56 REGULATIONS
1, 2026, prohibiting the manufacture, import, export, and placing on the market of cosmetics containing intentionally added PFAS as well as products with defined concentration thresholds, applicable to residual PFAS present as impurities or contamination, thereby creating immediate commercial pressure across the entire EU supply chain. With multinational brands depending on unified product portfolios, a PFAS formulation in one geography can now jeopardize global distribution. Against this backdrop, the urgency to transition
to peptide technologies without the intentional use of TFA becomes unmistakable. Trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), for example, may not always appear on an INCI label, yet it often remains as a counterion or residual processing aid. As regulatory definitions expand and enforcement intensifies, even these counterions or manufacturing adjuvants face increasing scrutiny. Brands seeking to futureproof their innovation pipelines cannot rely on outdated assumptions about what is permissible. Reformulating with TFA-free‡ peptides is no
longer just a sustainability gesture—it is rapidly becoming a business imperative. With safety expectations tightening, consumer awareness rising, and global regulations converging toward elimination, companies that adopt technologies without intentionally added PFAS now place themselves at the forefront of compliance, transparency, and market leadership.
High science, high performance, zero compromise Consumers today expect more from their beauty products than ever before. They demand visible, measurable, and clinically validated performance. But increasingly, they expect performance with principles. Ingredient lists are no longer glanced over; they are scrutinized. Transparency is not a value add; it is a baseline. And as awareness of chemical safety and environmental impact grows, the pressure on brands to deliver future-proof formulations intensifies. This is where PFAS, and specifically TFA,
have become an industry touchpoint. In many cases PFAS enabled formulation challenges to be overcome with efficiency that nonfluorinated alternatives simply could not match. But despite these benefits, PFAS now represent a growing regulatory and reputational liability. Their environmental persistence, traceability issues, and tightening global restrictions mean that intentionally added TFA and other PFAS-related inputs are drawing increasing regulatory and stakeholder scrutiny.
The challenge: high performance peptides without PFAS Peptides are among the most powerful and trusted cosmetic actives in the world, offering targeted biological activity and clinically visible benefits. Yet traditional peptide synthesis has long relied on PFAS, particularly trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), as a counterion and processing aid. This dependence created a critical bottleneck: how could the beauty industry maintain the high performance expected of modern peptides without relying on TFA that carries rising
PERSONAL CARE MAGAZINE June 2026
regulatory and consumer concern? At DSM-Firmenich, the solution did not
come from reacting to regulations—it came from anticipating them. Powered by the global scientific capabilities of our House of Science, we mobilized teams across peptide chemistry, analytical science, green chemistry, regulatory affairs, toxicology, and sustainability. This cross- disciplinary engine enabled us to rethink peptide design and manufacturing from the ground up, with a clear mandate: ■ Eliminate the intentional use of TFA without sacrificing performance ■ Deliver scientifically advanced peptides with full transparency ■ Future proof formulations for a rapidly evolving regulatory world ■ Ensure safety and sustainability without compromise This proactive scientific leadership led to the
creation of SYN CB Peptides—our next generation peptide platform designed to deliver the same high performance formulators trust, with the regulatory clarity the future demands.
Performance you expect, compliance you need SYN CB Peptides represent a breakthrough: peptides that meet demanding efficacy expectations without relying on TFA or other PFAS-based manufacturing inputs. Crafted through advanced, TFA-free‡
Leading the industry—not following it While many beauty companies are just beginning to evaluate PFAS risk, DSM-Firmenich has already delivered a scalable, commercially available, TFA-free‡
peptide portfolio. This is not a retrofit;
it is a reinvention. It reflects our commitment to shaping the future of beauty science rather than responding to it. By choosing SYN CB Peptides, brands are
not simply avoiding PFAS, they are partnering with a scientific powerhouse with decades of peptide expertise, a proven regulatory track record, and an unwavering commitment to safety, sustainability, and innovation. They are choosing peptides designed for the world we live in—and
the world we want to create. ‡
Intentionally added TFA PCM
References 1. Buck RC et al. Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances in the environment: Terminology, classification, and origins. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management. 2011; Volume 7, Issue 4, pages 513–541
2. Wang Z et al. A New OECD Definition for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances. Environ Sci Technol. 2021; 55, 23, 15575–15578
synthetic pathways
validated by the House of Science, SYN CB Peptides empower brands with: ■ Uncompromised performance proven through state-of-the-art testing ■ End-to-end transparency across synthesis, purification, and analytical verification ■ Regulatory confidence in every global market— US, EU, and beyond ■ Sustainability alignment with consumer expectations and brand values ■ Future readiness as PFAS regulation accelerates worldwide Where traditional peptides face looming
compliance risks, SYN CB Peptides deliver certainty.
3. OECD. Toward a new comprehensive global database of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs): Summary report on updating the OECD 2007 list of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs). 4 May 2018.
https://www.oecd.org/ content/dam/oecd/en/publications/ reports/2018/05/summary-report-on-the- new-comprehensive-global-database- of-per-and-polyfluoroalkyl-substances- pfass_73d72705/1a14ad6c-en.pdf
4. Glüge J et al. An overview of the uses of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Environ Sci: Processes Impacts. 2020; 22, 2345-2373
5. Report on the Use of PFAS in Cosmetic Products and Associated Risks. US FDA. December 2025
https://www.fda.gov/ media/190319/download?attachment
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