The Sweet Escape

Sensitive Skin Market Growth Part 2

Posted by Lindsay Lipp on 01/03/2019

Increasingly, consumers are looking for products designed for sensitive skin. In the first half of this two-part series, we shared that as of 2017 the number of women who perceive their skin as sensitive had increased by 4 percent in two years. (Read Part 1 here)

In response to this trend, we have combined our extensive portfolio of functional ingredients to develop almost 100 bath and shower formulations with the sensitive consumer in mind. From a Luxurious Foam Facial Cleanser to a Mild & Gentle Intimate Wash to the Care & Nourish, Ultra-mild Shower Cream, these formulations contain Lubrizol’s mild surfactants, irritation mitigating polymers, rheology modifiers for difficult-to-thicken systems, and humectants and emollients for skin nourishment. Below is a subset of the products we recommend for sensitive skin cleansing applications.

Surfactants for gentle, sulfate-free* cleansing:

  • Chembetaine CAD surfactant – A 100% coconut-derived, high purity, mild surfactant that builds viscosity, boosts foam, and synergistically reduces irritation when formulated with anionic surfactants.
  • Chemccinate™ DSLS-BA surfactant – A naturally-derived, benzoic acid-preserved anionic surfactant that acts as an effective irritation mitigation agent for ultra-mild personal care products.
  • Chemoryl SFB-4SB surfactant –A robust surfactant blend concentrate that produces a mild, effective cleansing system and good foam properties with the addition of water, fragrance, thickener and preservative. Ideal for color protection shampoos, baby shampoos, bath/shower gels and other mild cleansing products.
  • Chemoryl™ SFB-10SSB surfactant – A mild multipurpose surfactant concentrate enabling gentle mild cleansing formulations ideal for baby washes, bubble baths and other mild cleansing products.

    *Alkyl and alkyl ether sulfate-free

Polymers to mitigate surfactant irritation and enhance cleanser mildness:

  • Carbopol® SMART polymers (10002000) – Versatile and unique nonionic rheology modifiers that reduce irritation in cleansing systems with no negative impact on foaming.
  • Carbopol® Ultrez 20 polymer – An easy-to-use, self-wetting polymer that can significantly reduce surfactant irritation in mild cleansers.
  • Carbopol® SC-500 polymer – A CFDA-listed polymer that reduces skin irritation from surfactants in mild cleansing chassis.
  • Novethix L-10 emulsion polymer – An easy-to-use, cold-processible emulsion polymer that reduces skin protein damage potential in certain surfactant chassis.
  • Glucamate™ thickeners (DOE-120VLT– Naturally derived thickeners that reduce the skin irritancy of cleansing formulations. The VLT can achieve this even at low use levels (0.5%).
  • Merquat polymers (550PR20012003PR3330PR3940) – Conditioning polymers that reduce skin protein damage potential in various surfactant chassis.

Rheology Modifiers to structure difficult-to-thicken mild or low surfactant systems:

  • Carbopol® Ultrez 20 polymer – An easy-to-use, self-wetting polymer and effective thickener for low surfactant systems with excellent electrolyte tolerance for lactic acid and the ability to stabilize low pH systems with high clarity.
  • Carbopol® SC-500 polymer – A CFDA-listed rheology modifier that provides excellent thickening efficiency and suspension in difficult-to-thicken, high pH soap-based and sulfate-free surfactant systems.
  • Novethix L-10 emulsion polymer – A highly efficient rheology modifier designed to structure most cleansing formulations and provide enhanced clarity for low surfactant level formulations.
  • Glucamate™ thickeners (DOE-120VLT– Naturally derived, anti-irritant rheology modifiers that thicken low surfactant systems with high clarity. The thickeners have good compatibility with different cationic actives and high amphoteric surfactants.

Humectants & Emollients to hydrate, nourish and soothe the skin:

  • Glucam™ humectants (E-10E-20P-10– Naturally derived, mild humectants with low irritation potential, making them ideal for use in sensitive skin formulations.
  • Glucquat™ 125 humectant – A naturally derived, mild, effective alternative to other harsh conditioning aids. The ingredient provides substantive humectancy and conditioning properties while delivering an extremely light, satiny afterfeel to the skin.
  • Hydramol TGL ester – An ester that delivers emolliency from the water phase of an emulsion system on contact with skin, exhibiting excellent moisturization and humectant properties.
  • Schercemol 185 ester - A very mild emollient with a low level of skin and eye irritation, recommended for use in superior skin care products.

Request additional information on functional ingredients suitable for sensitive skin.  

Lindsay Lipp

Contact Lindsay

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