Fiberstar to launch emulsifier alternative for personal care at in-cosmetics
The Wisconsin-based company’s citrus-based products have previously found their way into food products to control moisture and replace fat, and this is the first time the company is targeting the cosmetics industry.
“We have a technology that we use to functionally enhance natural ingredients. Looking at the processes we use to create these ingredients for the food industry, we realised there were applications in the cosmetics industry,” Fiberstar’s Vince Patti told CosmeticsDesign.com USA.
Binds both oil and water
Imulsi-Fi A30 is a large polymer made from citrus pulp that can bind to both oil and water, thereby having an emulsifier-like effect on a formulation.
According to Patti, the ingredient can hold up to 13 times its weight in oil and water at the same time, keeping the formulation stable for up to two years.
It consists of units of sugars, amino acids, and nucleic acids that create a variety of carbohydrates, peptides and proteins. This complex fiber matrix can form the strong bonds necessary to have the stabilizing effect, the company explained.
Adding Imulsi-Fi A30 to a formulation at between 3 and 7 percent can significantly raise the viscosity, and if further thickening is required the company suggests formulators add another thickening hydrocolloid.
However, Patti explained that the using high concentrations of the ingredient could affect the feel of the formulation, depending on its application.
Emulsifier free
According to Fiberstar, using this ingredient will mean the product is emulsifier free, which it believes is a characteristic of interest to formulators in the cosmetics industry.
“Some of the ingredients that are used as stabilisers and rheology modifiers are not particularly label friendly,” said Patti.
Targeting manufacturers of shampoos, body washes, creams, lotions and sun care products, the company will be promoting its ingredient at the upcoming in-cosmetics trade show held in Paris in April.
