With global life expectancy on the rise and 22% of the world’s population expected to be over the age of 60 by 2050, society is undergoing a paradigm shift that is impacting our lifestyles in general and our approach to aging in particular. The motto reads: Prevention is better than cure, and it is more effective the earlier you start. A new longevity generation is emerging that is actively seeking to increase its life span. This evolving demand for healthy longevity creates new opportunities, including in the Personal Care industry. The traditional approach to beauty, which often focused solely on appearance, is being replaced by a more comprehensive understanding of well-being. Consumers are now looking for products that not only enhance their physical appearance but also support their emotional and mental health, reflecting a desire for a more meaningful and enriching lifestyle. This shift has created an opportunity for brands to innovate and align their offerings with consumer values.
BASF’s Longevity Ecosystem: A Holistic Approach
BASF’s Longevity Ecosystem embodies the principles of “Do well. Feel well. Age well”. Building on the company’s “Beyond Beauty” journey, this framework is aimed at fostering a more beautiful and joyful life, where health, vitality, and well-aging converge. By integrating planetary, emotional, and physical well-being, BASF promotes a synergistic relationship between lifelong self-care and eco-conscious stewardship. The ecosystem not only emphasizes the importance of aging gracefully but also highlights the need for responsible practices that ensure the longevity of our planet. BASF recently added a number of innovations to its portfolio that draw on the principles of this approach.
Do Well. Seeking Biodegradable Alternatives to Conventional Ingredients
Verdessence® Maize: Natural Styling Polymer for Lightweight Formulations
Verdessence® Maize complements BASF’s comprehensive range of biopolymers, aligning with the industry’s shift towards more sustainable formulations. Being 100% derived from renewable feedstocks, this styling polymer is perfectly suited for natural and organic cosmetics. It offers a readily biodegradable alternative to traditional styling agents like PVP and VP/VA polymers and can be used in a variety of applications – from crystal-clear pump sprays to cloud-like foam mousses. In a performance assessment, 7% of Verdessence® Maize in a pump mousse formulation showed the same bending stiffness and better curl retention performance compared to formulations with 2% synthetic polymers. Added at 5% to a pump spray formulation, the new biopolymer exhibited the same bending stiffness and curl retention performance as synthetic polymers.
Lamesoft® OP Plus: Wax-Based Opacifier Dispersion for Pure Whiteness
BASF’s latest opacifier dispersion innovation, Lamesoft® OP Plus, is designed as an alternative to synthetic, acrylate-based ingredients, reinforcing the industry’s move towards more sustainable alternatives while still delivering on consumer expectations for quality and effectiveness. The wax-based ingredient is readily biodegradable and has a high natural origin content (NOC = 92.3% – 98.5%). Moreover, it is suitable for formulations with alternatives to sulfate surfactants.
Performance tests indicate that it provides a creamy white appearance without pearlizing effects during production or storage, and significantly reduces wet/dry combing effort while enhancing anti-hair breakage performance. Easy formulation and cold processing are an additional plus.
Feel Well. Analyzing Emotional Responses to Personal Care Products
Emotions play a key role in overall well-being and also in personal care formulations where they influence user experience and perceived effectiveness. Understanding how products resonate with consumers’ bodies and minds is therefore becoming increasingly important. BASF’s MindMotion approach evaluates how personal care products affect consumers’ emotional well-being. Unlike traditional performance testing that primarily focuses on physical effects or conscious evaluations, this differentiating approach captures consumers’ emotional engagement. This fresh and complementary perspective unlocks new opportunities for consumer-centric product development in the personal care industry.
Age well. Enhancing Beauty Beyond Age with Oximony™
Oximony is the perfect ingredient for any brand looking to tap into the longevity skincare trend. Extracted from sustainably sourced and FairWild certified Lysimachia christinae, Oximony supports the skin’s own healthy levels of taurine, an amino acid naturally found in the human body. In a clinical study, when applied at 0.25% the ingredient demonstrated a significant 28% improvement in the appearance of skin fatigue after two weeks. Skin firmness increased by 17% after one month, while skin radiance improved by 18% after two months. By enhancing the skin’s radiance, resilience, and firmness, Oximony embodies the essence of aging well, promoting not just physical beauty but also emotional well-being.
The Future of Beauty
BASF’s commitment to transparency and scientific integrity remains paramount as the company navigates the complexities of the evolving beauty landscape. Using the latest scientific findings and evidence-based methods ensures that its product innovations are not only effective, but also build consumer trust. As a testament to this dedication, BASF’s Longevity Ecosystem is leading the way in empowering individuals to do well, feel well, and age well in an ever-changing world.
