"We have observed a trend towards PEG-free products for some time now. There are a number of customers who are no longer working with PEG-containing products and more have expressed a wish to have cost effective PEG-free alternatives”, commented Rolf Ohrmann, global product manager functional, Symrise.
PEG compounds have been in use as emulsifiers, solubilisers and surfactants in cosmetics formulations for many years.
Symrise claims to have conducted numerous studies to test the efficacy of its new compound Symsol PF-3.
“SymSol PF-3 can help our customers formulate products which are an answer to consumer expectations [leading] to more skin-friendly products”, claimed William Johncock, vice president of Symrise global business unit.
One test measured the solubility of essential oils and perfume oils using the standard PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil as a benchmark in comparison with Symsol.
The results showed that Symsol was the better solubiliser overall as most of the perfumes and essential oils, four out of the six assessed, dissolved more readily.
Another test was also carried out comparing the product against other PEG-free solubilisers. Symsol performed better than all the other PEG-free solubilisers used as all the perfumes and essential oils dissolved much more easily.
The PEG-free Symsol PF-3 can be used to solubilise lipophilic substances, such as perfume and essential oils, actives and vitamins in pure aqueous and aqueous alcoholic product formulations.
According to the company, it can also be used in fragrance, hair or body care application. One reason is that it allows a clear solution of oil soluble substances in pure aqueous and aqueous alcoholic product formulations.