Plant ingredient to assist in cosmetics formulation
to deliver cosmetics ingredients to the skin - using an ingredient
derived from the Safflower plant.
The new formulation ingredient, called Natrulon OSF, has been developed using patented technology and is manufactured by Lonza, a life science company and is mooted for launch in early November.
Using oleosomes - oil-bearing "organelles" found in a number of plant seeds - the product is available to combine its three roles as an emollient, emulsifier and moisturiser into one.
Natrulon OSF oleosomes have been earmarked by Lonza for their potential usage across a number of cosmetics applications, including moisturising creams, sunscreen lotions, and colour cosmetics, such as eye shadows and mascaras, which the manufacturer claims, "imparts a light, smooth, emollient feel to the skin."
Cosmetics manufacturers have long favoured the Safflower principally because it contains many blends of fatty acids, for instance oleic and linolenic acids, from which a number of extracts can be derived.
These acids, in addition to a number of natural proteins and phospholipids, have unique emulsification qualities which are important in the formulation of some cosmetics products.
And now through using patented technology, Lonza has found a way to unlock these emollients from their natural state, without the use of traditional extraction methods.
When the olesomes of the safflower oil are directly applied to the skin in the form of a cream or lotion, for instance, the safflower triglycerides - the chemical name for fatty acids - can provide both emolliency and occlusivity to the skin.
From a formulation perspective, the chemical composition found in the outer shell of the olesomes also allows the emulsification of other soluble cosmetics ingredients.
According to the manufacturer, the Natrulon OSF product can be used as the sole oil phase ingredient in a single cosmetic emulsion, without the need for additional emulsifiers. Furthermore, Lonza suggests that the ingredient only needs to form 7-15 per cent of the total ingredient formulation in order to produce optimal results.
The chemical composition of the ingredient means it can be used in cold formulation - a processing technique that is of importance to cosmetics formulators as it simplifies the formulation process - as well as increasing production throughput, lowering labour requirements and reducing energy costs.
