact with the skin, this natural marine body cream gel becomes truly watery, like a wave of freshness flooding your body! EMOGREEN™ L15, an efficient alternative to silicone oils, brings ease of application and leaves a soft, powdery finish.

Natural Marine Body Cream Gel

The EMOGREEN™ range has particularly good spreadability, making it easier to spread emulsions. Sensory panel evaluations show a characteristic powdery finish that feels slippery and fresh after application, similar to Cyclopentasiloxane & Cyclohexasiloxane. EMOGREEN™ L15 has the fastest reduction in shine and imparts a matte finish comparable to isododecane and isohexadecane and is suitable for an instant matte effect on the skin. 

Skin care - focus on very dry and sensitive skin

This hand cream is an excellent moisturiser and protector for the skin thanks to EMOGREEN™ L19 and 20% shea butter. It repairs even the most damaged hands. EMOGREEN™ L19 facilitates the application of the hand cream by bringing good glide.

"My Iconic Hand Cream"

In-vivo studies show that EMOGREEN™ L19 improves the appearance of very dry skin and shows a significant firming effect after 1 and 6 hours after a single application. 

Another in vivo study provides information on the evaluation of the skin microbiota. The EMOGREEN™ L19 formulation increases the population of 3 genera (Staphylococcus, Cutibacterium and Corynebacterium), favouring a restored hydrolipidic film, the first step in improving skin hydration. Note: the balance between Staphylococcus species remains unchanged for the healthiest skin possible. 

Another in vivo clinical study shows the visible improvement of the skin barrier. The EMOGREEN™ L19 formulation shows a significant effect on improving the hydration aspect of the skin (+10%*), softness (+15%*) and smoothness (+11%*) after 28 days. The EMOGREEN™ L19 formulation is highly appreciated: 91% of the study participants felt a decrease in skin discomfort after 28 days of treatment.

EMOGREEN™ L19 and bisabolol create a synergy for a restructuring effect (+8%*): the combination of these two ingredients enhances the formula's repairing effect!  

Sun care

Our Protect-up is a mineral sun care formulation developed with COSMOS approved ingredients, with a non-greasy, fresh and gliding skin feel! Thanks to EMOGREEN™ L19, sun filters are well dispersed and the stickiness of sunscreen filters is minimised!

"natural, mineral sun care"

EMOGREEN™ shows very good dispersing properties and increases the stability of formulations with inorganic as well as organic sunscreen filters. EMOGREEN™ can replace C12-15 alkyl benzoates without affecting the sensory properties or SPF.

An anti-sand claim is also possible: internal tests confirm that the formulas containing EMOGREEN™ have the same results as the market benchmark claiming an anti-sand effect!

Make-up

This natural O/W foundation unifies the complexion thanks to a high content of hydrophilic pigments. EMOGREEN™ L15 provides a good glide and a pleasant powdery afterfeel that increases skin affinity.

"natural O/W foundation"

A high coverage & low transfer HD Cushion formulation formulated without silicones to give a comfortable and light skin feel thanks to an optimised combination of EMOGREEN™ L15 and EMOSMART™ V21.

HD Cushion Formulation

Make-up Remover

All the benefits of traditional Japanese double cleansing in just one simple formulation: thanks to LANOL 14M and MONTANE™ 80 VG, it transforms into a light oil-to-milk texture.

Japan'ease Cleansing Oil

EMOGREEN™ shows excellent make-up removal properties compared to market references such as isododecane. And also in comparison with jojoba oil and caprylic/capric triglyceride, EMOGREEN™ removes mascara, eyeliner and lip ink visibly better. 

EMOGREEN™ is a range of biodegradable, non-polar, liquid alkanes manufactured using a patented production process for the highest purity, Natrue certified, Cosmos compliant and China compliant. Whether skin or hair care, make-up or sun protection products: EMOGREEN™ provides a light, soft touch and "free from" silicones is hereby possible without compromising on performance.

1 https://de.mintel.com/blog/kosmetik/green-beauty-das-sind-die-5-wichtig…
2 https://de.mintel.com/blog/koerperpflege/nachhaltige-seife-und-bad-dusc…