Visitors at this year's Cosmet’Agora exhibition will be able to explore German chemicals company BASF concepts for a range of "eco-friendly" beauty products as part of a more sustainable vision for the future of the cosmetics industry.
Cosmetics products. Credit: WAYHOME studio / Shutterstock
Credit: WAYHOME studio / Shutterstock
The "Alive Beauty" range consists of skin, hair and sun protection products the company claims are "sustainably and responsibly sourced" for a sense of "wellbeing" in consumers.
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The formulae themselves have yet to be turned into end products but could represent a sustainable start to the cosmetics value chains.
“Sustainability and clean beauty have been reshaping the beauty industry in recent years", Marine Belthé, Marketing Manager at BASF Personal Care Europe said in a statement. "However, consumers are now also seeking beauty products that offer a broader sense of wellbeing".
The line includes "products with improved sensory properties such as touch and fragrance, as well as cosmetics that give consumers more self-confidence", she added, saying that "meeting these expectations can open up exciting opportunities for cosmetics manufacturers – particularly if the products are also based on sustainable and natural ingredients".
Products include the Texapon skin powder, which the company claims is completely biodegradable and is made from resources certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and offers a suitable alternative to surfactants containing sulphate or ethylene oxide derivatives. It also reportedly leaves zero waste when washed off.
Also part of the line is the COSMOS-approved Hydagen Clean biopolymer obtained from the tuber of the konjac plant native to Southwest China for use in gels, serums and skin patches.
The biopolymer design has also been moulded into Sublime Glow Gel Cream formula - likely designed to be an anti-ageing cream - set to be unveiled on the first day of the event, which has been enhanced with a fucoidan derived from algae.
Sustainably sourcing products approved by watchdogs could stand to limit ethical concerns associated with the beauty industry, such as carcinogenic qualities or the use of toxic chemicals.
Representatives from BASF told Industry Europe that all products are developed and prudced under the EU cosmetics legislation (Regulation (EC) No. 1223/2009) of the European Commission for toxic or carcinogenic chemicals.
There are a number of ethical challenges facing the cosmetics industry and companies have been looking to shift their image in recent years. Issues faced include the sector's use of child labour, animal testing, microplastics and heavy use of palm oil, which can lead to severe deforestation in countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia.
BASF itself partnered with Estée Lauder and the RSPO to produce sustainable palm oil back in 2019.
Read more: BASF, Estée Lauder & RSPO partner for Sustainable Palm Oil Project
BASF has committed itself to spur increased production in sustainable palm oil products, supporting the RSPO and pushing for change in the industry. For transparency it regularly publishes reports - the most recent published in July 2021 - to ensure it is meeting these goals.
The European Union - particularly member states such as Lithuania and France - have taken a hard stance against palm oil production in a bid to curb deforestation of the world's rainforests.
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