Sorbitol is primarily used in cosmetics as a sweetener, a thickener and humectant. It is a conditioning agent for the skin, preventing moisture loss from both the skin and the hair. As such, it is a popular ingredient in soaps and toothpaste, and considered a replacement for the petrochemical Mono Propylene Glycol (MPG).
Due to its nature of being a sugar alcohol derived from corn syrup, it has a natural profile and so can be used in products that make naturals claims, a category which is enjoying unabating growth globally.
“The global sorbitol market is expected to grow at a moderate pace due to the demand from end-user applications,” says Kshama Upadhyay, a lead specialty chemicals research expert from Technavio.
“The market is primarily driven by cosmetics and personal care applications globally.”
EMEA focus
In the EMEA region, demand for the ingredient is driven by pharma and cosmetics industries, says the report, with the main countries contributing to this demand are Germany, the UK, and France.
“This growth is due to the growing aging population and better health insurance services in this region,” states Technavio, “Moreover, there is large scale export of cosmetics and personal care products from Europe.
“The growth in skin care products in Saudi Arabia and Egypt is due to increasing women employment and higher disposable incomes. Therefore, the demand for sorbitol is likely to grow due to the inclining demand from the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries in this region.”