“There is intense competition in the Chinese cosmetics market,” says Amy Xu, Head of the Asia-Pacific Technology Platform for the Business Line Care Solutions in Shanghai (China). “Anyone who wants to succeed here must understand the specific needs of consumers in the region and offer tailored solutions.” Market analyses indicate that Chinese consumers tend to have sensitive skin.
»Consumers in China prefer skincare emulsions with a light, watery texture that still deliver a nourishing feel.«
Lisa Wu Head of Applied Innovation Greater China at Care Solutions.
Emulsifiers bind water and oils
“Consumers in China prefer skincare emulsions with a light, watery texture that still provide a nourishing feel,” says Lisa Wu, Head of Applied Innovation Greater China at Care Solutions, who works closely with cosmetics manufacturers. “This drives strong demand for formulations with low viscosity that are easy to apply, deliver a refreshing, watery sensation, and ideally offer a dynamic, multilayered sensory experience.”
Emulsifiers play an essential role in the production of creams and lotions. They ensure that the main components—water and oil—blend well. In Asia, consumers have very high sensory expectations and can detect even subtle differences. An emulsifier that not only ensures the stability of the oil-water emulsion but also allows the skin feel to be precisely controlled could become a decisive success factor in the Chinese market. “That’s what motivated us to develop an emulsifier tailored specifically to the local market,” Xu explains. The result is the polyglyceryl ester emulsifier SYMBIO muls Aquasoft MB. The innovation is made from rice bran, a byproduct generated during the processing of rice for the food industry.
Silver Skin and Germ
Before rice is ready for consumption, the outer hull—called the husk—is removed from the grain. When milling rice to produce white rice, the silver skin and germ are also removed, resulting in rice bran as a byproduct. In 2024, China produced approximately 207.5 million tons of rice, generating around 16 million tons of rice bran. Most of it is used in animal feed, and only 10 to 15 percent is utilized for higher-value applications.
The structure
Before selecting rice bran, the skincare experts in Shanghai evaluated hundreds of other natural ingredients. Their goal was to develop an emulsifier that delivers a pleasant skin feel, excellent emulsification efficiency, and meets the criteria for natural, gentle, and sustainable ingredients.
»Rice bran offers moisturizing, repairing, and brightening benefits.«
Amy Xu Head of the Asia-Pacific Technology Platform for the Care Solutions Business Line.
“When comparing raw materials, we considered quality, cost, supply security, batch consistency, and regulatory requirements,” says Xu. Ultimately, the team focused on rice bran, which is often overlooked as a cosmetic raw material. “However, it is rich in vitamins, amino acids, and natural antioxidants,” Xu explains. “It also offers moisturizing, repairing, and brightening properties.”
Seven years of refinements
To develop the new emulsifier, the experts applied modern techniques in refining—removing impurities from raw materials—and in hydrolysis, the process of breaking chemical bonds into smaller molecules. This allowed them to convert rice bran into hydrolyzed rice bran extract and hydrogenated—water-enhanced—rice bran wax. With these components, they established the basis for the formulation. Over seven years, the team conducted countless refinements and optimizations. “Every setback brought us closer to the solution,” Xu says. Eventually, they discovered the optimal ratio of hydrolyzed rice bran extract, hydrogenated rice bran wax, and polyglyceryl ester—leading to the creation of SYMBIO muls Aquasoft MB.
For sensitive skin
The product gives creams and lotions a light, watery texture and provides high emulsification performance. It enables stable production of formulations with low viscosity and generates extremely low foam while preventing white residue on the skin during application. The emulsifier is compatible with commonly used modern skincare ingredients, such as UV filters. Dermatological tests confirm that the mild product is suitable even for sensitive skin. SYMBIO muls Aquasoft MB is biodegradable and generates only water as a byproduct during manufacturing. It is now protected by two global patent applications.
The emulsifier is not the only product that Personal Care has developed for the Chinese market. “Research & Development and Applied Innovation work hand in hand to create products tailored to the needs of local consumers. This enables local brands to respond more quickly to trends and stand out in a highly competitive market,” says Wu. Last year, the new products SYMBIO pure G3E1 MB and SYMBIO pure G3C2 MB were launched. Both enable gentle yet effective makeup removal.
Four Key Areas
"When developing new products, the cosmetics experts in Shanghai focus on four key areas: For next‑generation ingredients, they place importance on local availability and the potential to upcycle raw materials. To deliver tailored solutions for customers, the local polyglyceryl‑ester platform is set to be expanded. The team is also working on advancing biotechnological applications, such as producing emollients through enzymatic processes. In addition, they are exploring further innovation opportunities in the local market and strengthening strategic partnerships with customers.
End of 2025 Evonik opened a new laboratory in Shanghai. Its aim is to support future product developments and their market introduction. The lab will conduct in‑depth research into the characteristics of Asian skin and provide efficacy studies for new innovations."
What’s What?
Emulsifiers reduce the surface tension between oil and water, allowing them to mix evenly and form a stable skincare product. With their help, smooth, silky lotions and creams can be produced that spread easily and absorb well. Th. Goldschmidt AG, a predecessor company of Evonik, was a pioneer in 1927 in developing and producing one of the world’s first oil-in-water emulsifiers.
In particular, the polyglyceryl ester platform enables continuous innovation, allowing the development of skincare applications with diverse textures and tailored sensory profiles. Polyglyceryl esters (PGEs) are synthesized from fatty acids and glycerin. Evonik produces PGEs from renewable raw materials, including sustainably sourced palm and rapeseed oil.
