TEXTURES


Five waxes and an infinite range of textures


Belén M. Lemieux – Koster Keunen, US


The personal care industry has always been resilient, even during economic downturns.1 As consumers evolve and adapt, so do their demands, and the days when beauty products only needed to deliver a result are gone. The natural ingredient demand has grown into a movement, where not only ingredients, but entire brands are proving their commitment to transparency, ethics, and sustainability.2


The importance of connecting


emotionally with the consumer is more present than ever, as the global pandemic has driven consumers to fear, skepticism, and economic insecurity.3


A few ways in which


we can make deeper connections is through encouraging a sense of wellness, community and self-care. One way we, as formulators, can connect


with consumers is by delivering innovative formulas with functionalities and textures that foster these positive feelings and make lasting impressions.4


To do so, proper ingredient


selection is key, and at Koster Keunen we believe natural waxes can deliver on all fronts.


Natural waxes deliver universally Natural waxes are functional Waxes are a very diverse class of organic compounds, with some key similarities. They are water-insoluble, solid mixtures of long-chain hydrocarbons and/or esters of higher fatty acids and alcohols. They become soft, pliable, and liquid when warm and variably hard when cold.5 Their hydrophobic nature makes them ideal for use in cosmetic and OTC drug applications as film-formers that block trans-epidermal water loss in the stratum corneum.6


Natural waxes are sensory As for sensory ingredients, waxes are commonly known for their thickening or structuring properties, but we have found after multiple texture studies (and years of formulation experience) they can offer a wide variety of textures depending on the nature of the wax and the formulation that contains it. This variety of textures will translate into different sensations when applied to the skin. In anhydrous systems, waxes interact with oils in different ways, producing jellies, sticks, transforming textures, creams, balms, etc. In emulsions waxes can thicken the formula, as well as affect product esthetics such as gloss, firmness, rub-out and after-feel.


www.personalcaremagazine.com EFFECT OR WAX ADDITION TO BALM BASE Base■ Base + Beeswax ■ Base + Kester Wax K-24 ■ Base + Kester Wax K-60P ■ Base + Orange Peel Wax ■ Base + Sunflower Wax ■


10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90


0 Figure 1: Gel study #1.


Natural waxes are traceable Waxes can have varying degrees of ‘naturalness’, depending on the classification criteria. Regardless, whether they are extracted from natural resources or produced using natural feedstocks, waxes can be traced back to the source, making them attractive to both formulators and brands looking for transparency. Traceability, along with social, economic, and environmental factors, is an important aspect of sustainability.


Five natural waxes: overview Sunflower wax: hard structure Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Wax is obtained from sunflower seeds through a very simple process of mechanical extraction, winterisation and purification. The chemical composition of Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Wax is moderately complex. It consists of long-chain esters, 90% of which are esters of C16-24 fatty acids and C26-32 alcohols, and a small amount of free fatty alcohols and free fatty acids. The seed hull contains most of the wax found in a seed.7 In personal care, sunflower wax is mainly used in creating hard sticks, including lip


balms, lipsticks, and deodorants. It provides structure to many systems, regardless of oil medium or presence of pigments/powders. It can also be used as a natural replacement for many petrochemical derived waxes, such as ozokerites, polyethylene or synthetic wax.


Beeswax: the multi-tasker Beeswax is biosynthesised by the European honey bee (Apis mellifera) in response to environmental stimuli. It is an incredibly complex mixture of organic compounds, mainly long chain esters, hydrocarbons, polyesters, free fatty acids, and other minor components that make it unique.8


Raw


beeswax can be refined in varying degrees to produce commercially available grades, with applications in food (GRAS listed9


), cosmetics


and many other industries. In personal care, beeswax is used for its oil


gelling and viscosity building capabilities. It is an excellent choice when adding structure to lip balms and lipsticks, and it is also widely used in body care (emulsion creams and butters as well as body sticks like sunscreens), mascaras, and hair stylers (emulsions as well as anhydrous).


January 2021 PERSONAL CARE 5 10 % Wax added to base 15


61


Cone Penetration (dmm)


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