BASF’s Nigerian facility tests skin and hair formulations on regional volunteers to improve NPD in sub-Saharan African market

20 Aug 2021 --- BASF’s Care Creations is inaugurating a personal care evaluation salon in Lagos, Nigeria, which will allow in vivo sensory and performance testing of skin and hair formulations on local volunteers.

The move will help BASF’s customers create NPD tailored to the specific skin and hair needs of consumers in the blossoming sub-Saharan African market.

“The global beauty and care market is dynamic as a whole, but this is especially true of Africa, where the demand for personal care products is increasing rapidly,” Osarenren Igbinoba, business management, Personal Care Sub-Saharan Africa at BASF, tells PersonalCareInsights.

“This development is driven by a growing middle class with access to higher disposable incomes.”

Africa is expected to become home to some of the world’s fastest-growing economies over the next few years. As the world’s second-most populous continent, Africa is projected to account for around 20 percent of the global population by 2025, Igbinoba comments.BASF’s Care Creations will develop finished hair and skin products with high relevance and consumer acceptance in the sub-Saharan African market (Credit: GettyImages_535318709: Lorado / Getty Images).

“A huge number of people will be looking for effective personal care products customized for their specific skin needs. We aim to provide beauty solutions that are uniquely inspired by Africans, for Africans and in Africa.”

Sub-Sahara African market more sustainable?
The new in-house salon complements BASF’s Application Technology Laboratory inaugurated in February 2019.

“As one of the fastest-growing beauty markets in sub-Saharan Africa, Nigeria is well-suited as a regional hub for BASF’s care business,” adds Igbinoba.

The salon and laboratory facility will be open for collaboration with academic institutions on research topics in cosmetic science. BASF aims to advance technical expertise in the region and support the next generation of cosmetic scientists by partnering with academic researchers.

“Although the Application Technology Laboratory is physically located in Nigeria, it has regional operations and is accessible to cosmetics manufacturers across sub-Saharan Africa,” he continues.

“With a business presence already in key cities in Cote d’Ivoire, Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa, we are close to our customers in the various sub-regions and will continue to expand our footprint in Africa.”

The BASF division Care Chemicals offers a range of ingredients for personal care. It is a global supplier for the cosmetics industry and supports customers with innovative and sustainable products, solutions and concepts.

Also expanding its African reach, Azelis recently established a new personal care application laboratory in Cairo, Egypt, to provide customers in the region with innovative formulations and stability studies.

Ingredients locally sourced
The company is also sourcing ingredients sourced specifically from sub-Saharan Africa.BASF is also sourcing ingredients sourced specifically from sub-Saharan Africa.

These include the “emollient Cetiol SB 45, which is sourced from shea butter trees in West Africa, and Dansonyl, which is an extract from the leaves of the African Baobab tree (also known as the African “Tree of life”) found predominantly in sub-Saharan Africa,” Deedi Modey, marketing manager, Personal Care Sub-Saharan Africa, at BASF, tells PersonalCareInsights.

“This is an active ingredient proven to deliver conditioning hair repair as well as a strengthening of the skin barrier function.”

Tailored to African needs
African hair typically has coils along the hair shaft, an elliptical cross-section, and fewer cuticle layers than other hair types, comments Igbinoba.

“These characteristics result in areas of weakness along the hair shaft and prevent sebum from coating the entire shaft, making natural African hair more difficult to comb and more prone to breakage,” he adds.

A “tailored care regimen” is needed to maintain or restore healthy hair.

African skin types also have “distinct” characteristics, such as a “relatively high amount of protective melanin, skin lipids and sebum secretion, and a comparatively large pore area,” Igninoba continues.

“We provide formulation support for the development of market-specific products that address the genuine needs and aspirations of African consumers,” says Igbinoba.

“African skincare regimens require products that gently cleanse the pores or improve the texture of the skin by supporting the balance between moisture and sebum production.”

By Nicole Kerr