Ashland creates customised skin formulation textures to meet specific needs

In what it has called ‘skin texturity’, Ashland has carried out new research into skin health and formulations and created signature texture solutions for skin care product manufacturers.

At the recent in-cosmetics event in Barcelona, texture and the sensorial experience were top of the list for many, and the US-based ingredient supplier presented its latest offerings based on this trend.

“Creating consumer-desirable sensory experiences is a function of ingredient expertise, controlling formulation behaviour all along the sensory pathway and considering the differing texture preferences of consumers around the world,” says Eric Lippay, global marketing manager, dermatologic and medical care, Ashland Specialty Ingredients.

Beauty butter

Lippay explains that using its expertise Ashland provides its skin care customers with signature texture solutions, and also pointed toward strategies to cost-effectively improve upon the texture of beauty butter.

“Building the texture of beauty butter, which normally employs expensive waxes, will often lead to extra drag on rub out and may leave skin feeling dry. On the other hand, using a combination of ProLipid lamellar gel and Natrosol thickening agents gives skin care products the texture of butter with exceptional skin feel,” he says.

And it is not just beauty butter that Ashland concerned itself with either, as it claims that its skin care team has created a variety of textures designed to appeal to the senses.

“Each texture highlights a special polymeric combination that gives a unique sensorial attribute, like quick-breaking, moisture-replenishing, cooling, mattifying and moisturising,” adds Hani Fares, Ph.D., senior director, skin care, Ashland Specialty Ingredients.

Skin health

Ashland’s offering at the European trade fair last month was all based on the premise that beautiful skin is linked to overall skin health,  and the new research is centred on epigenetic pathways to modulate the expression of certain genes for the benefit of healthy-looking skin without changing underlying DNA structures.

“Compromised skin, flaky skin and other skin conditions often require a unique solution,” said Randy Bull, vice president, dermatology and medical care specialties, Ashland Specialty Ingredients.

“Finding new routes to skin restoration and creating topical formulations that work within these pathways will enable skin care product manufacturers to produce creams that utilize skin’s own processes to re-establish healthy-looking skin.”