Biofarma Group has always promoted an idea of beauty that celebrates the use of eco-friendly technologies and natural products composed of a few simple ingredients.
This concept is perfectly embodied by solid cosmetics, an area in which the Group has long been active with high performance formulations for face, hair and body with sustainable packaging.
In recent years, as a result of growing consumer interest, these products have accounted for increasing shares of new launches in the cosmetics market, rising from 8.1% in 2019 to 27.1% in 2022. In particular, the most popular product type is solid shampoo (36.1%), followed by solid facial cleansers (13.9%) and conditioners (10.1%).
This is a true green revolution, that Biofarma Group has decided to embrace by making solid cosmetics an important part of its product range and equipping itself with the best technology and expertise to produce them.
Solid cosmetics are products with applications in various areas of the beauty world: from lip balms, sun sticks and deodorants, to eye and face creams, masks, conditioners and cleansers and to oral hygiene products.
The advantages of these formulations are numerous:
a reduction or elimination of the use of water for sun and skincare products, leading to water-saving in a 'planet-friendly' perspective, but also the limited use of preserving agents, necessary to counteract the bacterial proliferation that usually occurs in the aqueous vehicle;
an improvement in hygiene. In fact, the product is applied in direct contact with skin and hair, limiting the use of hands, a vehicle for the spread and proliferation of germs;
as a consequence of the previous point, through the application method there is a reduction in waste and therefore in product residues that are released into the environment;
a reduction or abandonment of the use of plastic in favour of packs made from recyclable materials, thus improving the product's sustainability credentials compared to liquid BPCs;
an economic saving for the consumer: although they cost more than conventional products, solid formulations last longer;
finally, fragrances and essential oils perform better in solid cosmetics.
The processes by which solid cosmetics can be manufactured are diverse: saponification, extrusion, compression process and hot filling.
Saponification is a chemical process useful for the production of solid soaps that can take place either hot or cold.
Extrusion, on the other hand, consists of a multi-step process that begins with the ingredients being placed in a melt pot and heated. The ingredients then pass through a rolling mill and are recast into a compound that is cut and pressed.
The pressing process, on the other hand, involves melting the ingredients so that they can then be mixed. The resulting mixture is then moulded and then compressed until the solid cosmetic is obtained.
Finally, the hot filling process, in which the product mixture is heated at controlled temperatures until complete melting, is followed by hot dosed filling into the container or mould. After the filling process, the container is immediately cooled, a crucial step that leads to the solidification of the product.
Through the use of the best-in-class technologies, Biofarma Group has developed an entire range of products dedicated to face, hair and body that, thanks to the active ingredients contained within, are able to provide numerous benefits for the beauty and wellbeing of the end consumer.
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One of the declinations of solid cosmetics produced by Biofarma Group is hair care. The range of formulations, obtained through extrusion technology, consists of solid shampoos and conditioners specially formulated to meet the most diverse needs. These products, in fact, thanks to a careful selection of active ingredients on a scientific basis, may have anti-dandruff properties, may be indicated to combat the greasy effect, may be formulated for normal hair types, and may contain in a single bar of soap the function of both shampoo and conditioner. These products can be used for up to 50 washes and are made from raw materials of non-animal origin, with no silicones, microplastics or water-soluble synthetic polymers.
The same features also describe a series of products made by extrusion process and dedicated to face and body care. These include, for example, scrubs enriched with active ingredients with emollient and regenerating properties, suitable for both normal and sensitive, irritated skin, and solid cleansers based on natural ingredients for cleansing face and body.
Using hot-filling technology, Biofarma Group has also developed a series of products in a practical stick format for a wide variety of applications. These include a hair styling wax with softening properties, as well as a serum with a moisturising effect and an eye contour stick to reduce dark circles and signs of ageing. Particularly innovative is also 'CBD Muscle & Joint Balm', a stick product based on cannabidiol and arnica extract, which can relieve muscle and joint pain.
