LANXESS Preservatives and Cosmelin Esters Take Center Stage at SEPAWA 2026
LANXESS is using the SEPAWA Congress 2026 to put personal care preservatives and specialty formulation ingredients under the spotlight, with a portfolio that connects product protection, formulation performance and sustainability. The company is presenting new and established solutions for cosmetics, personal care, household care and pet care at the Berlin industry congress.
Among the key developments are Cosmelin specialty esters, new preservative solutions for pet care and Scopeblue variants of established preservative products. Together, these offerings reflect a broader shift in formulation procurement, where buyers increasingly assess performance, regulatory requirements and environmental characteristics alongside price and supply reliability.
LANXESS Expands Its Preservative Portfolio at SEPAWA 2026
At SEPAWA 2026, LANXESS is presenting its comprehensive range of preservatives and multifunctional ingredients for personal and household care applications. The company is also introducing its preservative solutions to the pet care segment at the event for the first time.
Neolone PH 100 Preservative and Bioban PH 100 Antimicrobial are among the highlighted products. LANXESS positions both as broad-spectrum preservatives that can protect formulations from microbial contamination, including applications such as dog shampoos.
This expansion reflects the increasing overlap between personal care chemistry and adjacent consumer product categories. For procurement teams, it creates additional opportunities to consolidate ingredient sourcing across related formulation markets while maintaining application-specific performance requirements.
The company also links its pet care offering to continued growth in the sector through 2035, citing annual growth rates of 4% to 6% in individual regions or segments. As premium pet wellness products expand, preservative performance, product stability and skin tolerance become important formulation considerations.
Cosmelin Esters Target the Shift Toward Flexible Cosmetic Formulations
One of the most prominent launches at the congress is Cosmelin, a new family of readily biodegradable specialty esters designed for cosmetics and personal care products.
LANXESS developed the Cosmelin range for skin care, hair care, sunscreens and decorative cosmetics. The specialty esters can work in both silicone-containing and silicone-free formulations, giving formulators greater flexibility when selecting the sensory and functional characteristics of a finished product.
Silicones have traditionally helped cosmetic products achieve properties such as smooth application, slip, spreadability and shine. Cosmelin esters are positioned as an alternative while also offering compatibility with both silicone-based systems and organic ingredients.
For formulators and ingredient buyers, that compatibility can matter when reformulating an existing product or developing a new one. Instead of treating silicone replacement as a simple one-for-one substitution, manufacturers can assess specialty esters according to sensory profile, formulation compatibility, biodegradability and overall product positioning.
LANXESS says Cosmelin products degrade more quickly and completely in the environment after use than conventional silicone compounds. The range therefore connects formulation performance with the growing interest in ingredients that support clean beauty and sustainability objectives.
Scopeblue Brings Sustainability Criteria Into Preservative Sourcing
LANXESS is also showcasing Scopeblue variants of its established Purox S and Kalaguard SB preservatives. The company uses the Scopeblue designation for products with a CO2 footprint at least 50% lower than conventional alternatives or products containing at least 50% sustainable raw materials.
For procurement teams, this creates another dimension in ingredient selection. Buyers can evaluate not only technical specifications and delivered cost but also the raw material profile and environmental footprint associated with an ingredient.
Purox S is a nature-identical, readily biodegradable sodium benzoate used to control microbial growth in cosmetics and personal care formulations. LANXESS states that it can be used effectively up to a pH value of 6.5.
The Scopeblue version uses renewable energy and renewable raw materials under a mass-balance approach. LANXESS describes the resulting product as virtually climate-neutral under that approach.
Kalaguard SB serves household care applications, including cleaning products, laundry detergents, dishwashing liquids, wet wipes, fabric softeners and room sprays. A Scopeblue version is also available, using mass-balance-certified renewable raw materials.
Why Formulation Flexibility Matters for Ingredient Buyers
The Cosmelin launch highlights an important procurement issue for cosmetic manufacturers: changing one ingredient can affect several parts of a formulation simultaneously.
A replacement ingredient needs to work within the existing formulation system while supporting the desired sensory profile and production process. Compatibility with other ingredients can influence whether a new material becomes a practical alternative or requires broader reformulation.
For purchasing teams, useful evaluation criteria include:
Formulation compatibility: Buyers need to understand how an ingredient behaves alongside oils, active ingredients, silicones and other formulation components.
Performance requirements: Sensory properties such as spreadability, smoothness and finish can directly influence consumer acceptance of personal care products.
