Products & Solutions

Sipernat®

Exfoliation without plastic

Evonik has developed a natural derived substance to replace microplastics on the market: SIPERNAT® PC grades. These specialty silicas, which have a higher degree of purity than natural silica, help to preserve the environment, especially the oceans.

On principle, cosmetic products are subject to high standards of purity. That also applies to all kinds of skin exfoliation preparations. SIPERNAT® PC Hydrated Silica exfoliating particles are tailored to cover the full range of scrub formulations, enabling different desquamation and sensory properties. The SIPERNAT® PC portfolio offers particles in different size, morphology and hardness that enable formulations for skin areas of different sensitivity (e. g. face, body, feet). The 4 available products, SIPERNAT® 2200 PC and SIPERNAT® 22 PC as well as SIPERNAT® 250 PC and SIPERNAT® 9000 PC that Evonik manufactures are listed as natural derived l by the International Natural and Organic Cosmetics Association (NATRUE), a worldwide association that promotes natural skincare. These Evonik products are also certified according to COSMOS, an international standard for natural cosmetics.

The term “natural derived” refers to the fact that silica already exists in nature, but seldom with the required degree of purity. Enhanced purity is the result of Evonik’s technical production process. The company’s amorphous synthetic silicas are purer than the silicas found in nature.

Abrasive and clean

Purity is not the only positive property of these silicas. In the past, microscopic particles of polyethylene and polypropylene were used in cosmetics for exfoliation functions. All of the leading cosmetics and skincare product manufacturers worldwide are currently working to develop substitutes for the abrasive (rubbing, grinding) microplastic particles.

Driving this development is the public discussion of the pollution of the world’s oceans. Plastic waste is viewed as a main pollutant, along with plastic particles in cosmetics. As a solution to this problem, the specialty silica SIPERNAT® fully meets the high standard of purity and the requirements regarding abrasive particels.

In addition to providing a cleansing effect, the specialty silica has a sponge-like structure that enables it to absorb liquid active ingredients and fragrances and thus function as a carrier. In powder form, these ingredients can thus be easily integrated into various formulations—and that’s a big advantage for the cosmetics industry.

A reliable partner of manufacturers

Evonik has long been a dependable partner of the cosmetics industry. Through uniform specifications and controls, it ensures that the quality the of the products reliably maintains a high level.

As a result, some renowned international cosmetics companies are using the specialty silicas in shower gels and facial and body exfoliation products. The decades of experience in the areas of production and processes that Evonik has gathered as a specialty chemicals company have brought advantages to its customers. The specific properties of SIPERNAT® are just one example.

Recently another product was added to the PC-family: SPHERILEX® 10 PC. Like the SIPERNAT® PC range the SPHERILEX® 10 PC comes with NATRUE and COSMOS certification. It is made especially for leave-on formulations where it improves the skin feel significantly due to its spherical particle shape. SPHERILEX® 10 PC provides a unique, silky-smooth non-drying skin feel. It can be used in a wide range of applications such as powder and lipstick formulations to give a silky matte look, but also works well in rich formulations like sunscreen, where it helps to reduce and eliminate tackiness.

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