RECENT NEWS

Oxonica, a leading UK nanotechnology company, has announced that its revolutionary active ingredient for sunscreens and cosmetics, Optisol, can provide the highest level of protection from UVA and UVB for more than eight hours, as demonstrated by a consistent 5 star (Ultra) rating performance using the Boots UVA star rating system. Many sunscreens, including major brand names, rapidly lose their effectiveness over time as the components are broken down by sunlight.

Preservative actives for personal care products require high standards of safety and compatibility, underlines Schülke & Mayr.

CES, the Centre Européen des Silicones, has announced two new websites which focus on the benefits, science and technology of silicones

A chronobiological cell energiser is available from Sederma to help the skin recover its firmness and tone.

Finetex has announced the addition of Natrlfine MAC-P3M to its newly created Natrlfine line of functional raw materials.

A new, easy to use hair care product that combines benefits of amine emulsions and elastomers is being offered by Dow Corning.

Kemira Pigments Oy, the Finnish titanium dioxide manufacturer, has become the first producer to manufacture titanium dioxide in a Good Manufacturing Process (GMP) standard plant. It has invested US$10 million in a new state-of-the-art grinding and packaging unit at its factory located in Pori, on the west coast of Finland. This Kemira plant is the largest sulphate route plant in the world with 130,000 MT per year.

The Fanning Corporation, Chicago, USA, and its subsidiary Fancor Europe, s.a.r.l., Paris, have announced the appointment of Naturochim s.a.r.l., as their new distributor in France to promote, market and sell the Fancor line of cosmetic ingredients.

SEPIPLUS is a new generation of Hydro Swelling Droplet (HSD) thickener-emulsifiers with performance superior to that of the SEPIGEL-SIMULGEL range to meet the needs of the most demanding formulations, says SEPPIC.

The Asian beauty market continues to experience huge expansion with an annual growth rate of not less than 20%, and Singapore's cosmetic sector hub status continues to advance.

Cosmetochem has announced the finalisation of an agreement for marketing and sales cooperation with the Swiss DKSH group, at this stage covering The Philippines, Vietnam and the east and north regions of China.

Advanced microbiological services for a wide variety of application fields are being offered by Clariant in a business operation called AMicroS.

Dow Corning Corporation, a leader in silicon-based technology, and Lipo Chemicals Inc., a leader in organic-based chemistry and specialised delivery systems, have recently announced how they are moving forward, through a marketing and technical alliance, to provide micro-encapsulation delivery system technologies to personal care and household care formulators.

The Munich-based Wacker Group has received a European Innovation Award for Cosmetics and Chemical Raw Materials at the 53rd SEPAWA Conference in Wnrzburg, Germany.

Consumers of different ages increasingly expect cosmetic products to prevent and reduce the signs of ageing, and to keep their skin firm, supple and elastic, states Laboratoires STrobiologiques (LS).

In line with its ongoing development drive in the field of catalysis, Arkema has launched Oxynitrox S100, a new organic oxidisation catalyst produced industrially by a patented process.

Brazilian company Beraca Ingredients has just received the Ecocert organic certification for its products. The seal assures customers that the company's products are not chemically contaminated, and have been sourced responsibly.

To revive cellular metabolism and overcome deficiencies of the skin, Silab has introduced Longevicell, a genuinely effective cell regenerator.

B&T is promoting Eurol BT which creates an innovative, ultra-penetrating hydro gel serum - it has a dynamic effect on water retention as well as on stratum corneum.

DSM Nutritional Products has introduced "ALL-Q plus", a cosmetic ingredient that offers all the benefits that Coenzyme Q10 is known for - it is an antioxidant, an energiser, a wrinkle reducer and a preventer of premature skin ageing.