SCC Suppliers’ Day (13 -14 May) is the most important C&T event for cosmetic scientists on the US east coast and it continues to grow. Emma Reinhold joined this year’s record visitor numbers
If the success of a trade show can be measured on the queues for the car park, then this year’s NYSCC Suppliers’ Day was a triumph. With lines stretching back an hour to both enter and leave the Raritan Center in Edison, New Jersey, the talk of the exhibition floor was the huge volume of people attending the show. According to organiser Carolyn Curtin, the show attracted 6,000 registered visitors, up 1,000 from 2007 and 300 exhibitors.
“We were amazed by the traffic,” said John Paro, president and ceo, HallStar. “Some people were queuing until lunchtime to get in which is unheard of at this event.”
“The show has been very successful for us,” added James Ramirez, chemist, technical sales, Biochemica, “We haven’t been able to leave the booth all day because we have been so busy. There is definitely more volume of people than ever before at this show.”
THE GREAT PARABEN DEBATE
The use of parabens as preservatives has become a controversial topic on both sides of the Atlantic and a number of suppliers introduced alternatives to conventional preservation systems.
McIntyre Group launched three new preservatives and antimicrobial emollients that claim to be formaldehyde and paraben-free. Mackaderm GCP is a multifunctional emollient and co-emulsifier, while Makstat GCM combines the antimicrobial functionality of a glyceryl ester with a broad spectrum antimicrobial and is suitable for leave-on applications. Finally, Phenagon PBD ensures broad protection against gram positive/negative bacteria, yeasts and moulds.
“Parabens and formaldehydes are safe ingredients but we are responding to the needs of the customer with these new preservatives,” commented Julia Hernández-Marín, Latin American account and distribution manager, McIntyre Group.
ISP too launched a number of new preservative systems. The organic acid-based systems included Optiphen BSB-N and Optiphen BSP, two mild preservatives that can be used where the pH of the final product is not higher than five, and Conarom H-3 and Conarom P, two antimicrobial aromatic substances that are said to provide a solution to labelling issues as they can be listed under fragrance on the end use product packaging.
“The market for preservatives is very mixed and fragmented and there is no one way to do it,” said Sangeetha Subramanian, marketing manager, ISP. “From a regulatory perspective nothing has changed with parabens – it’s purely a marketing thing but you have to meet the market needs.”
GOING GREEN
The move towards paraben and formaldehyde alternatives is part of a wider green movement enveloping the C&T industry and although North America is not quite as advanced as its European counterparts, it is nonetheless taking green seriously. Discussions on the merits of Ecocert and USDA NOP labelling were prominent, as was the issue of Fair Trade.
National Starch chose the Ecocert route, introducing Naviance, its new Ecocert certified range of organic biopolymers, comprising two ingredients based on waxy maize and two on tapioca.
“Europe is ahead of the game in terms of natural and organic but the US is catching up,” said Maria Tolchinsky, global marketing manager, National Starch. “The Ecocert label has more awareness in the US than other labelling organisations but the advent of OASIS is a great development and should provide more clarification on the organic/ natural subject.”
Lipo Chemicals launched a line of exotic butters, which include eight validated by Ecocert. The Lipbutter range includes a certified organic shea butter along with ten other varieties including olive and sweet almond. The butters are suitable for uses in a number of applications including skin care, fine soaps, body products, hair care products and lip products.
“The big thing about these butters is that they are Ecocert and the fact that they were certified in France,” commented Melissa Frischling, director, corporate communications and product support, Lipo Chemicals.
Biochemica meanwhile firmly took the USDA stance. “Personally I think all these companies going down the Ecocert path is an insult to American industry – the USDA is very thorough,” said Ramierz. “People are putting emphasis on Ecocert because the American industry is taking a back seat.”
The company used the occasion to launch an organic palm butter. Derived from palm fruit, the butter has a high melting point and is harvested from renewable sources.
FACE VALUE
Skin care ingredients always draw a crowd at Suppliers’ Day and this year was no exception.
Israeli company Tagra showcased its Release on Demand technology, a micro-cap process for active ingredients that enables a product to remain fresh and potent for an extended period of time. The action of rubbing the product on the skin breaks the micro-capped particles and disperses the actives onto the skin.
According to Paula Keusch, vp marketing & sales, the technology can be used for a variety of skin care products. To date Tagra has produced 40 different micro-capped actives including vitamins and pigments. At Suppliers’ Day, the company introduced four new essential oils – patchouli, ginger, chamomile and citronella, and two new shades – green and blue. A carmine shade is also in production, according to Keusch.
Gattefossé launched Cytobiol Lumin-Eye, a new ingredient claimed to reduce the appearance of under eye bags and puffiness thanks to a combination of ash tree bark extract, organic silicon and vitamin B3, which reinforces the capillary cells and relaunches mirocirculation.
Sabinsa, meanwhile introduced a number of multi-functional anti-ageing ingredients including glycerrhizinic acid and monoammonium glycerrhizinate, both derived from liquorice extract. Both products have anti-ageing, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties and can be used in creams and gels for the management of skin disorders.
“People are more and more geared towards specified skin care,” commented Kavita Subramanian, senior manager, international business, Sabinsa. “Our products are very unique and we have had a lot of people stopping by the stand.”
First time exhibitor Glanbia Nutritionals added a beauty from within perspective to the show, launching two new products. OlivActiv, an antioxidant extract from olives, contains more than 30% of the polyphenol hydroxytyrosol and can be used in a number of personal care applications, while Bioferrin is a protein isolated from milk that promotes the natural production of hyaluronic acid.
“We are traditionally a nutritional company but we are trying to get into personal care,” commented Kevin Thomson, director of business development, emerging applications, Glanbia.
HallStar focused on photostability, promoting SolaSil PSF-SF, an organomodified silicone polymer made by grafting a cyano diphenyl acrylate moiety onto a polysiloxane backbone. The result, says, HallStar is a viscosity fluid that enhances the photostability of the UVA filter Avobenzone, and improves the spreadability and feel of sunscreen formulations.
“We are launching HallStar as a provider of a family of Blue Ribbon products that make sunscreens more stable,” explained John Paro, president and ceo, HallStar. “This is the first time that a photostabiliser has been hooked up with a silicone to create a photostabilising silicone.”
The company also promoted its emollient HallBrite BHB for use in colour cosmetics. The product can be used as an emollient, moisturiser, sunscreen actives stabliser, solvent and carrier, and is manufactured using a synthetically produced ester of salicylic acid and a defined branched C12 alcohol.
COLOUR CONFIDENT
Hair care took a prominent role at the show with new technologies pushing the boundaries of the sector. ISP introduced ColorTrue Technology a new patented polymer claimed to significantly reduce colour fading in dyed hair. The technology enhances hair care and styling products to create a colour protection regimen.
“The hair colour market is more dynamic, more powerful and less damaging on hair but consumers are still not happy with the products as their colour is still fading after two weeks,” explained Nancy Clements, director global personal care, ISP. “Our technology is seeing a 30-50% improvement in colour longevity and vibrancy against other commercial products and this is just the first phase of improvement that can be expected from this unique ISP technology.”
The system is based around the polymer Styleze W, which offers a high degree of humidity resistance, excellent styling attributes, thermal protection and superior conditioning properties, in addition to colour protection.
The overall view of the show was a resounding success and if this is an indicator for next year, SCC Suppliers’ Day can only get better.