The chemistry is cutting-edge, the classroom is, too. Botaneco has opened a laboratory and sales office in Lambertville, NJ to connect with personal care formulators and create opportunities for its oilseed-based natural ingredients for skin, sun and hair care products. Company executives welcomed reporters to their new site to answer questions and showcase the benefits of incorporating oleosomes and proteins derived from safflower and other plant-based materials.


Botaneco’s chemistry revolves around oleosomes, specialized organelle in the cells of seed plants that function as natural delivery systems. According to the company, the oleosome’s inner structure includes a reservoir of triglycerides and vitamins, surrounded by a phospholipid bilayer and encapsulated by proteins. Botaneco obtains the ingredients from safflower oilseeds grown in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, without any alterations, and without any use of a solvent, making then available for use in skin and hair care formulas as an efficient delivery system.


“Through a sustainable process, we isolate natural, multifunctional ingredients from oilseeds that enhance the performance of personal care products,” said James Szarko, president and chief executive officer, Botaneco. “We have step-change innovation.”


And with the new laboratory and office in Lambertville, NJ, Botaneco has the platform to highlight the benefits of these materials. Beauty product formulators who visit the site will learn how it is possible to make effective formulations with sustainable technology, according to Diane Nordstrom, formulation chemist.


“The lab lets us work one-on-one with our customers,” she explained. “We’ve already had several customers to Lambertville and after seeing our technology, they’ve told us that this what the future of product formulation looks like.”


That’s due, in large part, because Botaneco’s ingredients provides unique benefits for personal care formulas.


Potent Lineup

The company’s current lineup includes products based on natural ingredients such as safflower, canola and sunflower. CapSol is billed as a breakthrough in sun care technology. Incorporating Capsol into sun care formulations enables chemists to reduce organic UV filter loads by 80%, yet still achieve the same SPF. The material is also said to provide long-lasting hydration benefits, is globally-compliant, and addresses consumers’ growing demand for environmentally safe and sustainable products.


CapSol, which was rebranded this summer, is created via cold-process technology, explained Kathy Mish, marketing manager. Formulating with CapSol improves product cost and aesthetics, too. It provides long-lasting hydration and is said to be ideal for use in daily wear SPF moisturizers, anti-aging SPF daily wear, color cosmetics and sun protection.


Karmyn, a natural high molecular weight (~250-300KD) safflower storage protein, plays an important role in equipping a seed for survival, maintaining hydration and preventing denaturation. Botaneco extracts the Karmyn protein in its whole undamaged form without chemically or enzymatically modifying it, harnessing the proteins natural integrity to provide a promising, non-allergenic, plant-based, sustainable alternative to formulators and cosmetic scientists in the personal care industry.


As a primary or secondary emulsifier, Hydresia has applications in face care, hand and body care, sun care, lip care, hair care, color cosmetics and makeup remover. Hydresia was Botaneco’s first entry into the personal care market, and Joe Matt, sales leader, noted that major players in the personal care space are incorporating Hydresia into their lip care formulas due to waterproofing and film-forming characteristics.


While all three products have unique attributes, company executives note that they share the same environmentally-friendly manufacturing process.


“We are able to obtain these materials with water and grinding,” observed Vince Gruber, chief innovation officer. “Customers want multifunctional solutions that are sustainable and petroleum-free.”


With its lab and innovation center up and running, Botaneco executives are confident that they have the processes and the products to meet the needs of the global personal care market.