The Reformulation Challenge

There’s no denying it: the cosmetics industry is entering a major reformulation era.

With increasing scrutiny around silicones and synthetic microplastic ingredients, many formulators are now facing a challenge that feels both urgent and complicated: how do you maintain the luxurious textures and flawless finishes consumers love - without relying on traditional synthetic materials?

With upcoming EU restrictions placing increased focus on ingredients such as D4 (Octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane), D5 (Decamethylcyclopentasiloxane) and D6 (Dodecamethylcyclohexasiloxane), formulators are being challenged to rethink some of the industry’s most trusted sensory ingredients.

For brands built around high performance, this isn’t simply a matter of swapping one ingredient for another. These ingredients have long been the secret behind that silky glide, blurred-skin effect and elegant matte finish found in everything from primers to skincare and colour cosmetics.

And replacing them naturally? Historically, that’s meant compromise.

Until now.

At Alchemy, helping formulators replace synthetics with naturally derived alternatives is kind of our thing. So, when conversations around silicone replacement began accelerating, we were already working on a solution designed specifically for this moment.

Meet Elastoblur®, a multifunctional ingredient created to mimic the performance and sensory experience of silicone elastomers and synthetic blurring powders, while remaining 100% naturally derived.

In other words: all the blur, none of the silicone.

If you’ve worked with natural mattifying powders before, you’ll know the struggle.

Many can feel dry, chalky or draggy during application - something consumers notice instantly.

Elastoblur® was specifically designed to avoid that issue.

It combines plant-derived powders with amino acid-based components in a structured system that gives a surprisingly silky, cushiony after-feel -  to match the sensory profile you’d expect from a silicone elastomer. Leaving behind a soft, velvety finish without pilling, whitening or stickiness.

It’s also refreshingly easy to work with. Elastoblur® can simply be added into the oil phase and melted in, making it suitable for everything from emulsions and balm systems to skincare, suncare and colour cosmetics.

In fact, Elastoblur® can even function as a ready-to-use base for balm-to-powder concepts with minimal additional ingredients required.

Another major advantage for formulators is simplicity.

Rather than combining multiple ingredients to recreate silicone-like performance, Elastoblur® delivers multiple benefits in one easy-to-use ingredient:

• Soft-focus blurring
• Mattifying performance
• Wrinkle and pore filling
• Enhanced skin feel
• Improved sensory profile

That means leaner formulations, fewer raw materials and potentially faster development cycles - all while maintaining a natural positioning.

Our customers already using it, often comment on just how simple it is to use - and often can’t believe it’s 100% naturally derived.

It finally feels that the industry is moving beyond the old idea that “natural” automatically means lower performance.

Consumers still want products that feel luxurious, apply beautifully and deliver visible results.

And brands still need formulations that are commercially viable, scalable and enjoyable to use.

That’s why ingredients like Elastoblur® matter.

It’s not just about ticking a “silicone-free” box. It’s about helping formulators create the next generation of high-performance cosmetic products - naturally.

And with the EU restrictions on volatile cyclic silicones approaching fast, that future is arriving sooner than many of us expected.