02.05.10
New Concepts for Cosmetics Developed by Evonik
While some suppliers may have slowed down their research and development efforts in the face of the worst U.S. recession in 35 years, Evonik chemists continued to churn out new materials that company executives maintain will help their customers develop novel products and spur sales in 2010 and beyond.
For example, Evonik now offers five new products for the NAFTA market— three standard carbomers for low, medium and high viscosity needs, as well as two additional materials that are fast dispersing and high electrolyte tolerant.
“Carbomers are a natural fit to our product line,” explained Anna Howe, applied technology manager, North America personal care, Evonik. “These additions enable our customers to simplify their supply chain, since they can buy the same products in the global Evonik network. All of them are supported with a lot of customer service and technical service.”
Later this year, Evonik will roll out a new line of sunscreen emollients that provide a pleasant skin feel along with excellent solubilization and dispersion properties. New emollients are necessary to meet consumer demand for products with high UV filter concentrations with acceptable skin feel.
According to Evonik, esters based on 2-phenoxyethyl caprylate enable formulators to easily create stable and high SPF formulations. In fact, phenoxyethyl caprylate produced slightly higher in vitro SPF value than the typical C12-15 alkyl benzoate ester, according to the company.
Moreover, the material is based on a natural fatty acid (caprylic acid) and is therefore partly based on renewable resources.
“These esters are highly engineered, which enables us to custom-build performance,” said Howe. “We understand the markets and the chemistry.”
Coast Southwest Achieves NACD RDP Verification
Coast Southwest, Inc., Placentia, CA, has completed the National Association of Chemical Distributors (NACD) on-site management system verification audit. The Responsible Distribution Process (RDP) verification is a third-party audit that meets the standards of NACD’s Core Codes of Management Practice.
“As a company, Coast Southwest is committed to the highest standards of responsibility as well as to a program of continuous improvement,” said Coast Southwest’s president Joseph C. Cimo. “Attaining RDP certification from the NACD indicates that we are achieving our goals. Achieving this milestone sends an important message to our customers and the public about how seriously Coast Southwest considers health, safety, and environmental concerns in view of the potential risks inherent in our industry. RDP makes Coast Southwest a better company immediately and for the long term.”
The RDP on-site verification was conducted by independent, third-party verifiers against a standard protocol based on the RDP Guiding Principles and the NACD Code of Management Practice, which show a commitment for assuring that raw materials purchased and distributed are handled in a safe and compliant manner consistent with the product stewardship expectations of suppliers, customers and employees.
Fashion Fair Cosmetic Founder Dies at 93
Eunice Johnson, a driving force in fashion and cosmetics, died on Jan. 3. She was 93. Johnson was the creator of Ebony Fashion Fair, a tour of nearly 200 cities that has showcased haute couture and ready-to-wear fashion for a mostly African-American audience for more than 50 years. Nearly 40 years ago, Johnson became perturbed with the lack of cosmetics that enhanced the skin tones of her models. To remedy the situation, in 1973, she founded Fashion Fair Cosmetics, a prestige line that African-American women could buy, for the first time, in top department stores. Within three years, the growing popularity of Fashion Fair Cosmetics prompted Revlon to introduce the Polished Ambers, Avon to start Shades of Beauty and Max Factor to produce Beautiful Bronzes.
Her daughter, Linda Johnson Rice, who is chairwoman and chief executive of Johnson Publishing, and a granddaughter survive Johnson.
ZO Health Files Suit Against Obagi Medical Products
ZO Skin Health, Inc., the Beverly Hills, CA company that sells non-prescription skin care products created by Dr. Zein Obagi, has filed suit in California Superior Court challenging the anti-competitive practices of Obagi Medical Products, Inc. (OMP), a company the dermatologist founded and of which he still remains a shareholder.
In the lawsuit, ZO Skin Health claims OMP has engaged in a wide range of unlawful activities to prevent ZO from providing the general consumer market with access to anti-aging skin care products invented by Dr. Obagi. Obagi founded Worldwide Products Distribution, Inc., the company that would later form the core of Obagi Medical Products. In 1997, he sold a controlling share in OMP, which sells medical skin care products to physicians, to outside investors. OMP has since become a public company, of which Obagi remains the second-largest shareholder.
ZO Skin Health’s lawsuit asserts that Dr. Obagi first gave OMP the opportunity to market his new consumer product line. According to ZO, after a lengthy discussions in which Dr. Obagi shared highly confidential information, OMP declined to pursue the products. Instead, ZO distributed Dr. Obagi’s new consumer product line.
In addition, Dr. Obagi says ZO was formed with OMP’s knowledge and expressions of support, according to the company. ZO Skin Health products are available at selected Nordstrom stores and department stores, resort, destination and day spas.
ZO said its goals in filing this lawsuit are to halt OMP’s illegal campaign against ZO, to permit ZO’s new products to be widely distributed to consumers without threats and wrongful interference, and just compensation. In addition, ZO claims that OMP wrongfully scuttled its sale to a major Japanese pharmaceutical company.
