Evonik accelerates the iteration of cosmetic ingredients: switching from chemical processes to plant-based enzymatic esterification processes

Evonik officially opened its new production of cosmetic emollients, which are produced by enzymatic esterification, at the Steinau plant in Germany. The plant, worth hundreds of millions of euros, will significantly increase Evonik's production capacity to meet customers' growing demand for sustainable cosmetic emollients. The investment will help reduce the climate impact of Evonik and its customers' cosmetic formulations.

Evonik uses its biotechnology platform to produce emollients through an enzymatic esterification process. This helps to enhance the company's portfolio of biosolutions in the Life Science Division Nutrition & Care, while enabling the beauty and personal care industry to create solutions with outstanding sustainability.

"Emollients are no longer just about performance, they also need to have strong sustainability. This investment helps us reduce our carbon footprint while supporting the transformation of the beauty industry - meeting the demand for more responsible and environmentally friendly solutions." said Johann-Caspar Gammelin, President of Evonik's Nutrition & Care division.

Emollients are cosmetic oils and waxes that account for 10% to 25% of cosmetic emulsions. However, emollients currently account for 70% to 80% of the product's climate footprint. Switching from chemical processes to enzymatic esterification in the manufacture of emollients can reduce the climate footprint by more than 60 percent. All Care Solutions production sites are powered entirely by renewable energy, bringing the climate footprint of the new production plants to almost zero.

Enzymatically produced esters have been part of Evonik's portfolio for nearly 25 years. Made from vegetable oils, they serve as emollients in skin care products, making the skin soft and supple. So far, they have been produced at Evonik's sites in Duisburg, Germany, and Shanghai, China. Evonik's Steinau site is a bastion of innovation in the cosmetics industry and a production site for biodegradable specialty surfactants and active substances, with a diverse portfolio of more than 200 products.

Sustainability is a guiding business principle for Evonik's Care Solutions business line. Several extensive sustainability initiatives are underway, such as the ECOHANCE program, which focuses on achieving the highest sustainability goals for beauty and personal care applications by "incorporating next-generation raw materials" or delivering outstanding socio-ecological benefits.