‒ Pioneering role in sun protection filters since 1938
‒ First modern sun protection ingredient on a natural basis
‒ Innovation concept successful across functions and regions
As part of its “150 Shades of Innovation” campaign, marking the 150th anniversary of the first patent by founding father Wilhelm Haarmann, Symrise is commemorating its milestones. The second highlight of this campaign will focus on the pioneering work, processes, and ingredients from their Sun Protection business. The Holzminden-based company has been shaping the sun care industry for over 70 years by leading research and delivering game-changing product innovations in the skin and sun care space.
The business of sun care products is developing rapidly, with many suppliers bringing new products to market. From the first patent for a UV filter in 1938 to the present day, these factors have driven product innovation and fulfilled consumer demands. With over 70 years of experience, Symrise has developed an in-depth understanding of the sun’s effects on skin. Initially focused on ultraviolet radiation defense, today light protection extends beyond “beach products.” The Cosmetic Ingredients Division of Symrise offers a broad portfolio of ingredients for protection from UVA and UVB to infra-red, visible, and blue light.
Innovation at the Core
“Innovation forms the cornerstone of our industry. It is driving us to develop cutting-edge sun care products and functional ingredients that protect and nourish the skin. By embracing innovation, we stay ahead of the curve and strive to fulfill the evolving needs of our customers,” says Timothy Kenny, Global President of Cosmetic Ingredients at Symrise.
This summer, Symrise puts sun protection in the spotlight as the second topic in its innovation-focused campaign “150 Shades of Innovation.” The campaign looks at the history of sun care and highlights the company’s industry-shaping innovations, products, and ingredients, as well as the differences in global customer demands and use.
For instance, the choice of UV filters is increasingly limited due to regulatory provisions or consumer preferences regarding product properties and ingredients. This makes the development of sunscreens with a high sun protection factor (SPF) increasingly complex. Functional Performance Boosters (FPB) play a key role in the development of sunscreen formulations to achieve a high SPF under these conditions.
SymEffect® Sun: A Breakthrough in Sunscreen Formulation
“Our award-winning product SymEffect® Sun demonstrates our profound understanding of the needs in developing modern sunscreens. With its unique natural-based 360° approach, it can effectively enhance the efficiency of the used UV filters, improve water resistance and formulation stability, and positively impact the skin feel of the emulsions. Based on responsibly sourced raw materials, it forms the next step towards higher sustainability and naturalness in sun protection cosmetics,” says Ev Suess, Global Head of Business Unit Sun Protection, Functionals & Colors, Cosmetic Ingredients.
Consumer-Centric Innovation
While providing the best possible protection will always remain the central goal for suncare offerings, Symrise also recognizes that consumers are increasingly demanding more from the products they use. Their regional application laboratories support customers worldwide in the formulation of sun care products that meet regional consumer needs.
The campaign will underscore this interplay between cross-category capabilities and regional application laboratories within Cosmetic Ingredients. It will also highlight Symrise’s accumulated knowledge in the sun care space. Together, this will continue to position the company as one of the leading and most innovative players in sun protection.
