Fats and oils are the heart of cosmetic product manufacturing. They are that ingredient that adds gloss and texture to emulsions. Fats and oils combined with water and emulsifiers are the key components of lotion, cream and other cosmetic formulations.

Simple lipids include fats and oils that can be classified into Triglycerides and waxes. Triglycerides, include free flowing natural oils like almond, apricot, avocado, borage, canola, castor, olive, safflower, sesame and wheat germ; and solid fats like shea butter, cocoa butters, palm and coconut oils. Waxes include solids like beeswax, jojoba, lanolin and spermaceti (white waxy substance produced by the sperm whale).

Large cosmetic manufacturers have typically used synthetically based emollients like petrolatum and mineral oils as the key emollient on all their personal care products. Petroleum and mineral oils were desirable for many reasons. They were clear in color, light textured with long shelf life that provided product stability and above all, they were extremely cheap and perfect for mass market production.

Over the past 10 years there has been a huge shift in consumer buying habits. Consumers are paying attention to ingredient labels and questioning the ingredients in their creams, lotions and shampoos. They are concerned about what goes on their skin (which is the largest organ on their body) and the potential impact these products have on the environment. This shift is proving to be more than just a trend adopted by a few outliers; data shows that the demand for naturals continues increase at an annual growth rate of 11%, over twice the pace of conventional products.

According to Sam Greenberg, a technical consultant in the natural oils sector and president of The Naturals Cooperative, there is a renaissance in the cosmetic industry where the consumer is becoming more comfortable with the smell and feel of naturally occurring plant fragrances and natural oils. According to Greenberg, “Consumers are rediscovering the benefits of consuming and absorbing natural based products”.

With this shift, some manufacturers are seeking to replace mineral oil and petrolatum with more natural alternatives, and are looking to natural oils and butters that provide the same qualities of stability that the cheaper more synthetic options have provided for many years.

Refined vs. Unrefined Oils and Butters
The extraction method determines if oils are classified as refined or unrefined (crude). Oils and butters can be extracted using a combination of traditional handcrafted methods and a mechanical pressing method leaving them relatively unrefined. Consumer demand for less processed oils is growing and many seek out unrefined or cold pressed oils. Unrefined Shea butter, for example, has a high content of unsaponifiable properties that keep the skin young by stimulating the tissue and help the skin make its own collagen. It has soothing, moisturizing and nourishing properties that make it suitable for dry damaged hair and skin.

The presence of anti-elastase properties make it a good active ingredient against stretch marks. Shea butter is shown to promote cell regeneration and capillary circulation which helps in the healing of small wounds, skin cracks and crevices, and skin ulcers. Shea butter also has some UV protection benefit that can be incorporated into sun protection products.

The greatest challenge of unrefined shea butter particularly for cosmetic manufacturers is quality and stability. When the nut collection and oil extraction is not properly managed, it can lead to oils that are high in Free Fatty Acids (FFA). A high FFA content is undesirable as it is an indicator of instability and a shorter shelf life. Proper training of nut collection and extraction process is key to getting the best quality traditionally extracted butter that delivers all the desired benefits.

Refining takes the extraction process further by adding steps to make natural oils and butters as stable and as easy to work with as mineral oil and petrolatum. Refining might involve a pre-press/solvent extraction method which also give a better oil yield extraction; followed by bleaching, a process for removing process for removing color producing substances and for further purifying the fat or oil and finally deodorizing. Deodorization is a vacuum steam distillation process for the purpose of removing trace constituents that give rise to undesirable flavors, colors and odors in fats and oils.[1]

Refined oils and fats are the most prevalent in the market due to their longer shelf life. The challenge with refining is that many of the benefits of the natural oil can be stripped away by the process, resulting in oils and fats that are adequate emollients, but lacking in natural bioactives.

The continued trend towards natural products means that the demand for natural oils and fats will continue. The preference for refined and unrefined will depend largely on the manufacturer’s understanding of what their customer demographic values. For mass market brands, it might boil down to the cost differences between mineral oils and refined oils. For manufacturers in the natural space, the decision might be based on the long-term stability of refined oil or the high potency benefits of unrefined oils and fats which may have a shorter shelf life.

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[1] Lipids in pharmaceutical and cosmetic preparations, by Antonio M. Rabasco Alvarez  and María Luisa González Rodríguez

About The Expert

 

Funlayo Alabi is the co-founder of Shea Radiance, a natural beauty brand dedicated to transforming hair, skin, thinking … and lives into something more beautiful than what it was before. An integral part of Shea Radiance is to empower the 16 million African women who are picking and processing Shea nuts and butter, and connect them with women around the world who benefit from their artisan craftsmanship.  She spent nearly a decade working on all-natural product formulations for Shea Radiance, with the objective of perfecting a high-percentage of shea butter formulation. Funlayo is a global business leader who speaks domestically and internationally on matters of international business, market and economic access for African women, Africa’s agricultural sector and shea butter.

Shea Radiance was founded in 2008 by Funlayo Alabi on the premise that women need to care for themselves and each other.  Shea Radiance crafts artisanal skincare and haircare products that are all-natural with the purest, small-batch, women-sourced shea butter from West Africa as a primary ingredient. Shea Radiance promotes the power of community and empowerment for women around the globe.