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Foreword

This month’s foreword looks at the evolving landscape of biobased haircare and skincare cosmetics, highlighting R&D advances, strategic partnerships, and key investments that are driving sustainability while transforming beauty and personal care.

Research news includes a success story from Stockholm University where researchers have developed a biobased hair conditioner using lignin gel emulsions, offering a sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional products. The study, published in Science Advances, demonstrates that lignin gels can stabilize emulsions with natural oils, reducing the need for synthetic surfactants and complex stabilizers. The lignin-based gel emulsion is comparable to commercial hair conditioners and has potential applications in food industry.

Commercial partnerships include Belgian science company Syensqo working with Chinese biotechnology company Bota Bio, a company specializing in bio-manufactured, clean, and high-performance consumer products. Their strategic five-year partnership will focus on developing high-performance biomimetic ingredients for hair and scalp care, leveraging Bota Bio's performance protein technology through synthetic biology...

Other News this Month Includes: