The Science Behind Clean Cosmetics

Since 2020 everything is different: Due to the pandemic the consumers’ perspectives changed into a increased awareness of the world we are living in: Natural cosmetics and sustainable concepts often summarised as “clean cosmetics” became even more important than before the outbreak of Covid-19. “Clean” can describe a product as well as the way to produce it. The meaning of it is complex because there is no clear definition and it means different things to different people: Natural, organic, vegan, green, cruelty-free etc. “The Clean & Sustainable Beauty Agenda, 2021” published in the February issue of Global Cosmetic Industry cites Euromonitor^1,2 and lists up among others the following points which should be kept in mind for cosmetic producers: 

• Development of sustainable products
• Recycling
• Sustainable sourcing
• Waste

Next to Euromonitor, Mintel too stresses its forecast for 2021 trends on the “Beauty Eco-lution”³. The movement to natural and sustainable products includes quality over quantity and the increase of lifetime value.

Green base

As mentioned before, top trends are driven by claims such as natural, organic etc. These characteristics start at the choice of the raw materials. Next to the organic origin of the chosen ingredients, long transportation around the world should be avoided and therefore local sources of the products preferred provided by regional distributors. Ideally, the raw materials should be harvested under natural conditions and fair business with the involved farmers. A re- or upcycling product obtained from production waste would even be an added benefit.

Importance of efficacy

The efficacy of active ingredients moved deeper into the scientific approach. Claims as anti-inflammatory, health-boosting, and support of the skin barrier function are very prominent. Now “health is the key” and the claims of cosmetics shifted from anti-ageing demands to restoration or support of healthy skin. The raw materials incorporated into cosmetic formulae should deliver both transparency when it comes to ingredient sourcing and compliancy with ethical labels⁵. The complete life cycle of a product should be known, and the industry must think about harmonising standards and regulation. The trend of “clean beauty” is the new industry standard⁶: Clean beauty turned into consumers’ demands and concerns especially triggered during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Changes in selection of functionals

The selection of the raw materials for a natural formulation starts with the choice of emulsifiers and/or surfactants. Green emulsifiers contain either natural oils or organic waxes or are based on them. Nowadays, the natural origin of the emulsifiers, emollients, and surfactants like natural oils and waxes becomes more important and replace the longchained derivatives based on petroleum. The long alkyl chain frequently is esterified with natural OH-donors like glycerine or sugars. Often the emulsifiers (and the entire formula) are claimed as “edible” due to their origin in food applications. Polyethylenglycol (PEG)-based systems are considered skin permeation enhancers. They may penetrate into the intercellular regions of the stratum corneum and solubilise lipid components⁷.

Therefore, these systems are under discussion regarding their skin irritating potential, and the variety of emulsifiers, emollients, and surfactants without ethoxylation is increasing Besides that, surfactants with sulphate moiety are discredited in personal care products due to the drawback of being aggressive to the hair, scalp, and skin. So, the number of sulphate-free shampoos on the market has grown significantly during the past few years and formulation chemists combine mild surfactants with other ingredients like thickeners to provide gentle formulae with a fine and dense foam.

Gellants and thickeners

When it comes to greener technology, the need of the market reaches out to solve issues regarding the environment like microbeads in our oceans. Although acrylates have a small contribution to the microplastics contamination, the debate grew disproportional related to other industries. Consequently, acrylate polymers were discredited a couple of years ago even if their performance as gellants and thickeners and the resulting skin feel in cosmetic formulations is well-known and not easy to obtain with alternative gellants. Therefore, the cosmetics industry nowadays offers a selection of polysaccharides and polyesters available on the market which show a comparable performance. Examples for acrylates alternatives are plant-based biodegradable ingredients like xanthan gum or other gums, starch derivatives, or ingredients of mineral origin, like bentonite (clay).

Natural preservatives

The key role of preservatives is to prevent microbial contamination. Ideally it shows high antibacterial activity but remains safe for human use and for the environment. Since the beginning of this millennium, cosmetic formulators are facing the need for effective alternative preservatives to parabens and phenoxyethanol.

Now the trend moves on to molecules with surfactant properties which reduce the surface tension, disrupt the bacterial cell walls, and therefore prevent theirgrowth. Cationic surfactants like ethylhexylglycerin (EHG) or other glycerin ethers possess added benefits like conditioning, moisturising, and emollient properties. Final formulations with these glycerin derivatives can be labelled as “preservative-free”. Most of them are obtained from plant-based sources, an additional plus for the clean final formula.

Another interesting cationic component is ethyl lauroyl arginate with antimicrobial activity particularly against the microorganisms Malassezia furfur (Dandruff), and Propionibacterium acnes (acne formation). It is produced from the natural ingredients lauric acid and L-arginine and readily biodegradable8. It possesses a broad-spectrum activity against bacteria (gram positive and negative), yeasts, and moulds and due to its cationic nature, it holds conditioning properties, too.

Short ingredients list

The movement to natural and sustainable products involves “quality over quantity” and consumers now focus on lean formulae. The INCI declaration very often shrinks to the basic ingredients necessary to obtain a formulation with proven efficacy and nice skin feel. Usually, influencers promote formulae with a maximum of ten ingredients and formulation chemists go back to the basics – the shorter the INCI declaration, the better. The pandemic is turning the world upside down which has impacting influence on the Personal Care industry.

As the present and future during Covid-19 leaves us insecure, customers are seeking clear and transparent solutions and pay more attention to environmental impact. The demand for clean cosmetics is not new but is now a global necessity.

Cosmetic chemists must carefully choose the raw materials incorporated into the final formula. The outcom every often is minimalist formulations with herbal ingredients incorporated and inspired by food. Improved sustainability is the key. It includes the use of safer solvents as well as renewable ingredients to obtain biodegradable and green formulae and eco-friendly, recyclable, and refillable packaging and a high-energy efficiency during the entire production, to obtain a holistic clean beauty product. 

References

¹ The Clean & Sustainable Beauty Agenda 2021: Global Cosmetic Industries, Febr 2021 issue, pp. 28-36
² Euromonitor International’s Voice of the Industry Sustainability Survey, conducted in June 2020; www.portal.euromonitor.com 
³ Mintel’s 4 Global Beauty Consumer Trends of 2021, Cosmetics & Toiletries Newsletter, Febr., 1st, 2021
⁴ Health and Beauty in the Coronavirus Era, Euromonitor International, July 2020
⁵ Why “Clean” Beauty Doesn’t Mean “Safer” – Yet; Cosmetics & Toiletries Newsletter, Jan., 19th, 2021
⁶ Clean Beauty, COSSMA, Aug., 21st, 2020
⁷ Nonionic Surfactants: Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) Ethers and Fatty Acid Esters as Penetration Enhancers, Percutaneous Penetration Enhancers – Chemical Methods in Penetration Enhancement, Casiraghi et al., pp. 251-271, Springer, 2015
⁸ Ethyl Lauroyl Arginate HCl for Natural Preservation, Cosmetics & Toiletries, Dec. 2011