Pilot Chemical Company will introduce two sustainable emollient technologies—UpSyCal BA17 and UpSyCal BA14—at NYSCC Suppliers’ Day in New York City, highlighting a new generation of branched hydrocarbon ingredients designed as alternatives to silicones, mineral oils, and traditional esters in personal care formulations.
UpSyCal BA17 is a branched hydrocarbon oil manufactured in North America using upcycled carbon derived from non-edible biomass feedstocks combined with a renewable castor oil source. The ingredient is positioned as a squalane-like emollient designed to replicate the sensory profile of silicones and petroleum-derived hydrocarbons while improving sustainability credentials. With an INCI name of pentyldodecane, BA17 is a clear, colorless, low-viscosity liquid with a refractive index of 1.4383 and a flash point of 115°C. It is designed for use across skin care, hair care, and color cosmetics applications.
The company states that BA17 is engineered to deliver a non-greasy after-feel, strong pigment wettability, and improved spreadability without requiring high-shear or energy-intensive processing. It is also compatible with cold-processing systems, supporting faster formulation development. The ingredient carries a natural-derived index of 0.90 under ISO 16128 and has passed HRIPT testing indicating non-sensitizing and hypoallergenic performance. BA17 also aligns with clean beauty standards recognized by major retailers including Walmart, Target, Sephora and Ulta Beauty.
Alongside BA17, Pilot Chemical will present UpSyCal BA14, a lighter branched hydrocarbon emollient and solvent designed for fast-drying and low-residue sensory performance. With the INCI name pentylnonane, BA14 is a clear, colorless liquid with lower viscosity and volatility compared to BA17, and is positioned as a silicone-like alternative to cyclic silicones such as cyclopentasiloxane (D5). It is engineered to enhance spreadability, reduce tack, and improve ingredient solubility in formulations.
BA14 is intended for applications including facial care, hair styling products, transfer-resistant foundations, and finishing sprays. The ingredient is characterized by a fast-absorbing profile and smooth, non-greasy finish, with compatibility across cold-process manufacturing systems. Like BA17, it carries a natural-derived index of 0.90 and has been tested as non-primary irritant and non-primary sensitizer, supporting hypoallergenic positioning.
Pilot Chemical is positioning both UpSyCal ingredients within a broader shift toward silicone replacement strategies that maintain sensory performance while improving formulation sustainability and regulatory alignment. The company will showcase application examples and formulation data at its booth during Suppliers’ Day, where both materials will be demonstrated across skin, hair, and color cosmetic prototypes.
