Dow launches bio-based solutions for morning routines and heat innovations

Dow has launched its Morning Ritual Essentials Concepts Collection, comprising 13 personal care formulations. The collection is designed to align with evolving consumer expectations for personalization, functionality, and sustainability across skin, hair, sun, and color cosmetics.

Personal Care Insights speaks with Jennifer Marques, global strategic marketing leader at Dow Personal Care, about the inspiration behind the new launches, how the company responds to shifts in beauty rituals, and the science-driven ingredient innovation.

“Morning routines have become a global trend and a significant lifestyle shift. People are increasingly prioritizing self-care in the morning and investing time and money in high-quality products with high-performing ingredients, leading to personalized routines, from simple skin care to multi-step beauty regimens,” Marques says.

Dual serum

Among the highlights of the new collection is a niacinamide-based skin serum designed for day and night use. The serum contains Dow’s EcoSmooth Rice Husk Cosmetic Powder, an amorphous silica derived from upcycled rice husk — an agricultural by-product supplied as a fine, white powder. It is combined with MaizeCare Clarity Polymer, a bio-based film-former that boasts an extra layer of protection against airborne pollutants.

The formulation was presented during a formulation lab session at the In-cosmetics Global 2025 trade show last week. “Selecting this formulation [for the lab sessions] was an opportunity to inspire formulators and allow them to test our innovative ingredients,” says Marques. 

Dow has launched its Morning Ritual Essentials Concepts Collection, comprising 13 personal care formulations.“EcoSmooth Rice Husk Cosmetic Powder provides multifunctional benefits such as soft focus, sebum absorption, and sensorial benefits. It does it sustainably,” she adds. “It can be used in various applications, including skin care, color cosmetics, hair care, and formulations suitable for all skin tone types.”

The lab session reportedly drew strong engagement from industry attendees. “They praised this type of trendy formulation and were eager to meet with Dow scientists and benefit from their formulation expertise, which led to many follow-up requests,” Marques adds.

Conditioning and styling

Dow also used the event to highlight its expanded hair care portfolio, including two ingredient innovations: DexCare CD-2 Polymer and AcuDyne 2000 Polymer.

DexCare CD-2 Polymer is a dual cationic dextran that acts as a conditioning agent and sustainable deposition aid for silicones and natural oils. It contains over 80% bio-based content and has a non-GMO profile. 

“DexCare CD-2 Polymer enables formulations to achieve full conditioning power with a dual-action bio-fermented polymer for ultimate hair care. It provides reduced coefficient of friction and enhanced dry and wet combing, and is supplied in a liquid format that is easy to use with hot or cold processing.”

“We also launched DecCare CD-2 Polymer at In-cosmetics Global [last week] and showcased it in the Innovation Zone,” Marques adds. “It is supplied in a liquid format, easy to use with hot or cold processing.”

Meanwhile, AcuDyne 2000 Polymer is a low-viscosity, water-soluble emulsion designed for hair styling applications. It aligns with attributes in demand for heat-styled or high-maintenance hair types, including supporting long-lasting hold, humidity resistance, and a “flake-free” finish.

Heat protection testingDow also used the event to highlight its expanded hair care portfolio, including two ingredient innovations.

Dow presented ProtecTress 2.0, a program that tests the effectiveness of Dow’s silicone and organic ingredients in mitigating damage from hot styling tools to support healthy hair styling further.

The program uses various laboratory techniques to simulate real-life scenarios and quantify hair strength, resilience, and breakage.

“We have been extensively testing our ingredients for years to understand how they fully protect hair from heat damage,” says Marques.

Marques details one method: “We are using untreated hair tresses that we compared to hair tresses protected with a Dow heat protectant solution. We then use a flat iron on both hair tresses, applying the same amount of heat and pressure.”

“There are a few other ways to analyze the differences beyond visual and sensory; we can run differential scanning calorimetry and see denaturation temperature and enthalpy (the energy needed to break hair bonds), comparing treated and untreated hair tresses. In our lab, we can also run single fiber tensile tests, meaning we can pull single hairs and see how strong and resistant they are to breakage.”

Dow says the program highlights its broader commitment to developing data-backed, real-world-relevant solutions for the personal care industry.

The serum formulation was presented during a formulation lab session at the In-cosmetics Global 2025 trade show last week.Ancient roots

The collection was created in response to a cultural shift in how consumers approach morning care rituals. Marques says that while tools and technologies have evolved, the core motivations behind beauty rituals remain consistent.

“Beauty care rituals have remained consistent since the ancient Egyptians and Romans to the present day, focusing on effective ingredients and skin care.”

“Social media has added a new dimension by making beauty trends more accessible and viral, allowing for rapid dissemination and adoption of new practices,” she adds.