The development history of emulsifiers
Everyone who has tried it knows that as long as it is a touch of lotion, it is easy to get oily and stuffy. After washing the makeup remover, you still see makeup residues. In fact, they are all stuck in the same hurdle-oil and water are inherently incompatible with each other.What was lacking in the early formulas was the efficient technology that could match them together, so the products on the shelves often appeared layered and precipitated, which not only reduced the skin feeling, but also discounted the efficacy.
In order to solve this pain point, emulsifiers came into being.As early as the beginning of the last century, people began to try to use natural animal and plant extracts as a simple emulsifying medium, but the effect was not ideal.With the development of chemical technology, synthetic emulsifiers have gradually appeared on the stage.Data show that the global emulsifier market size has grown from about US88.5 billion in 2010 to US。15.6 billion in 2023, with a compound annual growth rate of more than 5%, of which the demand contribution in the field of personal care accounts for 32%.Behind this growth is the continuous improvement of consumer requirements for the texture, stability, and gentleness of nursing products, which has also promoted the development of emulsifiers from a single function to multi-function and high adaptability.
Nowadays, the family of emulsifiers is already very large. According to the different emulsifying systems, they are mainly divided into O/W emulsifier, W/O emulsifier, and emulsion makeup specifically for makeup remover products.They are like masters of blending. By reducing the tension at the oil-water interface, they evenly disperse the originally incompatible ingredients to form a stable emulsion or cream. At the same time, they can optimize the skin feel, ductility and durability of the product.
Multi-scene adaptation
The advantages of modern emulsifiers are far more than just blending oil and water.The first is that the stability is extremely strong. High-quality emulsifiers can keep the texture stable at different temperatures and humidity environments, and avoid stratification, thinning or agglomeration.For example, in sunscreen products, emulsifiers can evenly disperse sunscreens in the system to ensure uniform and long-lasting sun protection effects. In conditioners, it can stabilize the combination of nutrients and oils, and it is easier to be absorbed by the hair when applied.
The second is the gentle upgrade.With the increase of people with sensitive skin, the irritation of emulsifiers has attracted more and more attention.Most of the mainstream emulsifier products now use green and safe formulas, with safety levels of 1-3 (green and orange grades), and extremely low irritation to the skin and mucous membranes.Like polyglycerol emulsifiers, they are derived from natural plant raw materials and have good biodegradable properties. They are not only suitable for ordinary skin types, but also can be used in baby care products and anti-allergic products.
Finally, multi-function integration.Today's emulsifiers are no longer just a single function of emulsification, many products also have the effects of thickening, moisturizing, and regulating skin sensation.For example, some O/W-type emulsifiers, while achieving oil-water fusion, can also increase the viscosity of the product, making the emulsion texture more mellow, and the skin feels silky and non-sticky after application. Special emulsifiers for makeup remover can not only quickly dissolve makeup oils, but also form a stable emulsion when rinsing, which can be easily taken away by water to avoid residues.
Daily application scenarios
In practical applications, different types of emulsifiers have their own areas of expertise.O/W-type emulsifiers are frequent customers in skin care products. Products like OILREE® MY9200 (peg-20 stearate or cetearyl alcohol) can be adapted to formula systems with high concentrations of electrolytes. Whether it is a moisturizing lotion containing hyaluronic acid or a skin rejuvenation product containing AHA, it can be stable and compatible. At the same time, it can improve the applicability and gloss of the product, making the cream look more delicate and bright.
Water in oil emulsion is more suitable for products that require long-lasting moisturizing or waterproof effects.For example, in heavy face creams used in winter, it can lock in more moisture, form a protective film, and resist the irritation of the dry environment to the skin. In waterproof sunscreens, it can make the aqueous phase components stably dispersed in the oil phase, to achieve the effect of waterproof and sweat-proof, while keeping the skin feeling light and not heavy.
Emulsifier makeup is optimized for the strong adhesion of makeup.Emulsifiers of natural origin like PEOFA™ MYPGSQ0802 (polyglyceryl-2 sesquicaprylate), with an HLB value of between 7-9, can not only quickly dissolve makeup and sunscreen residues, but also form a gentle lotion when rinsed without causing irritation to the skin.There are also some makeup remover emulsifiers that are compatible with oils of different polarities. Whether it is waterproof eyeliner or heavy foundation, they can be easily removed, and the skin is fresh and not tight after washing.
