Abstract

The consumer demand for environmentally friendly personal care products has grown dramatically in recent years. The Sun Care industry, in particular, is under pressure to develop ocean-friendly formulations. Covestro has developed a holistic approach to its sustainability program that addresses the entire value chain from raw materials to the end of life. For sun care formulations, Covestro offers an eco-friendly film former, Polyurethane-34 (Baycusan® C 1000), that is suitable for formulating environmentally safe and sustainable products with high performance.

In this paper, results of the biodegradability study and the advantages of Polyurethane-34 in sun care formulations will be discussed. An approach to develop environmentally friendly sun care products based on selected organic UV-filters will be proposed. An effective sun protection formula was developed. This formula exhibits a high SPF value, is water resistant and offers a lightweight feel on skin. Most importantly, these formulations are ocean-friendly and compliant with global regulations.