Over the last few years, we’ve seen a significant change in the personal care industry as we all collectively become more conscious of our environmental impact. Consumers’ expectations are changing, with more emphasis being put on choosing eco-friendly products that contain well-sourced ingredients and provide significant wellness benefits. In addition, the tightening of regulations around the use of microplastics means that many formulators are now searching for alternatives to synthetic ingredients.
Syensqo’s Miracare® OPR-2 answers these demands and more! This new-generation opacifying concentrate offers key benefits for formulators, consumers and the environment, making it a great alternative to polymeric opacifiers. In this post we’ll showcase this impressive ingredient’s key attributes, benefits and applications, as well as other formulation advice. Let’s get started!
Key properties
Miracare® OPR-2 is a highly impressive opacifying concentrate that delivers an intense milky white and caring appearance to cleansing formulations. It’s designed as an alternative to styrene/acrylates copolymer-based opacifiers, is readily biodegradable and is naturally derived, answering many formulator and consumer demands.
Here are some of its key properties:
- INCI name: Water, Glycol Distearate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine
- Appearance: White liquid
- Active content, %: 42.0–45.0
- Can be added at each formulation step (during the process or on top)
- Broad pH stability: 2–10
- Suitable for sulphate-free formulations
- Naturally derived with an Ino (ISO 16128-2 standard): 0.9
- Easy to formulate, cold processable concentrate
Performance
Here we’ve pulled together some of Syensqo’s performance data to show you how Miracare® OPR-2 performs in different key areas:
Impact of dosage on visual assessment
11.5% Sodium laureth sulfate 2% amphoteric surfactant 0.3%
polymer 1.2% NaCl + Miracare® OPR-2
In Syensqo’s shampoo formula with 1.8% as is of Miracare® OPR-2, the opacity and the whiteness is higher compared to the 1% as is styrene acrylate copolymer without the bluish effect.
Impact of dosage on covering effect instrumental
11.5% Sodium laureth sulfate 2% amphoteric surfactant 0.3% polymer 1.2% NaCl + Miracare® OPR-2 (% of active)
Measurement made with a spectrocolorimeter (cf back up).
The above graphs identify that the covering effect increases with the dosage of Miracare® OPR-2, but reaches a threshold at 2.8% as is. The opacity and whiteness level with 1.8% as is of Miracare® OPR-2 is higher compared to styrene acrylate copolymer at 1% as is and confirmed the visual assessment.
Microscopy profile
Miracare® OPR-2: Opacifier EGDS based pearliser
The morphology of Miracare® OPR-2 is different to a pearlescent agent and is designed for optimum opacifying performance.
Colour comparison
| Miracare® OPR-2 | styrene acrylate | Miracare® OPR-2 |
styrene acrylate | Miracare® OPR-2 |
styrene acrylate | Miracare® OPR-2 |
styrene acrylate |
11.5% Sodium laureth sulfate 2% amphoteric surfactant 0.3% polymer 1.2% NaCl + opacifier
This body wash comparison shows you how you can pump your colour with Miracare® OPR-2. Thanks to a whitest chassis with Miracare® OPR-2, the colour of your formulation is more intense compared to styrene acrylate.
Benefits
As discussed above, Miracare® OPR-2 offers a huge range of benefits to formulators, consumers and the environment. These include:
- Boasts superior opacification properties and is easy to handle
- Delivers an intense milky white and caring appearance for a protective and well-being feel
- Offers superior whiteness
- Enhances the intensity of the formulation colour
- Is readily biodegradable and from renewable resources
- Has a vegetable origin of 91%
- Is non-ecotoxic
Applications
Miracare® OPR-2 offers a milky and caring appearance to cleansing formulations and is suitable for use in hair care (specifically shampoos) and skin care formulations.
Further information
If you’re interested in learning more about Miracare® OPR-2, our team of technical experts are on hand to offer further support, information and specific formulation advice. Let us know how we can help by giving us a call on 0161 629 2129.
