Mass-balance approach scales up availability of bio-based ingredients in Personal Care

Consumer goods and cosmetic companies are facing increasing demand for sustainable products that perform well. Proprietary global research was carried out in February 2023 to understand consumer concerns and attitudes regarding personal care product ingredients. This will be summarised in the paper. At least 3 out of 4 respondents in each country surveyed (UK, USA, China, France, Brazil and Germany) expressed a high level of interest in bio-based ingredients though they also required products to perform well.
With this demand, bio-based and bio-circular ingredients are now offered on a mass balance basis, an approach with broad industry acceptance where chemical manufacturers can partially replace conventional feedstocks with bio-based feedstocks within the existing infrastructure and procedures. These grades are manufactured at high volume with proven manufacturing technologies (including the Modified Oxo process) used for decades. They can be used to replace conventional feedstocks without compromising quality or performance and give personal care product companies flexibility for their sustainable ingredient use. The mass balance process is certified by an independent third-party which helps provide assurance, transparency, and credibility for sustainability claims.
The following bio-based ingredients will be summarised in terms of structure and properties/performance:
• Sulfates based on bio-based alcohol ethoxylates show excellent foaming in shampoo and body wash, comparable to oleo alcohol derivatives. The lightly branched chemical structure makes them similar to oleo alcohols (e.g. from palm kernel and coconut oil) with potential benefits for handling properties and compatibility with other components.
• Bio-based alcohols for use “as is” as emollients in creams/lotions and as a feed to make alkyl benzoate ester used in sunscreen, hair care and lip balm.
• Linear alpha olefins grades are used to make intermediates (including alpha olefin sulfonate) used for skin care, fragrance and cleansing applications. Here high linearity is beneficial for sulfonation and end-performance.