
Who will win Cosmetics & Toiletries (C&T) Allē Awards in 2025? Find out during our exclusive red carpet-style awards dinner, to be held on March 12, 2025, at the Ocean Place Resort & Spa in Long Branch, NJ. Here are the 16 finalists for Base Cosmetic Ingredients — check out their profiles. (Also see the finalists for Active Ingredients.)
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Base Cosmetic Ingredient: Color Cosmetics
1. BioBlack Beauty 13 Pigment, Nature Coatings, Inc.
BioBlack Beauty 13 is a carbon-based black pigment, 100% derived from FSC-certified wood waste. Characterized by its high-power and deep black color, the patent-pending BioBlack Beauty 13 has the highest (8 out of 8) lightfastness rating, and offers significant advantages over incumbent petroleum-derived Carbon Black/ Black 2 and other natural black colorants. This is thanks to it being a high-performing, non-nanomaterial that is PAH-free, globally regulatory compliant, carbon-negative and cost-competitive. It is the first-of-a-kind black pigment to offer all of these attributes without compromising performance, quality or cost.
2. Dynasan CrystalControl L, IOI Oleo GmbH
IOI Oleo introduces Dynasan CrystalControl L, a revolutionary solid lipid designed from the latest patented technologies and manufactured in Germany under pharma GMP production. Based on natural polyglycerol and stearic acid, this vegan-safe ester forms polymorphic-free layers, controlling crystallization processes in cosmetic formulas. This film-forming, deep-moisturizing emollient will therefore transform the industry by saving millions of products from being unnecessarily wasted due to “blooming” default, consequently growing trust of consumers in brands. Furthermore, it enhances final sensory effects with higher gliding and pay-off, making this formulator’s jewel a must, to allow worry-free development of steady-quality sustainable solid cosmetics.
3. Radiastar 1436, Oleon Health & Beauty
Radiastar 1436 is a Guerbet alcohol with a unique branched structure that presents as a liquid at room temperature – making it an ideal ingredient for cold process methods. As an excellent texturizer and long-lasting film-forming emollient, Radiastar 1436 offers a unique skin feel, good oxidation stability, water resistance and beautiful pigment dispersion properties. In red lipstick formulations, Radiastar 1436 offers a high gloss and refractive index, comparable to C12-15 alkyl benzoate. It presents a solid uniform layer with increased break strength, high color intensity and a soft, firm touch. It is suitable for use in a wide range of color cosmetics.
Base Cosmetic Ingredient: Hair/Scalp Care
4. Crodamol GTS, Croda Beauty
Crodamol GTS restores smoothness and shine to damaged hair and has a range of natural credentials; such as 100% natural according to ISO 16128, readily biodegradable according to OCED 301B, PPG/PEG-free, halal approved, vegan suitable and cruelty-free. Specifically designed to accommodate a diversity of hair types, Crodamol GTS presents a sustainable and inclusive alternative to silicones in hair care, hair color, treatments and styling applications.
5. N-Durhance ES-Repair Polymer, Ashland
The n-Durhance ES-repair technology provides unique formulating benefits by combining state-of-the-art technology with the purity of nature-derived ingredients. Beyond its core functionality, the n-Durhance ES-repair polymer enhances hair health with cuticle repair, reducing frizz for smoother, more manageable hair. The n-Durhance ES-repair polymer also offers equal or better performance to synthetic chemistry, with the added benefits of inherent biodegradability, high naturality and reduced carbon footprint.
6. Symfeel Quat Green, Symrise
Consumers are always concerned about how their hair feels and looks. Synthetic polyquats, like PQ-7 and PQ-10, play an important role in delivering conditioning effects. However, there is a growing demand for ingredients that are environmentally friendly. SymFeel Quat Green offers both effectiveness and sustainability, aligned with consumer demands. It is a naturally derived, readily biodegradable cationic copolymer, developed to directly replace PQ-7 and PQ-10 in hair and skin care formulations without compromising performance. SymFeel Quat Green improves hair combability in both wet and dry conditions and imparts smoothness, frizz control, shine, anti-breakage effects and more.
7. Styleze ES-Forza Polymer, Ashland
This novel nature-derived biodegradable polymer provides equivalent or superior styling performance to PVP. The Styleze ES-Forza polymer is perfectly suited for all hair types, including textured hair. It enables soft, everyday styling through cutting edge styling performance that will last all day. The Styleze ES-Forza polymer patented technology provides unique consumer benefits that enable tunable creativity in formulation and empowers consumers and hairdressers to express their artistry and personally. With extraordinary sensory properties, the Styleze ES-Forza polymer provides a unique feel to the fingers during use: lubricious when applying on wet hair, and, most importantly, flexible, silky and smooth-feeling in dry hair, without the crunch.
Base Cosmetic Ingredient: Natural/Bio-derived
8. Citropol DE-4, P2 Science
Citropol DE-4 is a high molecular weight liquid polymeric emollient that creates rich, luxurious textures for beauty formulations. Uniquely designed to improve the feel of alkanes efficiently, the addition of Citropol DE-4 elevates the sensory experience. Citropol DE-4 provides excellent conditioning for hair and skin care. Citropol DE-4 is ideal for textured and curly hair, providing demonstrated conditioning and detangling benefits.
