At the beginning of the film The Graduate, when Mr McGuire talking to Benjamin, trying to give the young graduate a one-word advice for his future career: “Plastic!”, and Benjamin was stunned. It is true that “plastic” is a fast-developing industry and a good deal in 50-60s, but it also means “cheap, ugly, unreal” at that time. Today, plastic, almost a synonym of polymer, presents in nearly everything in our daily life thanks to its versatile properties. However, the wide application of polymers has also brought a lot of problems such as marine litter, microplastic pollutions etc. In this case, development of alternative, biodegradable materials became urgent and important. Polysaccharide, a biopolymer which is composed of covalently linked sugar molecules, is the largest resource of polymer from the nature. Thanks to its availability, biocompatibility and biodegradability, polysaccharide could replace synthetic polymers in many domains: one best example is cosmetics. At PolymerExpert, we have already a product portfolio for cosmetic, especially our recent products: EstoGel® Green, which is a 100% biobased oil phase gelling agent. For enriching our portfolio of cosmetic products, polysaccharide could be a very promising resource of raw material.

Green chemistry was conceived in the 1990s. The objective for the chemists Anastas and Warner was to reduce the risks generated for the users during the chemical practices but also to reduce the harmful impact on the environment of the used products and their waste.

PolymerExpert is a supplier of ingredients for the cosmetic industry. In order to offer a complete service to its customers, the company has equipped itself in 2016 with an application laboratory in which cosmetic formulation specialists develop orientation formulas on a daily basis. Adrien Faure formulation expert at PolymerExpert tells us the secrets of a good orientation formula.

The medical device industry which produces a large number of products (from surgical gloves to artificial joints to imaging devices), driven by innovation and new technologies, has become one of the largest markets in the healthcare sector.[1] The explosion in the sophistication and application of devices makes it possible to help improve human health in ways unimaginable just a few years ago.

The design of materials capable of repairing themselves, either spontaneously or under the effect of a stimulus, makes it possible to improve their lifespan and their reliability while reducing maintenance costs. This approach, which is eco-responsible, reduces the consumption of polymer materials and the production of waste. This technology can be applied in many fields to restore the original appearance and properties of materials. PolymerExpert designs custom-made healing materials to best suit your needs.

More and more cosmetic brands are now opting for transparency towards the customer and choosing versatile ingredients to build minimalist formulas. Thus, to successfully engage in responsible and sustainable approaches, brands need to rationalize their ingredient portfolio. Adrien Faure, cosmetics expert at PolymerExpert, gives an update on the optimal choice of raw materials for the formulator.