“Skinification” of sun care: Clariant launches rheology modifier for versatile product formulation

Clariant has introduced Aristoflex Sun to address the growing demand for sun protection that offers a non-greasy feel. Consumers increasingly demand SPF products across multiple formats as skin care routines evolve to become more UV-safe. The ingredient is designed to create light, fresh textures more appealing for daily use and versatile product formulation.

It enables formulators to avoid the heavy or greasy feel associated with traditional sunscreen products while maintaining protection.

“Aristoflex Sun is a rheology modifier aligning with the increasing demand for the skinification of sun care. Nowadays, sun care is becoming more and more like a daily skin care product,” Sophia Kim, global marketing manager of Skin Care at Clariant, told Personal Care Insights earlier this month at In-Cosmetics Global 2025.

Kim detailed the ingredient and its role in novel sun care’s evolving formulation needs.

“It’s crucial for formulators that [Aristoflex Sun] has a very lightweight sensory profile. It provides flexibility to our formulators and our customers to create modern sun care products that are suitable for daily use.”

Versatile formulation application

As more consumers look for sun protection in their routine products — including moisturizers, serums, primers, makeup, and hair and nail care — formulators are pushed to find ingredients that meet texture, performance, and stability needs.

As a rheology modifier, Aristoflex Sun helps control a product’s flow and consistency. This is particularly important in sun care, where stable emulsions and uniform texture are essential for the product performance and user experience.

“We see a lot of trends that require textures like serums and creams and products with multiple benefits, like anti-aging. So we launched Aristoflex Sun and conducted tests to show its stability,” Kim added.

Stable UV filters help to maintain the integrity of sun care formulations. According to Kim, the ingredient’s stability supports consistent UV filter distribution in the formula. “[The ingredient] stabilizes UV filters, and thanks to that, it can optimize the use of UV filters in the same amount — this can result in a boosted SPF performance,” she says. 

Aristoflex Sun enables formulators to avoid the heavy or greasy feel associated with traditional sunscreen products while maintaining protection.Aristoflex Sun is cold-processable and comes as a pre-neutralized polymer. These features can simplify production steps and improve processing efficiency. In addition to texture enhancement, the ingredient functions as a thickener, contributing to the final feel and appearance of the formulation.

Daily dose of SPF

The inclusion of sun protection in personal care products is part of a broader movement in product development. As consumer lifestyles become more fast-paced, many seek beauty products that can do more with less. This shift is driving demand for multifunctional formulations — products that save time by combining several benefits in one.

According to Innova Market Insights, 50% of global consumers seek personal care products with multiple benefits. Reflecting this shift, global launches in the multifunctional cosmetics category saw a 46% CAGR between 2020 and 2024.

At the same time, anti-aging continues to rank high on consumer wish lists. The market researcher’s data indicates that 33% of global consumers consider it the most crucial functional skin care benefit.

At the intersection of these trends is sun protection, which plays a direct role in preventing visible signs of aging, such as fine lines, wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation caused by UV exposure.

As a result, more brands are integrating SPF into everyday skin care formats, blending anti-aging benefits with convenience. This combination of sun protection and multifunctionality is guiding industry innovation.

“In sun care, you have a lot of different … products with protective properties,” Riham Alkhamisi, director of market categories of Beauty and Care at Brenntag, told us at In-cosmetics Global 2025. The German company displayed multifunctional sun care solutions on the show floor, including deodorant-like stick formats and SPF hair mists.

Nail care manufacturer Fiabila recently announced the launch of an SPF50+ base and top coat manicure treatment, enriched with high UV protection and antioxidants to prevent physical and chemical changes in the nail structure caused by UV exposure.