Unlocking the Sustainable Potential of Minerals for the Cosmetics Industry

Imerys is committed to providing multifunctional, innovative, and responsibly sourced ingredients that align with these trends, ensuring cosmetics formulations meet the evolving needs of the modern personal care industry and consumer preferences. 

But this is nothing new! When we launched the ImerCare® range back in 2012, sustainability was already very much at the heart of our strategy.  Sustainable thinking is part of our DNA and an integral part of our new product development policy, so we are not really 'adapting' to these trends, as such. In fact, sustainability has been a key driver behind many of the solutions we have been designing for the personal care industry in the last ten years.

This is particularly the case regarding our solutions to replace controversial and synthetic ingredients, such as microplastics. Derived from kaolin, perlite, diatomaceous earth, calcium carbonate, and talc, all our ImerCare® grades are of natural-based origin, making them excellent alternatives to synthetic ingredients and microplastics such as nylon, polyethylene beads, and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA).

The vast majority of our solutions are COSMOS-approved. With regard to the less-is-more trend, many of the mineral solutions provide efficacy in several functions in the end product, enabling manufacturers to reduce the number of ingredients they use in their formulations.


 

One of the most striking examples is the ImerCare® P-Scrub range we have developed for face and body scrub applications and anti-dandruff shampoos. Historically, manufacturers were using plastic microbeads in wash-off personal care cleansing products due to their good exfoliating properties. However, these microbeads were slipping through water treatment filters and finding their way into our rivers, lakes, and oceans posing a potential threat to the environment and human health. 

ImerCare® P-Scrub is an engineered perlite portfolio, derived from natural volcanic rock, designed as an effective environmentally friendly alternative to polymer microbeads used in face and body scrubs.

 

• This range is available in a broad range of particle sizes, engineered to provide just the right exfoliation effect in the face, body, and foot scrubs, plus anti-dandruff shampoos.
• This range is strongly aligned with market demand and regulatory requirements for plastics-free cosmetics.

As such, ImerCare® P-Scrub has received Imerys' 'Pioneer' certification, our highest sustainability rating.

 

Scrub Performance — ImerCare® P-Scrub vs. PE Beads – In Vivo Desquamation Test

The Pioneer rating is an integral part of our internal SustainAgility™ Solutions Assessment (SSA) program which we use to measure the cradle-to-grave social and environmental footprint of our products. The SSA is based on a robust, standardized Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) method which provides us with objective, reliable, and specific data. This enables our customers to make informed choices when they select our products as ingredients in their formulations.

Products are rated according to their performance: Pioneer (A+) products are the top performers which 'represent the highest social and environmental contribution to the downstream value chain, while demonstrating a low environmental impact in their production phase, compared to their economic value'.

In addition to the ImerCare® P-Scrub range mentioned earlier, we offer several other Pioneer-rated products for cosmetics applications, including some of our latest innovations:

 

ImerCare® Matte

It is a COSMOS-approved white kaolin solution for achieving a superior, nude matte effect in gels and creams, liquid foundations, and pressed powders. ImerCare® Matte kaolin is a 100% natural alternative to synthetic mattifying agents such as nylon and polyethylene powders and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). 

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ImerCare® 6M

It is a COSMOS-approved engineered mica multifunctional solution for providing superior cohesiveness, transparency, and luminosity used in pressed powders. ImerCare® 6M is ethically sourced from our wholly owned Ploemeur site in Brittany, France, meaning we can guarantee the transparency and full EU traceability of the product, meeting the demand for responsible ingredients sourcing.

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ImerCare® 400D

It is a COSMOS-approved microporous diatomaceous earth which is a highly effective absorption agent in deodorants and antiperspirants. ImerCare® 400D meets the growing demand for aluminum-salts-free deodorant formulations that absorb both sweat and control body odor while gentle on the skin. 

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ImerCare® Blur

It is the latest addition to the portfolio - is a patented, COSMOS-approved calcium carbonate-based product, of natural origin, specifically engineered to confer both a mattifying and soft focus effect in powders and anhydrous products. ImerCare® Blur has been designed as a natural alternative to synthetic ingredients such as silica, nylon, and PMMA used to mattify cosmetics.

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These Pioneer-rated innovations align perfectly with prevailing trends toward sustainable ingredients, enhancing the eco-profile of our customers' end products. Not only do they adhere to evolving regulations, such as the recent ban on microplastics, but they also cater to the rising consumer preference for naturally sourced ingredients that are sustainably and transparently sourced, while being gentle on the skin.


 

We will pursue our quest for sustainable innovations that improve the eco profile of our customers' formulations and do more with less. We will continue to assess our product portfolio using the SustainAgility Solutions Assessment method with the aim to be able to provide LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) from 'cradle-to-gate' for more than 85% of our personal care range by the end of 2024.

Meanwhile, we are very much looking forward to showcasing our sustainable solutions for personal care markets at the forthcoming in-cosmetics Global show in Paris this April. We will be taking this opportunity to launch two exciting new products: our ImerCare® 400D solution for enhanced matte and long-lasting performance in lipsticks, plus a new natural volcanic rock  scrub product, ImerCare® SandyScrub, with a secure supply chain.

Events like in-cosmetics Global are vital for helping us keep our finger on the market pulse. They provide a crucial platform for discussion and for gaining a deeper insight into future market demands and emerging trends, and how best we can support our customers in shaping the future of the cosmetics industry with sustainable solutions.

Our teams look forward to seeing you there! Imerys will be present at in-cosmetics Global, Paris, from 16-18 April, at Hall 1 - Booth 1N110.

 

About Thierry Casteran

Thierry Casteran is based in Toulouse, France, and has a metallurgy engineering background, more specifically in materials science and surface treatment. He started his career within the French Navy paint lab, as an R&D engineer, developing paints for submarine and aircraft carriers. After 5 years, he took the role of Lab Quality & Production Manager in the dying department of one of the leading textile companies.

In 2001, Thierry Casteran joined World Minerals, as Tech. Project Manager EMEA. In 2005, the company World Minerals was acquired by Imerys, where Thierry completed 15 years in Sales & Marketing roles in the Plastics and Paints markets. Within Imerys, Thierry was at the head of the Personal Care Market as Global Director for 3 years.

Currently, Thierry is the Vice President of Filtration & Life Sciences Market at Imerys in the EMEA region, which includes markets such as Personal Care, Food, and Pharmaceuticals.