IFF discovers multifunctional body care applications for its hair conditioning biopolymer Aurist AGC

12 Oct 2023 --- In its biotechnology research, International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) has found that its award-winning hair conditioning biopolymer Aurist AGC also enhances skin conditioning.

“AURIST AGC can significantly reduce skin roughness feel in body wash products compared to incumbent cationic polymers,” Piera Pericu, business segment lead of Personal Care at IFF, tells Personal Care Insights.

“AURIST AGC is a biobased, readily biodegradable cationic conditioning polymer that not only shows advantages in hair care applications (improved wet and dry compatibility) but also in body wash (improved rinsability). It is an easy to formulate ingredient that shows compatibility with the majority of personal care ingredients.”

Moreover, the ingredient is water soluble and has skin cleansing and body wash applications.

Biotech-powered biodegradable solutions
The company credits its proprietary Designed Enzymatic Biopolymer (DEB) technology with its discovery.Aurist is a functional line of natural and nature-inspired ingredients made by biotechnology.

“Unlike fossil-based synthetic polymers, the DEB process allows us to access unique, structurally diverse polysaccharides made from sugar at scale and under mild process conditions. This provides an unprecedented design space for enhanced performance,” adds Pericu.

“Using only plant-based sugars, water and our favorite biocatalyst — the enzyme — we can now design functional, biobased, readily biodegradable ingredients such as conditioning Aurist AGC.”

IFF observes that consumers seek to reduce their time spent in the shower. During the study, panelists noted that formulations containing Aurist AGC “substantially reduced the rinsing time while leaving a silky feel.”

“We are dedicated to assessing the untapped potential of our ingredients, adapting to evolving market dynamics and empowering our customers to deliver innovative benefits across many applications,” comments Johan Jansén-Storbacka, director of Personal Care at IFF.

“With this clinical data, we can extend Aurist AGC’s transformative impact further into the skin care space.”

IFF’s focus on sensory satisfaction with bio-ingredients
Furthermore, Pericu explains that the Aurist is a functional line of natural and nature-inspired ingredients made by biotechnology.

“The other ingredient in the Aurist functional line is a rheology modifier — Aurist GHI — extracted from the endosperm of the Guar bean. Aurist GHI has broad compatibility with leave-on and rinse-off in applications such as skin care, hair care and intimate care,” shares Pericu.

Earlier this year, Personal Care Insights sat down with Pericu and Jansén-Storbacka, who presented Aurist AGC. This year, the ingredient won gold at the Innovation Zone under the Functional Category at In-Cosmetics Global.

By Venya Patel

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