In-cosmetics Global 2025 live: Inside Evonik’s innovative skin care ingredients

Evonik is presenting its biotechnology platform created to drive sustainable innovation in biosolutions, such as biosurfactants, biopolymers, ceramides, and vegan collagen, at In-cosmetics Global 2025 in the Netherlands. Showcasing several ingredients on the show floor, the company says the innovations target different skin care needs. 

As the event enters its final day, Personal Care Insights speaks with several experts from Evonik about the different ingredients and dives into the science behind them, how they interact with the skin, and their cruelty-free and environmentally sustainable properties. 

Vegan ingredients

Three of the company’s ingredients presented at In-cosmetics Global are vegan.

Its natural emollient, Tegosoft BC MB, is made for sun care and other skin care applications. Besides being vegan, it’s also biodegradable, based on renewable resources, and has a lower climate footprint than the market standard, as it’s produced via an eco-efficient enzymatic process. 

We spoke with Ivy Hou, global director of marketing segment skin care at Evonik, about Tegosoft. “The key slogan we are trying to promote is its weightless touch from nature, so this represents a very light sensory appeal,” she says.

Hou adds that, compared to international processes and fossil-based origins, Tegosoft can reduce CO2 footprints by almost 70% and support brands’ sustainability goals.

Another vegan ingredient on display is Vecollage Fortify GP collagen. Katja Skrabania, manager of global marketing at Evonik, tells us about the company’s investigation into how the vegan collagen penetrates the skin and its microbiome activation. 

“Our skin microbes can degrade the collagen to shorter peptides, and it can better penetrate through the stratum corneum. Later, we found that it produces the keratinocyte signal to fibroblasts through exosomes, [which] increases the fibroblast and collagen production — an epigenetic regulation mechanism.”

Skrabania further notes the collagen’s anti-aging performance and improvement of facial wrinkles, skin elasticity, and firmness. 

Dermosoft is a multi-functional ingredient with cosmetic benefits.Multi-functional skin care

We also spoke with Stefan Liebig, an analyst of sustainability and life cycle management at Evonik, about the biosurfactant ingredient Rheance D50, who says the product is cruelty-free. 

“We streamlined the processes for this product, and we’re able to identify new application fields like hair care, such as different polymers in combination with our glycol lipids and sebum removal.”

Daniela Peters, global marketing manager at Evonik, tells us about Dermosoft, “a new multi-functional ingredient with cosmetic benefits.”

“[The ingredient] has a secondary benefit — anti-microbial properties that we use to protect a formulation from microbial spoilage. The product has great skin and microbiome compatibility. It’s suitable for sensitive skin.” 

Peters adds that it is tested to not interfere with the skin’s microbiome, while the formulation works well with active ingredients. 

“The product has a great sustainability profile. Most sources are of non-tropical origin, such as sunflower oil harvested in Europe. It’s multi-functional, so it’s also a favorite for formulators, and it can help mask undesired ingredient odors. [It also] helps to form faster and more homogeneous emulsions.”

She concludes it’s “a perfect partner with some fungicide ingredients to have broadband protection, and it’s suitable for all product types.”

Moisturizing with actives

Meanwhile, Silvana Estarita-Jäde, senior marketing manager of active ingredients at Evonik, tells us about Skinliplix Hydrashield, a combination of ceramides and moisturizers — all plant-oil-based. The mix provides an innovative ceramide stabilizing system, and technology simplifies formulation. 

“We’re introducing a new ceramide system solution. This ceramide combines two ceramides based on olive oil: ceramide NP and ceramide NG. Then we combine them with betaine and sorbitol,” she explains.

Estarita-Jäde describes these two moisturizers — or hydrators — as “a perfect combination to ceramide.” 

“Ceramides protect the barrier from the outside, keeping moisture in. We’re adding in this product hydrators to bring moisture from within, as well as the combination of crystal ingredients that bring it in a liquid form.”

“So you have a liquid [which is] easy to formulate, even a water dispersible ceramide combination, adding moist, barrier protection, and hydration to the skin. It is a fully natural derived ingredient, and due to the water activity of the mixture, we don’t need any added preservatives.”

Skin science backgroundEvonik aims to offer its consumers targeted needs, from start-ups to corporations.

Following last year’s opening of Evonik’s cosmetics emollients plant, the company says it follows a “one personal care” approach supported by “its 90 years of experience in cosmetics and 30 years in active ingredients.”

It aims to offer its consumers targeted needs, whether small start-ups or large corporations, by leveraging a global network of experts in skin science to provide specialized support in cosmetics supported by certain claims. 

“Together with our partners, we are redefining the soul and science of beauty to offer more high-performance, sustainable solutions that add even more value for consumers,” says Ute Schick, head of Evonik’s care solutions business line.

Last year at the show, Evonik was awarded Best Functional Ingredient for its Remo XP, a mild and adaptable ingredient that works well in personal hygiene products as a hydrophilic emollient, rheology modifier, and sensory enhancer.

With live reporting from Sabine Waldeck at In-cosmetics Global 2025 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.