56 NATURALS
Replacing synthetics naturally and effectively
Caroline Recardo - Alchemy Ingredients
Over the past 50 years, there has been a gradual trend in the cosmetic industry to replace synthetic raw materials with more naturally derived, plant-based versions. In 1970, the approximate percentage of naturally-derived material (excluding water) in a typical cosmetic product was probably 50%, which included some animal derived feedstock. In 2020, it was more likely to be 75% and this
was wholly plant based. There are several drivers for this trend. ■ Consumer perception that natural ingredients are healthier for the skin and hair. ■ Concern about petrochemical-derived feedstocks and sustainability. ■ Green manufacturing processes and plant based raw materials becoming readily available. ■ Biodegradability concerns. ■ Cosmetics formulators preferring to use natural raw materials. ■ Label reading by consumers and not wanting ‘chemicals’ in their cosmetic products.
Limitations using natural materials Performance Often the natural raw material cannot be used as a direct 1:1 weight for weight replacement. This is because synthetic raw materials have usually been created specifically for a purpose, for example the viscosity modifier carbomer. This material was designed from scratch to bind and hold a great deal of water and provide a smooth, suspending, transparent gel. Natural thickeners do not have that
advantage as they are produced and extracted from plants or fermentation and are complex mixtures. Although transparent and smooth textures can be obtained, usually a much higher percentage of the thickener is needed to produce the same viscosity, for example a viscosity of 30,000Cps can be obtained with 0.2% of carbomer, whereas 2% of xanthan gum is required to reach the same viscosity. Often the natural raw material needs to be
taken into careful consideration due to special properties the material has, for example a particular pH or salt level requirements.
Predictability One of the advantages of using synthetic materials is the predictability and reliability of these materials. They are often chemically pure (one single chemical substance), are often colourless and stable, and do not vary from batch to batch. When natural raw materials are
PERSONAL CARE April 2024
used, the opposite is often true – the colour can be darker and can vary from batch to batch. Due to the complex nature of natural raw
materials, the performance of the product can vary depending on the formulation it is in. This is particularly true of preservatives, where the type of formulation, packaging and pH can greatly affect the level of natural preservative required.
Price It is an unfortunate fact for natural cosmetic companies that natural raw materials are often more expensive in a formulation than the synthetic equivalent. There are several reasons for this: firstly, the starting raw materials are commonly farmed and this involves higher labour and energy costs than synthetic starting materials, which are usually petrochemical in origin. Secondly, the extraction and refining processes
required to make the material suitable for cosmetic use are often complex and expensive, pushing the cost up. Finally, the pricing for natural, premium raw materials can be set artificially high as it is known that these type of finished cosmetics are more expensive than standard ones.
Categories of natural ingredients that can replace synthetics In the example categories listed below, the degree of difficulty in replacing synthetics is discussed. For some products, a simple substitution or careful selection is required without much effort or reformulation, in others a complete workaround is needed.
Emulsifiers This is a relatively easy category of ingredient to replace with a natural alternative depending on the type of formulation being made. The main function of an emulsifier is to form a physical barrier between the oil and water phases, organise the internal phase (either droplets or liquid crystal type arrangements) and provide texture and body to the emulsion. The earliest types of emulsifiers were in fact
natural, for example egg, plants such as soapwort or hemp, soap, and mustard. In the 1940s and 1950s, synthetic emulsifiers were extensively developed, with ethoxylated (PEG based) materials becoming very popular due to their low cost and high functionality. It was then that the concept of the HLB
(hydrophilic-lipophilic balance) was introduced by Griffin, providing a simple classification system for emulsifiers to predict the type of emulsion formed and the behaviour of the emulsifier. It is important to note that this system is only
applicable to synthetic emulsifiers. It cannot be applied to natural emulsifiers easily because the hydrophilic and lipophilic groups are not as ‘pure’ and therefore the value is not accurate, and usually the emulsifiers are complex mixtures. However, it has been successfully carried over
to some emulsifier types such as the polyglycerol ester group of products, due to the similarity of the polyglycerol group to PEG. Table 1 shows some emulsifier categories and the synthetics that they replace. It is worth noting that some commonly used
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