The rise of Synthetic oils
When it comes to oil, many people think it is synonymous with greasy and acne-causing, but in fact, oil is an indispensable ingredient in care products-it moisturizes the skin, locks in moisture, and serves as a carrier for active ingredients.In the early care products, people mainly used natural animal and plant oils, such as olive oil and lanolin.However, natural oils have some insurmountable disadvantages: heavy texture, poor fluidity, easy to suffocate acne after application, poor stability, easy oxidation and deterioration, affect the shelf life of the product, complex ingredients, and relatively high risk of sensitization.
In order to make up for the lack of natural oils, synthetic oils came into being.Synthetic oils and fats are oil-based compounds with specific structures and properties prepared by chemical synthesis or modification techniques. It can accurately simulate the moisturizing effects of natural oils and fats while avoiding their shortcomings.According to a report by Grand View Research, the global synthetic oil market will be approximately US44.8 billion in 2022 and is expected to reach US77.6 billion by 2030. Among them, the demand growth in the fields of personal care and cosmetics is the most significant.Behind this trend is the comprehensive advantages of synthetic oils in terms of skin feeling, stability, and safety, making them an ideal substitute for natural oils.
Today's synthetic oil family is also rich and diverse, covering many categories such as
Isopropyl myristate, capric or capric triglyceride.Their molecular structure can be precisely regulated, and they can provide a variety of skin sensations from refreshing to moisturizing, from light to heavy, according to the needs of different products.
The core highlights of Synthetic oils
The biggest highlight of synthetic oils is to customize the skin feeling.Different care products have different requirements for skin feeling: toners need to be refreshing and burden-free, face creams need to be moisturizing and not greasy, and lipsticks need to be smooth and easy to apply.Synthetic oils can realize these differentiated needs by adjusting structural parameters such as molecular chain length and polarity.For example, small-molecule synthetic oils have a light texture and strong fluidity. They can be quickly absorbed by the skin after application. They are suitable for products such as serums and toners, while macromolecular synthetic oils have a mellow texture and high moisture content. It is suitable for winter face creams, hand creams and other products that require long-lasting moisturizing.
Strong stability is also a major advantage of synthetic grease.Natural oils contain unsaturated bonds, which are easily oxidized, resulting in product deterioration and odor, while synthetic oils have a stable chemical structure and strong oxidation resistance, which can extend the shelf life of the product.
In addition, the safety of synthetic oils and fats is also highly recognized.High-quality synthetic oils have high purity and single composition, and the risk of sensitization is much lower than that of natural oils.Many synthetic oils have also been tested for skin irritation, and the safety level has reached Level 1 (green level), which is suitable for a variety of skin types.At the same time, the production process of synthetic oils and fats can be controlled, which can effectively avoid pesticide residues, heavy metals and other pollutants that may be contained in natural oils and fats, and further improve product safety.
Multi-category application
The application scenarios of synthetic oils and fats cover almost all personal care products.In skin care products, capric or capric triglyceride is a common ingredient. It has a refreshing texture, moisturizing and non-greasy, and can quickly penetrate into the stratum corneum of the skin to lock in moisture. At the same time, it can also be used as a carrier of active ingredients to promote the absorption of vitamin C, niacinamide and other ingredients.Ethylhexyl stearate has good spreading and smoothness, can improve the touch of the skin, make the lotion smoother to apply, and enhance the water resistance of the product. It is often used in sunscreens and creams.
In makeup products, the role of synthetic oils is equally important.Isopropyl myristate is a commonly used ingredient in lipstick and foundation. It can dissolve toner, make makeup color more uniform and easier to apply, and at the same time increase the gloss of the product, making the makeup look more obedient and natural.
III.The two categories work together
Although emulsifiers and synthetic oils are different categories of raw materials, they often work synergistically in actual product formulations to jointly improve the overall performance of the product.For example, in a moisturizing lotion, the emulsifier allows the synthetic oil and the aqueous phase components to blend stably, while the synthetic oil provides a moisturizing feeling. The combination of the two can not only ensure that the product has a refreshing and non-greasy texture, but also achieve long-lasting moisturizing.In the makeup remover oil, the emulsifier ensures that the oil and makeup remover ingredients are evenly dispersed and quickly dissolve the makeup. The synthetic oil can reduce skin friction and avoid dry skin caused by excessive cleansing during the makeup remover process.
In fact, behind every care product we use every day is the progress of raw material technology.Emulsifiers break down the oil-water barrier, making the product texture more uniform and stable, and synthetic oils optimize the skin feeling experience, so that moisturizing and refreshing can be combined.The development of these two categories of raw materials has not only promoted the upgrading of nursing products, but also made our daily nursing more efficient, comfortable and safe.
Hubei Mingya New Material Technology Co., Ltd.