9. Ultrafine Bubbles Technology, Hydrosome Labs
This technology leverages the principles of ultrafine bubbles. Hydrosome Labs has developed a processing system that generates high concentrations of these particles in pure water through a solely mechanical process with no chemical additives. These bubbles are less than one micron in size and remain stable in formulation for more than 26 months. When incorporated into cosmetic products, water containing ultrafine bubbles enhances hydration and the delivery of active ingredients. In the realm of clean beauty, where consumer mistrust of formulations is prevalent, the technology offers a clean, scalable and familiar solution that improves product formulations with chemically pure water.
10. LignoBase, Lignopure
LignoBase is the first lignin-based natural multifunctional ingredient line in the market that, thanks to Lignopure's patented technology, transfers the protective power of lignin to boost cosmetic formulations. Lignin's unique phenolic hydroxyl groups in the ingredient’s structure help to neutralize free radicals to impart antioxidant power to the skin and the formulation. This structure stabilizes UV filter systems, while its radical-quenching properties, film-forming capacities and scattering of microparticles boost the photoprotective efficiency of the SPF. Its hydrophobic functional groups, optimized particle size and porous structure make it a natural mattifying agent that also gives a soft-focus effect.
Base Cosmetic Ingredient: Skin, Body and Bath/Hygiene
11. Bloomsurfact Sodium Surfactin, Bloomage Biotechnology Corp., Ltd.
Bloomsurfact Sodium Surfactin is a biosurfactant obtained through a low foam fermentation technology. The entire production process is green and environmentally friendly and does not involve organic solvent synthesis processes. Sodium Surfactin’s hydrophilic group is a cyclic heptapeptide, which easily forms hydrogen bonds, has a small molecular cross-sectional area, is tightly arranged at the interface, and has self-assembly properties. It has excellent emulsifying, solubilizing and stabilizing effects. In addition, it demonstrates anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and other effects, as well as a promotes the penetration of active ingredients, which can also improve the gentleness and utilization of active ingredients.
12. EcoHance Remo XP, Evonik Corp.
EcoHance Remo XP is a versatile and mild ingredient that functions as a rheology modifier, hydrophilic emollient and sensory enhancer, making it a suitable option for personal hygiene products. EcoHance Remo XP is produced using a low-energy enzymatic process that utilizes feedstocks sourced from local tropical alternatives and waste streams, making it an eco-friendly and sustainable choice for personal care products. Additionally, this product is COSMOS NATURAL-approved, ensuring that it meets strict standards for natural and organic cosmetics.
13. Geropon TC Clear MB, Syensqo
A new and novel, industry-leading liquid sodium methyl cocoyl taurate, Geropon TC Clear MB is of 28% active high purity and is supplied in a liquid form. Unlike traditional taurates, it is pourable at room temperature and does not require heating and mixing before use, making it easier to use. Geropon TC Clear MB starts whitening and thickening at < 10°C but turns clear again once back to RT. It does not phase-separate upon storage, unlike other taurates. Its superior stability, handling profile (cold processable) and functionality across a broad range of formulations make it a truly unique surfactant.
14. Structure M3, Nouryon
The Structure M3 co-surfactant is a novel, naturally derived (NOI = 0.85), non-GMO modified starch that significantly reduces the irritation potential of many commonly used sulfate and sulfate-free surfactant systems. Designed for sustainability, it is readily biodegradable, cold water processable and available as a waterless, free-flowing powder. It is formulation- and consumer-friendly, being compatible with many rheology modifiers and emulsion stabilizers commonly used in facial cleanser, shampoo and shower gel formulations, without impacting cleansing or foaming. Structure M3 is also sulfate-free, EO- and dioxane-free, and effective at levels as low as 0.5%.
15. Natursol EMI Lite, SNF
Natursol EMI Lite represents a paradigm shift in skin care formulation. Natursol EMI Lite is a preservative-free, pre-neutralized, readily biodegradable (per OECD 301F), cold processable thickener combining light texture and stabilizing performance. This innovative rheology modifier boasts a naturality index of 78% (per the ISO norm 16128), positioning it as a frontrunner in environmentally conscious beauty solutions. With its superior biodegradability, Natursol EMI Lite offers skin care formulators the opportunity to create luxurious velvety textures over a wide range of pH without compromising on eco-friendliness.
16. Savelite HB, Symrise
Savelite HB (Hydroxypropyl Benzoate) is a transparent, colorless and odorless liquid that protects formulations from microorganisms (notably fungus) and oxidation, enhancing product stability. It is cold-processable, saving time and energy during production. It also is built on established propanediol and benzoic acid molecules, broadens formulation options and improves safety by varying molecular exposure. Additionally, it acts as an effective moisturizer, demonstrating a 10.9% increase in skin hydration after two weeks of use, while respecting the skin microbiome. It additionally helps to stabilize emulsions by reducing oil droplet size.