Symrise Launches Innovation in UV Protection

03/04/08 Symrise develops new skin-friendly formulations for sunscreens with phenylbenzimidazole sulfonic acid and a pH-range of 6.0 to 7.0. Skin care products have to be compatible with the skin's natural pH-values. As a result, numerous dermatologists recommend that skin creams, liquid soaps and other products have a pH-value below 7.0.

This often creates an unsolvable problem for those who develop UV protection. Many sunscreens contain the highly effective water-soluble UVB filter Neo Heliopan Hydro (INCI: Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, USAN: Ensulizole), which forms crystals when not in a neutral state. To date, these UV filters have had formulations which prevent crystallization but exceed the recommended skin-friendly pH-range.

As one of the world's leading suppliers of fragrances, flavorings and cosmetic raw materials and active ingredients, Symrise has now found a way to manufacture UV filters using Neo Heliopan Hydro within the pH-range of 6.0 to 7.0, thus improving the skin-friendliness of these formulations.

The products Symrise has developed use the alkaline amino acid arginine to neutralize Neo Heliopan Hydro. This has allowed the company to create a series of stable basic formulations with pH-values of 6.0 to 7.0. The patent for this innovation is pending (WO2007 135196).

Arginine is available from Symrise subsidiary Kaden Biochemicals GmbH under the name Biotive Arginine.