There is a huge and seemingly ever-growing market for cosmetics. Men and women of all ages are using countless products to improve or protect their skin and to style their hair. However, the ingredients of many of these products are still fossil-based petrochemicals. Now, Covestro is presenting two new cosmetic products during the Cosmetagora trade fair in Paris on January 15 and 16: A biobased hair gel and a biodegradable and sustainable sun protect lotion.

Sustainable hairstyling

Until now, “green” or biobased cosmetics have often received mixed reviews as most of them had to accept trade-offs in texture, strength or durability for their sustainability. In contrast, Covestro claims that their biobased hairstyling product Baycusan® eco E 1000, which consists of biobased polyurethane film formers, achieves at least the same performance levels as synthetic products, but avoids the disadvantages of other natural film formers. The manufacturer states that the E 1000 hairstyling product is made of nearly 60% renewable raw materials and does not require any synthetic fixing additives. It may therefore be labeled as an ingredient of natural origin in accordance with the ISO Standard 16128, Part 1.

Sun lotion with good biodegradability

Furthermore, Covestro is also presenting the biodegradable properties of a synthetic polyurethane dispersions as part of the Baycusan^® classic range, the protective lotion Baycusan^® C 1004. In contrast to other film formers, according to the company, these are biologically degraded within a short time period – an important advantage, for suncare products. Covestro stated that their main objective here was to minimize the impact on the marine ecosystem while still offering high protection against damaging sun rays.

Covestro is one of the world’s largest polymer companies and is headquartered in Leverkusen. Their business activities are focused on the manufacture of high-tech polymer materials and the development of innovative solutions for products across the automotive, construction, wood processing and furniture segments as well as cosmetics, health and the chemical industry, among others.

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