NYSCC Suppliers’ Day 2026 live: Eastman uncovers sustainable skin care trends

Eastman, a global specialty materials company, has unveiled a Global Skin Care Report examining how sustainability, performance, and formulation demands are shaping skin care development at the ongoing NYSCC Suppliers’ Day 2026 in New York City, US (May 19–20). The report flags that, globally, 85% of formulators say sustainability is important, but only 52% are satisfied with current options on the market.

According to Eastman, the findings point to “a critical gap” between what formulators need to improve the sustainability profiles of their products and the solutions the market offers. The company has also developed a portfolio of specialty ingredients, including Esmeri, which are designed to help balance efficacy and environmental impact. 

The report includes results from surveys of both formulators and consumers. The consumer survey includes responses from 6,000 women ages 12–70 across six countries and explores perspectives on current skin care and SPF application options. The formulator survey reveals insights from 150 R&D professionals at personal care, consumer packaged goods, and fast-moving consumer goods companies across 11 countries, including the US, Europe, and Asia. 

Exploring skin care perspectives 

The report flags that sustainability is not just about consumers, with 75% of formulators agreeing that customer and retailer expectations push formulators to prefer sustainable ingredients, and 73% agree that internal company sustainability targets influence what ingredients they use.

Not only this, but biodegradability is also expected to become “the norm,” according to the findings. Nearly half (42%) of formulators expect biodegradability to be common in their region within three to five years, with almost none believing it will remain niche. 

Personal Care Insights speaks with Lauren Leonard, market development manager at Eastman, about the findings. “Our report shows that while sustainability is now a baseline expectation in skin care formulation, adoption is being slowed by a set of very practical barriers.”

First, she says formulators are “looking for solutions that meet rising standards without adding friction. They want clear, standardized proof and recognized test methods — particularly around claims like biodegradability — as uncertainty around validation can slow evaluation and decision-making timelines.”

However, there is minimal tolerance for trade-offs or added complexity, flags Leonard. “Sustainable ingredients must deliver performance and sensory qualities equal to or exceeding traditional options; when they underperform, projects often stall or require costly reformulation work, making integration a critical challenge. Formulators must assess how new ingredients fit within existing formulations and innovations. When new solutions introduce additional complexity, they risk slowing momentum overall.”

This is where Eastman’s innovations come into play. These include Esmeri CC1N10, a solution being spotlighted at NYSCC, and the brand’s broader personal care portfolio, prioritizing high efficacy while maintaining simplicity. 

Esmeri CC1N10 is engineered to meet biodegradability regulations while delivering sensory and optical performance across multiple color applications, enabling brands to reduce formulation trade-offs and achieve their sustainability goals without compromising product efficacy.

Broader adoption of Esmeri CC1N10 and similar ingredients will ultimately be driven by solutions that reduce complexity, offer clear and defensible biodegradability claims, and enable formulators to deliver the high-performing, sensorial products consumers expect.

Sustainable options are in demand, with 57% of global consumers choosing their preferred facial skin care brands because the brands use sustainable ingredients, according to Eatman’s report.“Consumers are raising the bar — expecting products that deliver visible results, a great sensory experience, and credible sustainability claims,” Leonard tells us. “Eastman assists brands to deliver on all three fronts — developing high-performance ingredients that can help support both product innovation and their sustainability goals.”

“This comes to life through multifunctional solutions like Esmeri CC1N10, a cellulose ester micropowder that can be integrated across a wide range of applications. In sunscreen applications, this biodegradable micropowder offers improved tactile properties such as drying down quickly and reducing tackiness.”

SPF-boosting support

Through a UV scattering mechanism, Esmeri CC1N10 is said to help support SPF boosting, offering formulators the potential flexibility to reduce UV filters. Additionally, it provides an optical soft-focus effect to minimize the appearance of pores, fine lines, and wrinkles, while delivering a soft, powdery matte finish.

Eastman supports flexible formulation across sun care, color cosmetics, and skin care. This enables a “more balanced approach that optimizes texture, performance, and environmental attributes together,” so brands can meet evolving consumer expectations without compromising versatility.

Esmeri CC1N10 also offers biodegradability. And Leonard believes it is “clear that multifunctional ingredients are becoming essential for formulators looking to simplify INCI lists and meet sustainability targets.”

“Depending on the formulation, multifunctional solutions can simplify INCI lists and support brands in improving product sustainability profiles without compromising performance.

Ingredients like our Esmeri CC1N10 are designed to deliver multiple benefits simultaneously.”

This is particularly relevant as “brands navigate increasing pressure to comply with evolving microplastic regulations and sustainability goals while maintaining the high-performance standards consumers demand,” she says.

Ingredient innovation can become a critical differentiator as brands compete to meet rising consumer expectations, especially when it comes to balancing performance and sustainability attributes. 

Biodegradable ingredient options 

As biodegradability becomes the norm, Leonard states that it is being considered much earlier in the formulation process. 

“Formulators now assess how biodegradable ingredient options integrate into existing formulations and workflows while aligning upfront on formulation sustainability goals, test methods, and claim data. Suppliers should proactively support formulators integrating biodegradable ingredients by offering formulation guidelines, technical support, and relevant performance data.”

There’s also a growing focus on final outcomes for personal care products, she adds. “These considerations now sit alongside efficacy and safety in early screening, shaping how ingredients are selected across sun care, color cosmetics, and skin care. In practice, this is driving formulation strategies that balance proven performance with substantiated or certified sustainability attributes.”

According to Leonard, Eastman’s personal care portfolio is “designed to deliver key performance attributes including texture, sensory, and visible optical results, while helping support the biodegradability profiles of final products.” In practice, this means equipping brands with tools and support to develop efficacious products using more sustainable solutions while meeting consumers’ growing expectations for ingredient transparency and environmental responsibility.

“Our Global Skin Care Report reveals a critical insight: less than 50% of global consumers remain loyal to a single skin care brand, while 45% report difficulty finding products that meet all their needs. More importantly, consumers no longer view performance and sustainability as separate considerations. They expect both. Brands that succeed in delivering products offering proven efficacy alongside credible, sustainable ingredients will capture consumers seeking better overall product experience without compromise.”

For Leonard, the personal care industry is moving “beyond viewing sustainability as a choice.” The next generation of formulations will need to deliver the sensorial performance and efficacy consumers expect, while also supporting brand sustainability goals, she says.Eastman’s Esmeri CC1N10 cellulose ester micropowder presents a versatile option for formulators across a range of applications. 

Opportunity for innovation

According to the survey, consumers expect immediate and long-term results from their skin care solutions, with 45% reporting difficulty finding products that meet all their needs, signaling further opportunity for innovation. 

Consumers also reaffirmed that loyalty is fragile, with less than 50% of global consumers remaining loyal to a single skin care brand and are willing to switch when expectations aren’t met. 

According to the report, only around half of global consumers (52%) are satisfied with the skin-to-product compatibility of their current skin care products. 

The consumer findings underscore the ongoing pressure on brands to improve the sustainability profile of skin and sun care products without compromising performance. 

For formulators, the focus is on making the adoption of sustainable options routine and making changes backed by comparable data, clear claims, and compatibility.

With live reporting by Sabine Waldeck at NYSCC Suppliers’ Day 2026 in New York City, US.