Plant protein fibril scaffold for sustainable skincare formulations

Overview

A plant-protein fibril scaffold provides a sustainable alternative to silicone oil thickeners in personal care formulations. The technology increases the viscosity of cosmetic oils and transforms them into stable oleogels for anhydrous leave-on skin products. Plant protein fibrils form a percolated network that mimics the rheology of synthetic polymers, delivering desirable sensory characteristics such as slip, smoothness, and a non-greasy feel. The scaffold supports uniform distribution of insoluble active ingredients and helps prevent sedimentation and oil bleed.

Technical specifications

• Natural and sustainable: Made from plant-protein nanofibrils, offering a biobased solution.
• Efficient thickening: Requires less than 5% loading to achieve desired viscosity and rheology.
• Sensory attributes: Replicates silicone-like smoothness, lightweight texture, and non-greasy feel.
• Compatibility: Suitable for high oil content formulas (up to 98%) and processing temperatures up to 90 °C.
• Customization: Tunable protein fibril morphology and oil source to tailor sensory attributes.

Technology readiness level

Current development is at TRL 4, indicating validation in a laboratory setting. Further validation is being sought through additional performance benchmarking and sensory evaluations to support qualification guidance and potential commercialization pathways based on successful outcomes.