Croda used this week's In-Cosmetics show in Berlin as the launching pad for the new line of cosmetics ingredients, which emphasise the growing trend towards ingredients that are natural and easy to formulate.
Croda previewed KeraMax+, a conditioner concentrate which aims to deliver designer hair care; Prolevium, a natural cottonseed protein for gentle skin care; Crodafos HCE, a hair colour enhancer for richer, hair colours; and Incroquat 18-MEA-40, a highly substantive quaternary conditioning agent derived from 18-MEA, a natural hair lipid.
KeraMax+ has been developed to deliver premium sector performance, in a salon-tested conditioner concentrate that is claimed to deliver outstanding results.
Karen Ryan, recently appointed marketing manager for personal care, said "Conditioners represent the fastest growing sector within hair care, showing 8.4 per cent year-on-year growth. Consumers are choosing appearance over convenience and are prepared to invest more time - and money - on their hair. As a result, premium sector and intensive conditioners are driving growth. In response Croda is launching KeraMax+, a premium performance conditioner concentrate which will allow our customers to compete in the designer/premium sector, even on a tight budget."
As a blend of conditioning agents, emulsifiers and stabilisers, KeraMax+ is said to exhibit excellent performance benefits when compared to a leading premium conditioner brand. A variety of hair care actives can be added to the system to create a tailor made range catering for diverse hair care needs. The range comes with a claim substantiation package, with scientifically proven efficacy for each variant.
Prolevium, a natural cottonseed protein hydrolysate, is a solution for gentle skin care applications. Croda says it has proven mildness and counter-irritancy benefits and encompass softness, comfort associated with cotton. As a low molecular weight hydrolysed protein, it is capable of penetrating the stratum corneum to help moisturise, nourish and protect the skin from within. Prolevium is substantive, providing an enhanced skin feel and long term conditioning benefits, even from wash-off systems.
As the hair colourants market continues to thrive, driven by the success of permanent colourants, Croda is launching a hair colour enhancer claimed to provide richer, more vibrant hair colour that lasts. Based on the company's phosphate ester technology, Crodafos HCE is designed to deliver dye intermediates deeper into the hair cortex resulting in greater depth of colour and enhanced wash-off resistance. The company says that tests prove that the product also provides protection during the dyeing process, helping to maintain the hair's natural hydrophobic properties.
Incroquat 18-MEA-40 is a highly substantive quaternary conditioning agent, derived from 18-MEA, which offers a biomimetic route to lipid replenishment from root to tip. This patented conditioning agent helps to restore hair to its natural hydrophobic state and the company says it is proven to reduce the tangling associated with damaged hair.
"No hair care range is complete without the promise of hair repair. This new quaternised addition to our patented 18-MEA range now offers enhanced functionality for shampoo systems too," continued Ryan.
"18-MEA is bound to the surface of the hair and is pivotal in creating a lubricious film on the hair fibre, which protects the hair from external attacks on the hair's condition and appearance. Insults such as chemical treatment, combing, styling and environmental stress (eg. UV) can deplete this fatty layer, making the surface more hydrophilic. Incroquat 18-MEA-40 helps to rejuvenate and maintain hair by enriching its natural lipid content."
Also on show were several of Croda's current skin and hair care products including its range of lanolins and derivatives.