Natural emollient

Extracting the best of nature and making it available for cosmetic formulations is our core mission. As a manufacturer of emollients, we have developed a technological expertise in fats that allows us to offer emollients of natural origin, with unique sensory properties. The main vegetable source for the manufacture of our natural emollients is olive oil.

Natural emollients : benefits on the skin

Emollients play a major role in skin hydration by counteracting water evaporation, thus reducing transepidermal water loss (TEWL). They thus prevent dehydration of the skin and reduce its roughness. Emollients moisturise the skin tissue and help to soften the epidermis. Their nourishing properties are well known to consumers and the cosmetics industry.

They will also complement the action of anti-inflammatories by soothing irritated superficial skin tissue. For example, natural emollients can be recommended to help the skin rebuild between eczema flare-ups. This is because after an eczema flare, the epidermal barrier is damaged, making the skin more permeable to irritants and allergens. The use of an emollient between flares can help to prevent wear and tear on the epidermal barrier and will provide comfort to the skin.

In addition, emollients are highly valued for their sensory properties: during and after application, they provide a soothing sensation

Emollient oils : focus

Emollients can be incorporated into different types of products, and can be of different types.
The benefits vary depending on the concentration of the main ingredient in the emollient and its form. For example, they can be incorporated into a lotion, which is light and easy to spread, but will not be the most nourishing. They can be incorporated into an ointment, and provide a high moisturising effect, but will not be as easy to use as in a lotion. Emollients can be derived from vegetable oils, for example, or synthesised for more economical formulations.

Oil-based emollients have certain advantages:

– they are the most natural type of emollient. Three out of four of our emollients are of vegetable (olive) origin.
– Oils form a protective barrier on the skin’s surface
– Oils and water do not mix well together. Thanks to the protective barrier formed on the epidermis, transepidermal water loss is greatly reduced when using an oily emollient.
– in the case of the oleic emollient, as it contains squalane, it is a highly moisturising agent.
– they provide a soothing and softening sensation immediately after the product is applied. They create a protective film on the surface of the skin which has a protective and moisturising action on the epidermis.

Sophim’s natural emollients

Our emollients have a very strong affinity with the skin and are recommended for many cosmetic applications such as:

• Face care: creams, serums, anti-ageing,
• Body care: lotions, dry oils, combined mother and baby care
• Hair care: balms, hair conditioners, healing serums

The strong affinity of our emollients with the skin also allows them to enrich the composition of specific formulations for skin with atopic tendencies. With our emollients, your cosmetic formulations will be able to guarantee the reinforcement of the skin barrier, protection, and comfort of use.

Phytosqualan

Phytosqualan is our olive-sourced emollient. It is a highly effective natural emollient, which provides optimal comfort for the skin.

Phytosqualan promotes a faster restoration of the skin’s barrier function. Thanks to its great moisturizing properties and its protective action, the use of Phytosqualan shows a significant improvement in the elasticity, firmness and of course the hydration of the skin.

It also brings comfort in the application of the formula, thanks to its good spreading and penetration properties in the skin.

Insapolive

Olive oil is mainly composed of triglycerides, containing fatty acids, and a minor fraction of unsaponifiable matter. This fraction contains squalene or tocopherols, for example, which have a very good effect on the hydration of the epidermis. Insapolive is an unsaponifiable fraction derived from olive oil, to which we have added squalene to enrich it.

Insapolive therefore has very good moisturising, spreading and absorbing properties. It also has an effective soothing and regenerating effect on the epithelium, which is why it is used in the preparation of after-sun protections. Its photoprotective activity makes it a good ingredient for sun protection products.

Biophytosebum

Biophytosebum is a natural emollient, also from the olive, with a dry feel. Very easy to use in the oily part of the formulation, it restores the suppleness of the epidermis, is an excellent long-lasting moisturiser, and is a smooth carrier for the active ingredients. It is a sustainable alternative to silicones.

Biophytosebum also adds comfort to the finished product, due to its spreadability and rapid penetration into the skin. It gives a dry and velvety after-feel, which is an asset for the sensoriality of the formulation, as in cream skincare for example.

Its applications are numerous, from skin care creams to massage oils, but also for make-up with care effects, shaving or deodorant products, and sun and after-sun products. It is also an excellent ingredient for hair products, thanks to its deep moisturising properties.

Sophim MC30

Sophim MC30 is an economical and versatile base oil. It is made from hydrogenated polyisobutene, a polymer with moisturising and waterproofing properties. This light emollient is a clear fluid oil with squalane-like properties. It is also a good fixating agent, providing stability to the formula.

It restores skin suppleness, and has good spreading properties and rapid absorption capabilities.
Applications of Sophim MC30 are mainly for hair care, as it gives a silky feel, and conditions the hair without build-up, and for make-up, due to its ability to help pigments disperse.

Emollients have a major role in cosmetics as they allow to moisturize and soothe the skin epidermis. Indeed, composed of lipids, emollients counter the evaporation of water, which allows them to reduce transepidermal water loss (TWL). They thus prevent dehydration of the skin while restoring its lipidic barrier.
A lack of water and lipids will result in skin that is more sensitive to external aggression, which can lead to xerosis or eczema. Emollients provide a moisturizing action to cosmetic formulas, allowing the protection of the epidermis. They are thus particularly adapted for the formulation of cosmetic care dedicated to dry skin, perhaps with atopic tendency. Emollients are also going to complement the action of anti-inflammatories by soothing irritated superficial skin tissue.
Emollients have various applications : they can fit to the formulation of facial care products such as moisturizing creams, serums preventing signs of aging… Their protective and restorative properties make them good allies for body care formulas such as lotions, dry oils, combined mother-infant care…
Emollients are also particularly suitable for the formulation of hair care products. Indeed, their strong softening power allows them to be easily integrated into formulas dedicated to dry, split ends or texturized hair. These ingredients will bring shine and softness to the hair without greasing it. Emollients can also be incorporated into the formulation of balms, serums or shampoos in order to provide nutrition and repair to the hair fiber. They are ideal for dense or damaged hair that has a higher need for moisturizing.
SOPHIM offers two types of emollients : of natural origin, and of mineral origin.

• The first ones, of superior quality and natural origin, are sourced from olive. They respond to an ever-increasing demand for more natural cosmetic formulations, whether for skin or hair care. Our natural emollients, with sensory properties and non-greasy touch, have a strong affinity with the skin. Indeed, squalene is a lipid naturally produced by our body, and its hydrogenated derivative, squalane, has biomimetic properties. This explains their ability to penetrate the skin easily and quickly.
• The second ones are the mineral equivalent of squalane : hydrogenated polyisobutene. Of different molecular weights, they have similar properties to our natural emollients, and can be integrated into cosmetic formulas at a lower cost.