The new range, Baycusan, has film-forming and conditioning qualities over and above what is already available in the industry, claim the Germany-based company.
Adjustable properties for greater freedom The film forming properties can be adjusted to give customers greater flexibility in their formulations, according to the company.
For example if the polymer was to be incorporated into a hair spray product manufacturers could choose between a finished product that gave flexible hold and one that held strongly.
In addition, the company claim that hair styling products using Bayuscan will offer significantly greater hold at higher humidity than other polymers, however the hair will remain easy to comb.
Bayuscan polyurethanes can be incorporated into colour cosmetics to give water resistance, and again the company highlight the freedom provided to customers.
Products such as mascaras, lipsticks and eye liners can be truly water resistant or water vapour permeable, state Bayer MaterialScience.
The polyurethanes may also be used in peel off face masks to allow for the mask to be peeled off in one go, and in face and body care products that give a silky skin feel both before and after application.
Preservative and solvent free Like a number of other ingredients suppliers the company is tapping into the trend for natural and more environmentally friendly ingredients and manufacturing practices with the Bayuscan range.
The polyurethanes do not contain solvents making them more environmentally friendly than many of their counterparts and the company claim that finished products formulated with the range will emit little or no volatile organic compounds which may contribute to air pollution.
In addition the range contains no preservatives which may endear it to the more natural orientated manufacturers.