Harnessing organoclays: Advancements and perspectives in cosmetics and personal care products

The use of clay minerals for curative, decorative or protective purposes is old as mankind. Advancements in the design and production of modified clays have enhanced their applications. “Organoclays” are nanocomposite materials formed by the association of clays with cationic surfactants through an intercalation process. Consequently, organoclays are dispersible in non-aqueous environments, therefore expanding their versatility. This review focuses on the cosmetic and personal care field, where organoclays can act as functional ingredients on formulations and packaging. Organoclays can be found in make-up and skincare products, with a particular presence in sunscreens. Although the current scientific literature on cosmetic packaging and organoclays is scarce, their usefulness in food packaging could be extended to cosmetics and personal care products. This extension may bring innovative properties such as tailored polymer degradation rates and improved color payoff. The chemical association of different clay minerals allows the creation of cutting-edge ingredients with synergistic properties. Their usefulness as polymer functional ingredients is already being exploited to produce sustainable, ecofriendly packaging. Along the same line, future research efforts could also revolve around ecofriendly, non-contaminant biosurfactants for new organoclays' synthesis.