Corn, rice and tapioca starch are utilised in skincare and colour cosmetics as a simple and natural method to improve application properties.
Over the past few years the trend for natural cosmetics has taken a leading position in the development of new products, with an ever increasing number of consumers looking for alternatives to existing products on the market.
Creating an effective and natural product whilst still preserving the comfort of its usage is a hurdle challenging today’s cutting edge technologies. For example, consumers appreciate a high content of natural oils but not necessarily wish to experience the heavy occlusive layer remaining after application.
Sensing, Feeling and Silky Finishing
Today, not only smell or active ingredients play a decisive role in the consumers purchase decision, texture is a key sensory aspect as well. This includes the sense of spread ability and how the skin reacts after the product’s application. These criteria are also growing in importance in tanning cosmetics.
Not long ago the only criteria to meet was the relative SPF, those types of products were simply designed to protect. Today’s consumer demands easier, more pleasant application without a whiting effect, sticky or heavy layer.
Today’s tanning products need to be more resistant to the adhesion of sand to the skin after application. Agrana’s product offering includes starches specifically targeting the unique needs of cosmetics, affording the producer a wide degree of interesting possibilities in formulation.
Not only easy to use, the products answer the need to address the consumer’s point of view on a natural way to improve sensory properties. Agrana’s offering comprises of both natural modified starch as well as organics.
Skincare
Introduction of natural starches into emulsion systems is possible in two stages of the production process. It can be initially added to aqueous phase and heated resulting in the effect of system congestion. As well the starch may be added after emulsification to obtain the improvement of sensory properties.
Modified Starches (Corn Po4 PHB, Rice PO4 Natural)
Due to changes in construction, molecules are resistant to the effect of high temperature. At this stage we cannot obtain the gelling effect at heating but we can get definitely improve sensory effects.
Application of a modified starch reduces greasiness and viscosity formulations when applied in emulsion and anhydrous systems. Modified starches also constitute a strong alternative to silicones, elastomers and other raw materials aimed at improving the application properties.
Agrana starches can be applied in wide range of skincare products, face, hand, foot creams, body lotions and butters are just some examples.
They make an excellent addition to products geared to children and babies, to tanning cosmetics in which the content of UV filters can affect the feeling of being sticky and in men’s cosmetics where the preference is for light and non-greasy consistency.
The improvement of sensory properties are not the only benefits to be obtained from starches incorporation in these formulations.
Starches also offer an opportunity for the improvement of the emulsion stability, for moisturising and absorbs the excess sebum and flattening the skin which makes it an ideal additive for dry skin and acne complexion cosmetics.
Colour Cosmetics
Starches in color cosmetics offer a very wide range of application. They constitute an alternative to talc, demonstrating at the same time increased ability for oil absorption and better adhesion to the skin surface translating into excellent tanning properties.
Starches help provide the silky smoothness and prolongs the durability of make-up, consumer demands. With the inclusion of starches we can create innovative textures, ‘’cream to powder’’, obtaining smooth, dry and matte finishing on skin.
Starches are used in many aspects of color cosmetic formulation, including loose or pressed powders, lipsticks, lip glosses, pencils and fluids.
Dry Shampoo
The portfolio of Agrana products comprises the premier solution for the formulation of dry shampoos. Type. D.S.A. 7 is a rice starch combined with a conditioner – Cetriomonium Chloride, which will refresh or regenerates the hair while both absorbing excess sebum and adding volume to hair.
This product is available in standard white color as well as in other color versions of black, brown, and blonde.
Cleansing Products
Starches are also effective detergents. They constitute a natural alternative to opacifiers where they provide a milky look formulation. Additionally starches will improve the characteristics of the foam resulting in a creamer formulation that results in improved moisturisation of the skin.
As a matter of fact starches constitute multi-functional addition to the wide range of cosmetic products:
•Creams, lotions, body balm,
•Anhydrous products,
•Antiperspirants,
•Colour cosmetics,
•Cleansing products,
•Dry shampoos,
•Powders.
Starches in Cosmetics, Key Takeaways
•Improvement of sensory properties,
– Greasiness reduction, viscosity formulations even at significant share in grease phase or anhydrous formulations,
– Smooth, powdery and silky feeling,
– Spreading improvement.
•Matte effect,
•Moisturising affect,
•Improvement of emulsion stability,
•Alternative to talc.
Written by: Małgorzata Chochoł
Senior Sales Manager
Personal Care
Homecare & Industrial Cleaning
Azelis Poland
Translated by:Özge Yüksel Özel
Technical Business Development Manager
Personal Care
Azelis Turkey
