Cosmetic chemicals represent extremely lucrative business opportunities. But the market is competitive, regulators are necessarily strict, and consumers are increasingly discerning. These three interconnected drivers have led to a range of long-term industry trends that dictate key performance indicators to custom chemicals manufacturers. Avoiding substances of very high concern (SVHCs) in skincare products, for example.

Skincare: Custom Chemical Synthesis for Safe Cosmetics

Accounting for as much as 39% of the global cosmetics market, skincare products have experienced enormous growth in recent years with the emergence of new customer bases and preferences. Personal care products for men. Cosmetics tailored to the specific needs of different ethnic groups. Custom chemical synthesis is often the preferred route for cost-effectively, efficiently, and safely rendering the ingredients necessary for satisfying such a fragmented industry.

Glycolic acid is one of the biggest growth products to have emerged in skincare in recent years. Part of the alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) group, glycolic acid is a water-soluble ingredient that acts as a gentle, chemical exfoliant by promoting natural, surface-level cell-loss and increasing the turnover rate of new skin cell growth. Improving collagen synthesis in this manner allows AHAs like glycolic acid to revitalise the skin and increase its vivacity.

Antiaging goods like glycolic acid are among the main beneficiaries of custom chemical synthesis routes in the cosmetics industry. This is firstly due to increased interest in antiaging solutions and secondly due to the varied pathways for AHA synthesis. It can be carbonylated from formaldehyde, for instance—but formaldehyde is a potentially carcinogenic chemical of concern. Consequently, custom processes are increasingly focussed on yielding premium AHAs without SVHCs to satisfy the safety concerns of cosmetics manufacturers and end-users alike.

CABB’s Custom Chemical Synthesis of AHAs

At CABB, we have explored a proprietary custom chemical synthesis route for premium grade AHA. One of the key chemicals of concern in typical synthetic glycolic acid production chains is methoxyacetic acid, which is believed to interfere with cellular metabolic pathways and is subsequently a SVHC. Our custom chemical synthesis pathway of AHA avoids methoxyacetic acid for unmatched quality and the highest possible HSEQ standards.

Interested in learning more? Contact a member of the CABB team today.