Sustainability credentials: Environmental attributes can become procurement requirements when brands establish sustainability targets for their product portfolios.
Supply continuity: A technically suitable ingredient still needs dependable commercial availability and consistent quality across purchasing cycles.
Regulatory suitability: Ingredient selection must align with the regulatory requirements of the markets where the finished product will be sold.
This broader evaluation can make specialty ingredient sourcing more strategic. Procurement teams increasingly need technical and commercial information together rather than treating the ingredient price as the only purchasing variable.
Personal Care and Household Care Demand Broaden the Opportunity
LANXESS is using SEPAWA 2026 to demonstrate that preservation and formulation chemistry extends across several consumer-facing markets.
Its portfolio includes preservatives, emollients, multifunctional ingredients and oxidizing agents for different applications. The company is also highlighting Purolan IDD, Purolan IHD and Adimoll DB as high-purity emollients for cosmetic and personal care formulations.
Purolan PD-LO adds another multifunctional option. The pentanediol-based ingredient can serve as a humectant and antimicrobial booster in leave-on and rinse-off applications, supporting the performance of primary preservation systems.
The household care portfolio includes Oxone, a chlorine-free and odorless monopersulfate oxidizing agent. LANXESS positions it for laundry detergents, dishwashing products and hard-surface cleaning applications, including formulations designed to work effectively at lower washing temperatures.
For chemical traders and distributors, this portfolio breadth creates several potential sourcing categories. The same customer base may require preservation systems, emollients, multifunctional ingredients and other specialty chemicals across different product lines.
Life Cycle Assessment Is Becoming Part of Ingredient Decisions
LANXESS is also connecting its SEPAWA presence with the growing role of life cycle assessment in formulation development.
Dr. Matthias Kunze, Business Development Manager at LANXESS, is scheduled to present a session on October 16 covering life cycle assessment for detergents in the Digital Product Passport era. The presentation compares conventional sodium benzoate with plant-based sodium benzoate and examines how ingredient-level LCA information can feed into Digital Product Passport datasets.
This is relevant for procurement because sustainability data increasingly needs to move beyond broad marketing claims. Ingredient-level information can become part of the documentation manufacturers use to assess the environmental profile of finished products.
Preservatives may appear in relatively small quantities within a finished formulation, yet their environmental contribution still depends on the ingredient itself, its production pathway and how it performs within the overall formulation.
That makes supplier documentation increasingly important. Buyers evaluating sustainable alternatives may need information on raw material sourcing, production methods, carbon footprint and relevant sustainability credentials alongside standard technical documentation.
What LANXESS Means for Cosmetic Ingredient Sourcing
The SEPAWA 2026 portfolio illustrates how specialty chemical suppliers are responding to several formulation requirements at the same time.
Cosmelin addresses demand for biodegradable specialty esters and greater flexibility around silicone-containing and silicone-free formulations. Scopeblue alternatives address demand for products with lower carbon footprints or higher proportions of sustainable raw materials.
The preservative portfolio also shows how ingredient suppliers are moving into adjacent markets. Pet care adds another application area for established preservation technologies, while household care products create demand for preservation and multifunctional chemistry beyond cosmetics.
For buyers, the commercial implications are practical:
Reformulation projects may require broader ingredient screening. A new preservative or ester should be assessed for technical performance, compatibility and production implications.
Sustainability documentation can influence sourcing decisions. Mass-balance approaches and lower-footprint product variants may become increasingly relevant to brand and manufacturer requirements.
Application knowledge can reduce sourcing risk. Buyers benefit when suppliers can provide both ingredient specifications and formulation guidance.
Portfolio suppliers can simplify procurement. A supplier offering multiple complementary ingredient categories can potentially support broader purchasing requirements.
The Bottom Line for Procurement Teams
LANXESS' SEPAWA 2026 showcase reflects a specialty chemical market increasingly focused on the intersection of performance, preservation, formulation flexibility and sustainability. Cosmelin esters, Scopeblue preservative variants and expanded pet care solutions all address different parts of that changing formulation landscape.
For chemical traders, importers and personal care manufacturers, these developments also reinforce the importance of sourcing ingredients according to application requirements rather than relying only on commodity specifications. Product performance, compatibility, sustainability attributes and documentation can all influence the commercial value of a specialty ingredient.
As cosmetic and household care manufacturers develop new formulations, procurement teams will need suppliers that can support both technical requirements and evolving sustainability expectations. Ready to source sodium benzoate from verified global suppliers? Explore competitive offers on our platform today.
Source:
Sodium Benzoate
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