DSM Nutritional Products has launched Parsol Guard as a shield for colour and light-sensitive ingredients in personal care products.
Based in Switzerland, the company has created the shield to cater for the growing consumer desire for brightly coloured products and more sophisticated packaging options.
These are subjected to harmful UV rays and pose new challenges to formulators.
Drawing on its history in the field of UV filters and vitamins, DSM has created a blended formulation containing UV filters and a natural antioxidant, Tocopherol.
According to the company, the combination protects UV light sensitive ingredients such as colours and fragrance - therefore making it an attractive option for coloured cosmetic formulations such as clear shower gels or hair gels, perfumes, shampoos and other liquid soap.
The all-in-one compound is said to offer ease of handling and is being marketed as a comprehensive solution for formulators in the booming cosmetics market coloured formulations.
The recent Colipa market report showed that the colour segment was leading the cosmetics market, with gains of 6 per cent, to reach an RSP of €7.7bn.
Gains were attributed to the fact that consumers want increasingly sophisticated and functional products.
For example, both colour cosmetics and skin care products increasingly incorporating sunscreens.
Likewise, the price increase in colour cosmetics demonstrates that consumers are 'trading up' - choosing products that are better formulated or of higher quality, and are consequently more expensive.
With colour cosmetics said to be moving out of 'traditional' areas, such as the eyes, lips and face, manufacturers are beginning to increase product development in creating ranges that diversify from the norm.
Cosmetic trends analyst Antoinette Van Den Berg predicted that a surge of products will be designed for use across the face, such as on the nose or on the hairline.
" Having analysed future cosmetic trends, we can see the desire for a more liberated approach to cosmetics, with products becoming multi-functional, for areas such as the forehead, merging into the hairline" Van Den Berg stated.
Perhaps the biggest trend that has been predicted to take off is the particular focus on the eyebrow area.
With Western cultures normally using simple filler products to naturally shade the area, Van Den Berg is suggesting that manufacturers will start making products that define the area more dramatically .