Biosurfactants dubbed “one of the most promising technologies” in the personal care industry

30 Apr 2024 --- With all segments across the personal care industry highlighting sustainability advances, biosurfactants are gaining attention for delivering functionality while meeting brand and consumer demand. 

Joseph Shieh, global marketing director of Cosmetic Solutions at Evonik, tells Personal Care Insights: “As consumers increasingly prioritize sustainable lifestyles, the personal care industry has a real opportunity to create more appealing, natural products using glycolipid-based biosurfactants.” 

“We are confident that glycolipids are one of the most promising technologies in the personal care market when it comes to the transformation toward more sustainable ingredients.”

Innova Market Insights data indicates that the use of surfactants in personal care launches tracked with biodegradable ingredients is increasing globally, featuring a +11% average annual growth from 2019 to 2023.

In 2023, more than half of these launches were in the Hand, Bath & Shower (52%) category. The leading biosurfactant in these launches was cocamidopropyl betaine (38%).

Demand and legislation
Shieh notes that the increasing demand for sustainable and environmentally friendly products across various industries is driving the growth of the biosurfactant market. 

“Consumers are becoming more aware of the impact of conventional surfactants on the environment, which is having a significant impact on the market. As a result, there is a growing need for eco-friendly alternatives that are biodegradable, sustainable and effective,” he explains.

A scientist analyzes foam structure at Evonik’s Innovation Center for Cosmetic Ingredients in Essen, Germany.“To meet the demands of the cosmetic ingredient market for future generations, biosurfactants must not only offer functionality but also comply with constantly evolving cosmetic legislation with improvements in next-generation feedstocks and sustainability claims, such as the carbon zero initiative, for complete branding value.”

Evonik says the changes in legislation are causing it to focus its efforts on developing innovative and compliant products. In the coming years, it anticipates further advancements in the performance, scale-up capacity and sustainability of biosurfactants, alongside the creation of “novel and enhanced” biosurfactants and convenient multifunctional blends from sustainable feedstocks.

Developing solutions
Rhamnolipids and sophorolipids are two of the “most advanced” biosurfactants for personal care products. They have been successfully developed and produced on an industrial scale, which allows for large-scale commercial production and use in a variety of personal care products.

“One of the most promising innovations in the use of biosurfactants for personal care products is the use of glycolipids such as rhamnolipids, sophorolipids, mannosyl erythritol lipid and other similar compounds. Surfactin, another biosurfactant, has also shown potential for use in personal care products,” says Shieh.

Rhamnolipids, in particular, are seen as an alternative to traditional surfactants due to their foaming, cleansing and solubilizing properties. They also provide fragrance retention properties in cleansing applications and a naturally sweet taste in oral care applications.

“For example, in the personal care industry, the long-lasting foam created by rhamnolipids can enhance the user’s experience with products such as shampoos and body washes. However, from a production standpoint, the foaming properties of rhamnolipids present significant challenges in large-scale fermentation,” Shieh continues.

“Evonik faced challenges during the production process but was able to optimize it to achieve high-quality output and maximize production yields. Despite the challenges, Evonik was able to develop an industrial-scale manufacturing process for these sustainable, high-performing rhamnolipids, giving us a unique advantage in the market for high-quality products with the best material aesthetics.”Uses for surfactants include shampoos and shower gels.

Evonik says further research is being conducted to enhance the performance and sustainability of these biosurfactants to provide more effective and eco-friendly alternatives to traditional synthetic surfactants.

Rheance One first
Rheance One was “the first” commercially available rhamnolipid biosurfactant for personal care applications, produced by Evonik. It is derived by a biotechnological process using sugar as the sole source of carbohydrates. The ingredient is based on 100% renewable feedstocks, 100% biodegradable and does not require any tropical oil for its production.

“This is in contrast to conventional surfactants that are often derived from non-renewable sources and are not biodegradable,” asserts Shieh.

“The multi-functional ingredient combines environmental compatibility and mildness to the skin compared to conventional surfactants. It is hard, water-resistant, highly concentrated and has strong foaming properties, producing a dense and creamy foam with excellent cleansing performance.”

Rheance One was awarded the Innovation Zone Best Functional Ingredient Award at In-cosmetics Global 2018.

Earlier this year, Evonik completed the construction of its new industrial-scale facility for sustainable biosurfactants ahead of schedule at its site in Slovakia and manufactured the first product. The new plant is the “world’s first” to produce sustainable rhamnolipid biosurfactants at an industrial scale.

“Having the technology in-house allows us to work closely with our application technology and development teams to continuously improve and innovate, providing our customers with system solutions,” says Shieh.

Sophorolipids in cosmetics
In addition to rhamnolipids, Evonik introduced Sophance LA-A in 2023 — an acidic-rich sophorolipid derived through the fermentation of natural feedstocks and preserved by sodium lactate. The alternative offers cleansing performance with “good” rinsability compared to conventional surfactants. Sophance LA-A is COSMOS and NaTrue compliant. 

Sophorolipids have makeup-removing properties. Both biosurfactants are mild, biodegradable and environmentally sustainable.

“The demand for glycolipids for eco-friendly and mild cleansing in the personal care market has been recognized, with many market examples promoting glycolipids as gentle cleansers that do not compromise the skin barrier. As glycolipids are still new to the market, there is much more to explore, and we expect new application formats to be developed using these sustainable and gentle surfactants,” highlights Shieh, referencing sophorolipids. 

The ingredient can be used in facial cleansers, micellar waters, makeup removers, scalp treatments, wipes and oral care products.

By Sabine Waldeck