Cognis And Laboratoires Sérobiologiques At PCHI 2009 -Showcasing "Green" Solutions For The Asian Market
At this year's PCHI trade show in Guangzhou, China, Cognis Care Chemicals and its active ingredients business Laboratoires Sérobiologiques (LS) presented a range of innovative products and concepts, including ready-to-use formulations. These can help manufacturers develop personal and home care products that meet the demands of the Asian consumer. A focal point at the LS' and Cognis' booth were products and concepts that serve the "green" trend.
LS presented Skinasensyl, a new cosmeceutical active ingredient with an innovative and targeted mechanism that has been especially designed for people with neurosensitive skin. This pure synthetic tetrapeptide decreases nerve stimulation, thereby increasing skin tolerance to environmental factors or known irritating agents. The overall soothing effects of Skinasensyl have been confirmed in clinical studies showing its capability to increase the tolerance threshold of skin, and to reduce sensations of pain and discomfort experienced by end users.
Also on display was Actiwhite, a tailor-made next-generation skin-whitening active based on an innovative biological pathway with proven efficacy demonstrated in a comparative clinical test with the market benchmark. It also ensures perfect skin tolerability, which makes it suitable for daily use. Actiwhite is an ideal example of LS' Skin Brightening strategy, a multifaceted approach that uses various different mechanisms to enhance skin radiance, which was also showcased at LS' booth.
Outstanding ingredients for home and personal care products
In the home care market, convenience is a key factor in consumers' purchasing decisions. Polyquart PRO is a special polymer that is compatible with all types of surfactants and allows claims like high-gloss, streak-free cleaning, easy to clean (again), less resoiling, and spotless drying for hard surface cleaner formulations.
Environmentally sound and highly effective APG surfactants are good examples of how Cognis is committed to helping manufacturers serve the "green" trend on a high level of sustainability. They are obtained from renewable plant-derived raw materials, such as vegetable oils and starch. APG surfactants combine in excellent manner mildness to human skin, environmental compatibility, and pose no risk to human health yet still offer excellent cleaning and foaming performance for personal and home care products as well as I&I applications.
Plantapon LGC Sorb, the "Next Generation APG", retains the excellent mildness of the APG surfactants while improving important consumer-related attributes such as foam and sensorial acceptance. It is a liquid surfactant recommended for various personal care cleansing applications where mildness and sensorial appeal is required, for example mild facial washes and specialty shampoos.
With Cetiol SenSoft, the "happy emollient", Cognis presented a versatile emollient that enables manufacturers to meet the consumers' demand for a sensorial and holistic product experience. It is highly compatible with commonly used raw materials, offers excellent hydrolytic stability, good UV filter solubilizing power, and has the ability to wet powders. The emollient is therefore suitable for face, body, and sun care products, decorative cosmetics or deodorants.
Innovative concepts at PCHI 2009
In September 2008, Cognis Care Chemicals presented the second phase of its Green Chemical Solutions classification system to the public. This time, the focus is on formulations, their level of "greenness", and demonstrating the relationship between the naturalness of the ready-made formulation and its performance through the Green Formulation Grid. It helps manufacturers to see at a glance if a formulation with the desired levels of performance and naturalness is already available at Cognis or if it is possible to develop such a formulation.
As an illustration of this "green" approach, LS and Cognis Care Chemicals have developed a concept called Beau Bio Generation. It represents a novel approach to formulating environmentally sound skin and hair care products, allowing manufacturers to combine good product performance, sensorial appeal, and a high level of naturalness, while at the same time taking into account safety concerns. Customers can also see if individual ingredients or complete formulations comply with the Ecocert requirements. Beau Bio Generation offers two variants: retro-chic, a back-to-basics approach that draws on traditional beauty formulations, and neo-tech, which is closely attuned to contemporary lifestyles. The latter focuses particularly on the needs of urban consumers: multifunctionality, proven benefits, protection of the skin against environmental stressors, and the maintenance of a healthy and youthful skin tone at all times.
Skin is affected by environmental and climatic factors. To stop problems before they start, LS proposes its "Climate Change" concept which offers ready-to-use cosmetics solutions to protect the skin, with appropriate responses for all kinds of environmental and challenging conditions.
With "Feel four seasons", Cognis presented a concept which includes innovative ideas to meet seasonal consumer demands. Temperature, weather conditions and the length of the days not only influence people's moods, but also the condition of skin and hair. Cognis aims to offer tailored solutions to meet the specific challenges due to the changes of spring, summer, autumn and winter.
These days, beauty is not just something for the young. Many more mature women still have active lifestyles – they feel young, and want to look that way, too. This is the idea behind Cognis' and LS' "Ageless Beauty" concept – a carefully assembled selection of cosmetic and personal care products with ingredients to fit the physiological and emotional demands of women of all different ages. In this way, they can help women show off particular features to best effect, and make them feel positive about themselves and their age at any time of their life.
Comments Anne-Laurie Rodrigues, Communication Manager of Laboratoires Sérobiologiques: "LS provides tailor-made solutions for active ingredients that are consistent with both local needs, such as the demand for skin whitening products in Asia, and global trends, like wellness and sustainability. By applying Cognis' ‘green' philosophy to active ingredients in this way, we help our customers to succeed in their markets."
About Laboratoires Sérobiologiques
Laboratoires Sérobiologiques is Cognis Care Chemicals' active ingredients business. It specializes in the development, manufacture and marketing of innovative cosmetic concepts and active ingredients.
About Cognis
Cognis is a worldwide supplier of innovative specialty chemicals and nutritional ingredients, with a particular focus on the areas of wellness and sustainability. The company employs about 6,000 people, and it operates production sites and service centers in 30 countries. Cognis has dedicated its activities to a high level of sustainability and delivers natural source raw materials and ingredients for food, nutrition and healthcare markets, and the cosmetics, detergents and cleaners industries. Another main focus is on products for a number of other industries, such as coatings and inks, lubricants, as well as agriculture and mining.
Cognis is owned by private equity funds advised by Permira, GS Capital Partners, and SV Life Sciences. In 2007, Cognis recorded sales of about 2.8B euros and an Adjusted EBITDA (operating result) of 360M euros.
SOURCE: Cognis Care Chemicals & Laboratoires Sérobiologiques