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Case Studies
Case Studies

Eco-Friendly Emulsions: High Shear Mixing Drives Sustainable Cosmetics Forward

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Sargassum seaweed blooms can disrupt coastal ecosystems - but innovative companies like Carbonwave are turning this seaweed into sustainable biomaterials

In the world of cosmetics, the quest for sustainable, high-performance ingredients is driving innovation and transforming the industry. One such groundbreaking development is the use of seaweed-derived biomaterials, which offer a clean alternative to petroleum-based products.

Leading this charge is Carbonwave, a pioneer in seaweed-based biomaterials. They transform Sargassum seaweed, or brown seaweed – a material long thought of as waste – into biomaterials that replace toxic, petroleum-based products that have a harmful environmental impact. By upscaling Sargassum into next-generation alternatives, such as cosmetics, Carbonwave are providing a solution to solving key environmental issues.

Harnessing the full potential of these eco-friendly biomaterials requires advanced mixing techniques to ensure consistent quality and performance. Enter Silverson Machines, a global leader in high shear mixing technology. When Carbonwave needed to upgrade their mixing processes, they turned to Silverson for their expertise in creating stable, high-quality emulsions.

Developing the World’s First Seaweed-Based Emulsifier: Challenges and Breakthroughs

When Carbonwave initially developed SeaBalance 2000, a landmark cosmetic and skin care emulsifier derived from Sargassum seaweed, they relied on handheld blenders for product development. Since the SeaBalance emulsifier is based on a novel biopolymer, a dataset of conditions it worked in needed to be built from scratch. Testing began across a wide range of oils (emollients) to create emulsions. While the blenders served as a starting point, they quickly revealed their limitations and failed to replicate the results achieved by Carbonwave’s customers – the cosmetic brands and formulators incorporating SeaBalance into their products.

Realizing they would need more robust and adaptive mixers to verify SeaBalance's efficacy, Carbonwave sought the expertise of an industry leader in mixing technology. Upon the recommendation of their cosmetic customers, who recognize Silverson Machines as industry standard, they turned to us for support.

From Handheld Blenders to High Shear Mixers: Elevating Emulsions & Empowering Innovation

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The L5M-A benchtop mixer is the backbone of Carbonwave’s product quality control

The switch from handheld blenders to Silverson’s L5M-A laboratory mixer marked a pivotal moment in unlocking the full potential of SeaBalance 2000. This high shear mixer enabled Carbonwave to:

  • Thoroughly explore SeaBalance’s performance under various shear conditions
  • Develop robust quality control protocols to ensure consistent, high-quality production
  • Gain direct comparisons between their lab findings and customer results, enabling them to provide an improved customer support process
  • Formulate new sample products, such as serums and lotions, to share with customers, contributing to improved industry standards, reduced emissions and environmental impact

Most importantly, the use of Silverson Laboratory mixers guarantees that SeaBalance emulsions are strong enough to pass the rigorous testing common in the cosmetics industry. In addition, every single batch of SeaBalance 2000 is put to the test with the L5M-A to ensure that customers can create products superior to those made with ‘traditional’ fossil-fuel-based emulsifiers. This stringent quality control process ensures that each batch meets the highest standards, demonstrating excellent emulsification properties and imparting a distinctively smooth and silky skin feel to any product it is incorporated into – achievements that were simply unattainable with handheld blenders.

Emulsion 101: Understanding the Science Behind Perfect Blends

Scaling Up with Ease: The Silverson Advantage

Once the laboratory process had been validated, the next stage was to scale up. For larger batches and replicating customer results on a demonstration scale, Carbonwave uses a Silverson 400LS In-Line mixer/homogenizer.

One of the key advantages of Silverson mixers is our consistent design principles across the entire product range. All Silverson mixers are engineered to the same fine tolerances, from benchtop laboratory mixers to full-scale production models, delivering comparable tip speeds and shear rates. This consistency allows for a smooth transition from research and development to full-scale production, eliminating the need for reformulation and ensuring that the quality achieved in the lab is maintained throughout the production process.

Before the In-Line mixer, a probe-style mixer had struggled to generate the necessary shear. After switching to a Silverson, this problem was eliminated and throughput increased. The In-Line mixer is also used to produce the biopolymer essential for creating the SeaBalance 2000 emulsifier.

Driving the Future of Sustainable Cosmetics

The collaboration between Carbonwave and Silverson Machines demonstrates the power of high shear mixing in leveraging the potential of sustainable, innovative ingredients like seaweed-derived biomaterials. By harnessing the capabilities of Silverson’s mixers, Carbonwave has been able to perfect their groundbreaking, eco-friendly emulsifier, delivering top-tier performance, quality and customer support. SeaBalance not only offers a truly fossil-free ingredient for clean-label cosmetics products but directly links brands to climate recovery and ocean cleanup.

Carbonwave is part of a new wave of companies dedicated to building next-generation, truly sustainable economies to heal the planet using materials regeneratively sourced. As the cosmetics industry continues to evolve and prioritize sustainability, high shear mixing will play an increasingly crucial role in bringing new, green ingredients to market. We’re ready to partner with cosmetic brands and ingredient suppliers to push the boundaries of what’s possible with sustainable, high-performance products. Contact Silverson today and unlock the full potential of your next generation of skincare solutions.

To find out more about Carbonwave and SeaBalance 2000, please visit: carbonwave.com

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