Media
How AI is changing the world of hair and skin care
Artificial intelligence (AI) has quickly become part of our decision-making process, from the route we take to work to the music we listen to, the emails we write, our shopping habits, and much more. Many industries have begun adopting AI, and personal care is no exception.
Today, customers want to understand what each ingredient on the label means and its impact on how luminous, hydrated and smooth their skin or hair is. They want to know whether the ingredients are sourced responsibly, if they include parabens or silicones, if they are bio-based or biodegradable, etc. AI is helping scientists open new doors and find alternative solutions to traditional ingredients with improved performance and sustainability profiles.
Learn more about this exciting union of mind and machine below and hear from one of our AI experts.
D-Lite & Emollient Maestro: a powerful duo
BASF developed an online platform called D'lite which offers digital services that enable personal care developers to create and customize formulations for all segments (sun, oral, hair, skin). With 24/7 service, D'lite keeps users in touch with BASF's internal product and formulation databases, providing access to the latest concepts and innovations. Users can edit formulations, see the effects of their changes in real time, and stay up-to-date with the dynamic world of personal care development.
According to Mallika Tiwari, Digital Strategy lead for the Personal Care business in North America, D’lite was created to meet the increasing need for speed in product innovation. “Because there are a lot of different market trends and social media trends that are shaping what consumers are actually buying at the far end of the supply chain, the research and development (R&D) teams in different product innovation centers across our customers now have a higher pressure to innovate faster,” she explains.
D’lite is developed through “a combination of machine learning algorithms, scientific modeling and artificial intelligence,” which, unlike other products on the market, is supported by scientific knowledge and evidence gathered by BASF experts, Tiwari highlights.
Sustainability is the other important reason behind the platform's development and an aspect customers really enjoy from D’lite. Formulators can access sustainability information such as carbon footprints of products they purchase, sustainability labels, and biodegradability information. Additionally, formulators can filter products based on their needs, for example to ensure they have more bio-based ingredients that perform as well as their synthetic counterparts but with higher renewable carbon content.
Ingredients Revealed is a digital lab contained within D’lite, which is also proving to be extremely popular among BASF customers, explains Tiwari. “With Ingredients Revealed, our customers can evaluate BASF formulations or even upload their own formulations to evaluate the effects of digitally replacing ingredients. The digital service then evaluates whether that formulation is compliant with the specifications of sustainability labels from Sephora, Target, and other important beauty retailers in the market.”
D’lite also includes Emollient Maestro, a digital service launched in 2022 that evaluates and provides solutions for combinations of emollients, which are essential ingredients in skincare and hair care products that improve texture, appearance and softness and provide a protective barrier. The service allows formulators to design the most suitable and sustainable formulations for their brands, while maintaining the physiochemical and sensory profiles of more traditional, less sustainable ingredients.
Through Emollient Maestro our customers can feel confident in incorporating BASF emollients into their formulations without sacrificing the physiochemical properties of the formulation and how it would feel sensorially.
Emollient Maestro allows scientists and formulators to help find effective, silicone-free alternative combinations and sustainable solutions to replace synthetic emollients such as dimethicones, which are silicone-based polymers that generate a barrier to seal in hydration, keeping the skin moisturized and the hair without frizz. Today, there is no 1-to-1 drop-in solution available, so Emollient Maestro works by identifying the combination of our natural-based emollients that can most closely match traditional silicone-based formulations.
AI unlocks new natural formulations
BASF’s efforts to combine scientific knowledge and experience with artificial intelligence have led to significative results, including the development of PeptAIde 4.0®, a solution based on four peptides obtained from organic rice proteins. These peptides can soothe skin and scalp irritation, helping the body strengthen its natural defenses against inflammation, which can often lead to aging.
BASF scientists set off to find these peptides to fight silent inflammation in the body. Through AI, they were able to find solutions that match the peptide parameters they were looking for 10 times faster while also significantly increasing their chances of success.
PeptAIde® 4.0 was also used to formulate the Nutrient-Infused Treatment Mask, which nourishes textured hair, helps detangle and moisturize curls, and keeps the scalp healthy.
BASF unveils natural solutions at New York Supplier’s Day 2024
As part of BASF’s efforts to develop more natural products to cater to the needs of our customers, during this year’s New York Supplier’s Day (NYSCC) event in June, we presented some of our most recent ingredients, including:
- Emulgade®️ Verde 10 OL, an emulsifier that is readily biodegradable and sourced from 100% natural feedstocks.
- EpispotTM, an extract of rosebay willowherb responsibly sourced in France, that reduces skin shine and excess greasiness, improving the appearance of pores.
Rambuvital® was also featured during NYSCC 2024. Sustainably sourced from an indigenous plant in Southeast Asia through BASF’s Responsibly Active Program, this extract is formulated from rambutan seeds and contains powerful nutrients and antioxidants. It refreshes the hair and protects the scalp from pollution-induced stress.
At BASF, we already have an extensive portfolio of products to address the many needs of formulators and customers. This portfolio continues to grow each day, thanks to a combination of the expertise of our scientists, a growing interest in sustainable and natural alternatives in the personal care sphere and the development of digital tools infused with AI.
Published on October 1, 2024, by Mariana Licio.
For media inquiries or to repurpose this article, please contact Lisa Brown.