BASF’s offerings at Cosmet’Agora 2023 spotlight holistic and responsible beauty

• “Holistic & Responsible Beauty Routines” concept highlights formulations for mindful care
• Showcased ingredient innovations combine high standards of performance and sustainability
• BASF experts available for one-on-one exchanges at booths 128-131-132

For this year’s Cosmet’Agora, January 10–11 in Paris, BASF’s personal care business has set its sights on holistic and responsible beauty. The company will showcase a range of new ingredients and formulations that support consumers’ demand for combining what’s best for them and the planet. “Personal care today is no longer just about focusing on outer appearance. Rather, beyond the purely aesthetic aspect, consumers are seeking a care routine that strengthens the health of body and mind, overall well-being and their relationship with people and the environment,” says Valérie Pian-Parison, Senior Operative Marketing Manager Personal Care. “We support our customers in this demanding task with solutions that look at beauty from all angles.” Visitors of Cosmet’Agora can explore BASF’s offerings at booths 128-131-132.

“Holistic & Responsible Beauty Routines” concept for body, mind, and environment

In line with a holistic approach to personal care, BASF has developed a new concept that particularly appeals to mindful consumers. “Holistic & Responsible Beauty Routines” combines care for body and mind with respect for the environment. The concept includes a range of formulations that cover the entire care routine: from mild cleansing to wellness care, with particularly pleasant textures, eco-friendly protection to safeguard the skin from external stresses, and make-up formulations that allow people to express their own personality in a fun and colorful way. The individual ingredients have been carefully selected and are largely characterized by a high natural origin index and biodegradability.

Euperlan^® NL Pearl: first wax-based COSMOS compliant pearlizer for rinse-off applications

With the launch of Euperlan^® NL Pearl, BASF’s personal care business offers the first wax-based Cosmos compliant pearlizer for personal care products combining excellent hair care performance with sustainable benefits. Euperlan NL Pearl is a concentrated blend of hydrogenated vegetable oil, cocamidopropyl betaine and glyceryl oleate. This ingredient is readily biodegradable and suitable for certified natural cleansing concepts according to COSMOS standards as well as for EO and sulfate surfactant-free solutions. It is easy to formulate and cold processable. Some inspiring formulations developed with this new pearlizer have a natural origin content of up to 99% according to ISO 16128.

Probiolift™ and Postbiolift™: biotic ingredients based on skin bacteria for healthful aging

Probiolift™ and Postbiolift™ are powerful additions to BASF’s portfolio of biotic skin care ingredients. They are the first biotics on the cosmetic market to use Lactobacillus crispatus (L. crispatus), a bacterium strain residing in the crow’s feet wrinkle hollow that has been found to significantly decrease with age. Probiolift is made of living but dormant L. crispatus bacteria which awaken in contact with water on the skin. In vivo tests have demonstrated that the ingredient helps to make the skin appear fuller and improves the appearance of forehead wrinkles. Postbiolift is a unique postbiotic ingredient containing beneficial metabolites secreted by L. crispatus. It supports an improvement in the mechanical properties of the skin to help make it appear more elastic, smooth the appearance of wrinkles around the eyes, and create an appearance of an even complexion.

Verdessence™: comprehensive biopolymer portfolio for personal care

BASF’s newly established Verdessence™ trademark unites the company’s biopolymers for a variety of personal care applications. All products within this range are readily biodegradable, made from 100% renewable raw materials, and COSMOS and NATRUE approved. The latest addition is Verdessence™ RiceTouch, a plant-based sensory powder with small particle size that provides a powdery light and smooth skin feel. It is perfectly suited for various fields of natural and organic cosmetics. Produced from non-GMO upcycled rice sourced within the European Union, Verdessence RiceTouch offers excellent oil absorbency. The biopolymer’s compatibility in different formulations results in shine control and a mattifying effect. Stickiness reduction and spreading enhancement are additional benefits.

Proven initiatives for sustainable sourcing

As a global company, BASF has a responsibility to manage its supply chains carefully. The company is deeply involved in a number of initiatives to increase the proportion of renewable ingredients in its portfolio and enhance the sustainability of farming practices and the well-being of farmers and workers.

One example is the ‘Pragati’ (Hindi for progress) project, a collaboration between BASF, Arkema, Jayant Agro-Organics Ltd. and Solidaridad to create sustainable standards for castor cultivation. BASF became the first chemical company to be certified under the SuCCESS (Sustainable Castor Caring for Environmental & Social Standards) code and has begun supplying its first sustainable castor ingredients for the personal care sector.

With the certification of its production site in Cassina Rizzardi, Italy, according to the Rainforest Alliance Mass Balance Coconut certification system, BASF is also the first chemical company to offer certified sustainable personal care ingredients based on coconut oil.

These are but a few examples of how BASF’s Care Chemicals Division is addressing future challenges. Sustainability, digitalization, innovation and new approaches to working together are the key cornerstones to Care 360° – Solutions for sustainable life.