• Performance, convenience and sustainability: the latest trends driving new developments in detergents and cleaning products
• Vegan polymer Rheocare^® XGN and natural based micro-emulsion Emulgade^® MEC/MB allows for personal care solutions – from oral care to wet wipes – inspired by nature
• BASF presents new translucency technology “Luxurious Crystals” for elegant skin care products

At SEPAWA in Berlin BASF presented the company’s latest solutions for applications in the Home Care and Industrial & Institutional (I&I) Cleaning Solutions and Personal Care markets.

On trend: efficient detergent and cleaning solutions

Consumers today want detergents and cleaning products that are effective, efficient and economical all at once. These products also have to meet textile and furnishing industry trends and cope with a constant stream of new fibers and surfaces.

Functional clothing is enjoying increasing popularity and more and more consumers have high-efficiency washing machines in their homes. These machines need less water, energy and detergents and have a gentler spin cycle while taking higher loads. All the same, consumers still expect dazzlingly clean, fragrant laundry and performance excellence from their detergent of choice.

Consumers also expect convenience and easy handling from their dishwasher detergents. Today’s users prefer to buy all-in-one tabs rather than separate powder, salt and rinse aid for their dishwashers. Tabs get the dose right, won’t spill, produce good cleaning results and leave the dishwasher sparkling clean after each wash.

But as well as expecting perfectly washed clothes and dishes, consumers are increasingly conscious of the importance of sustainable solutions. Increasing environmental awareness and the desire for a safe and healthy lifestyle are fueling demand for sustainable raw materials and ecolabeling. BASF offers solutions in the context of its circular economy strategy.

The trend applies equally if not more so in industrial and institutional cleaning. Primary concerns in the industry are safe handling of cleaning products for employees, convenience in use, perfect cleaning performance and safety in public areas, and high efficiency to meet the standards of major industrial operations.

Rheocare® XGN: the vegan, stabilizing and thickening polymer

Rheocare® XGN is the first polymer launched by BASF based on pure vegan Xanthan Gum. It is 100 percent based on renewable feedstock and not produced from genetically modified organisms (GMO). Rheocare® XGN is a powerful thickening agent and stabilizer for emulsion and surfactant based formulations. It creates crystal-clear formulations, has a high electrolyte and ethanol tolerance, can be processed cold and is easy to use even without neutralization step. This highly flexible polysaccharide can be used for various cosmetic applications and is suitable for oral care. Rheocare® XGN is COSMOS compliant.

Emulgade® MEC/MB paves the way for nature inspired wipe formulations

The personal care wet wipe market is also turning toward natural, ethical and environmentally friendly products. BASF is addressing this market trend with Emulgade® MEC/MB. The new micro emulsion concentrate is based on a combination of mild cleansing surfactants and moisturizing skin care ingredients and does not contain ethylene oxide derivatives. More than 70 percent of the concentrate is derived from natural, renewable feedstocks. The palm kernel oil used by BASF to produce the ingredient is only sourced via the Mass Balance (MB) supply chain system of the RSPO. Its strong cleansing performance and make-up removal efficacy even for waterproof mascara could be demonstrated by in-vivo tests and a new measuring method developed by BASF. Wet wipe formulations based on Emulgade® MEC/MB show a good eye tolerability and a very good skin compatibility even for people with sensitive skin.

Translucency technology “Luxurious Crystals” for elegant skin care products

The trend towards luxury continues in the personal care market. Consumer desire for elegant skincare products is growing rapidly. BASF’s new “Luxurious Crystals” translucency technology enables formulators to create a wide range of leave-on skincare products from a translucent to a translucent milky appearance, with a premium sensory experience ranging from luxurious powder to elegant and silky. The concept comprises five formulations that combine the properties of hydrogels and oil-in-water emulsions without using silicones. The translucency technology allows for formulations with large oil droplets or large fluid crystalline structures stabilized by a strong polymer gel network. Thus, less light is being scattered on the surface while the remaining part is transmitted. This contributes to the luxurious appearance of skin care products.