In a press statement, OMP said it is in the process of reviewing the allegations contained in the complaint and in the demand for arbitration and intends to vigorously defend itself against these claims.
Desert King’s Andean Surfactants Are Ecocert-and NPA-Certified
Ecocert and the Natural Products Association (NPA) have certified Desert King International’s Andean line of certified organic surfactants. The line includes Andean Q Ultra Organic and Andean QD Ultra Organic, purified natural extract and purified spray dried aqueous extract, respectively, of Chilean Soap Bark Tree (Quillaja Saponaria Molina). One hundred percent of the total ingredients are from natural origin and 99.28% of the total ingredients are from organic farming. The line offers complete traceability, ISO certification (Quilaja factory), no animal testing and non-GMO, according to the company.
More info: lwilliams@desertking.com
Arch CEO Campbell To Receive 2010 Chemical Industry Medal
The Society of Chemical Industry (SCI), America Section, will award the SCI Chemical Industry Medal to Michael E. Campbell, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Arch Chemicals, Inc. He will be presented with the medal on March 10 at a black-tie event at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City. The SCI Chemical Industry Medal is presented to people whose leadership, foresight, and contributions to applied chemistry have been—to a considerable degree—responsible for the growth of that industry.
Tickets to the event are available by contacting Natalie Clark at sciamerica2@aol.com, 215-873-8232.
Cognis Wins Communications Awards
At this year’s Spotlight Awards by the League of American Communications Professionals (LACP), Cognis won a total of nine marketing and corporate communications awards. Four Cognis entries won Gold Awards and were ranked among the 100 best submissions.
Cognis also won Gold in the “Strategic Corporate Communications” category at this year’s Econ Awards.
SCJ Starts Wind Energy Pilot Program in Racine
S.C. Johnson has commenced a wind energy pilot program at its headquarter campus with the installation of three new wind turbines. This new pilot program is expected to help the company further reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) usage and raise awareness that renewable energy is not just for factories, but also office buildings in urban settings. SCJ also expects to gather useful information that will help further its quest to develop more sustainable solutions.
As part of pilot program, S.C. Johnson has installed three wind turbines on a roof at its Racine, WI campus. |
The pilot program, which runs through January 2011, builds on the company’s efforts to reduce GHG and reduce carbon worldwide. The three wind turbines are located on the roof of one of the seven buildings at SCJ’s international headquarters campus, which has an approximate eight block radius and employs some 1,300 people. The turbines are expected to be fully functioning by the end of the month. Once fully operational, they will be connected to the company’s electrical distribution system to power a small portion of the company’s campus, according to SCJ.
Depending on the impact of the turbine’s energy output, SCJ says it may extend the project to additional local company facilities.
Rexam Publishes Lipstick Coffee Table Book
The Rexam Personal Care Division has published a new art book, “Levres de Luxe” (“Lips of Luxury”), a richly illustrated volume that details the history of lipstick and its importance in the daily lives of millions of consumers around the world. With lush photography and entertaining English-French text, the 192-page book traces the evolution of lipstick use from the earliest days of man to the present, and includes insightful commentary from the world’s leaders in makeup and design. It will be available in bookstores throughout France.
“The author’s analysis of lipstick usage through the centuries resonates with how we conduct our business today. That is, the success of lipstick products has always been a result of the linkage between innovative technology and consumer needs—whether those needs existed in the early days of mankind, or this very week,” said Misha Riveros-Jacobson, managing director, Rexam Personal Care.
“Levres de Luxe” was written by Jean-Marie Martin-Hattenberg, one of the experts in the artistic and industrial traditions of the beauty industry.“It was clear that we had to join forces on this project, which covers the cultural and technological aspects of lipstick and its packaging,” Riveros-Jacobson said. “Lipstick, and the daily gesture of its application, is the epitome of everything feminine—and is a favorite, and accessible, luxury product.
A key conclusion of “Levres de Luxe” is that innovation has always driven the creation of lipstick cases. Today, the mechanisms are complex and the need to advance designs more vital than ever. Superior plastic injection, metal embossing, lacquering, laser technology, new surface treatments, silk screening, hot stamping and tampo printing are a few of the professions that combine to make today’s lipstick brands stand out.
“While the technology and cultures have changed over the centuries, our company has always been mindful of the artistic and aesthetic concerns of cosmetic and perfume brands, and share a heightened awareness of what consumers expect from their favorite beauty brands,” Rexam’s Riveros-Jacobson said. “In the end, we in our industry work diligently to develop lipstick cases that, aside from their beauty and advanced ergonomics, have one essential purpose: to package and protect very fragile sticks of rouge that make women feel special.”
Soliance LaunchesNew Website
Soliance has unveiled a new website. This new version is more user-friendly, presenting both the company’s technical expertise and its green philosophy, according to Soliance.
Using an optimized navigation system, visitors can easily access Soliance’s product range, enriched with technical data, regulatory and formulation guidelines, according to the company.
More info: www.soliance.com