Applechem's S-Block DZ 100 PDCC (INCI: Zinc Oxide (and) Propanediol Dicaprylate/Caprate (and) Polyhydroxystearic Acid (and) Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate (and) Triethoxycaprylylsilane (and) Lecithin) is a zinc oxide dispersion designed for multifunctional sun care products that combine clinically validated claims with clean ingredients.
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According to the company, the intersection between clean beauty and clinical treatment has created product design problems that traditional silicone-based dispersions were not intended to solve. These include incompatibilities with natural esters and hydrocarbons; product fit issues, as clean consumer behavior shifts away from siloxanes; and poor ingredient stability due to zinc oxide settlement.
S-Block reportedly addresses these issues by giving formulators the ability to add consistent broad-spectrum mineral SPF protection while moving freely between high-performance silicone-based, hydrocarbon-based and clean beauty-compliant emulsion and anhydrous systems. This makes S-Block a fit for a wider range of sun care applications requiring medical-grade performance with brand-specific ingredient requirements.
The ingredient features:
- A powdery, smooth feeling during rub-in. The sensorial enhancer reduces dry-down and helps to detackify formulations without requiring additional silicone powder;
- Formulation flexibility for clean ingredients compatible with Clean at Sephora, Conscious Beauty at Ulta, and Credo Clean requirements;
- Clinical-grade broad-spectrum protection that meets U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) broad-spectrum labeling requirements, as well as EU COLIPA (UVAPF/SPF = 0.46) and Japanese PF standards (PA ++++); and
- Good active loading plus a stable, high zinc oxide active concentration (78%) the retains a dispersible viscosity profile; with no separation or settlement, it provides consistent performance from batch to batch.
Applechem points to its expertise in polymer science and chemical engineering to enable its customization of the architecture of natural polymeric dispersants and in-situ coating systems. This reportedly provides better control over the density and distribution of zinc oxide aggregates, as well as the dispersion stability profile, in turn leading to the development of more concentrated, stable products that resolve traditional formulation issues linked to poor dispersions.
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“There has been a lack of innovation in this market segment,” said Samuel Lin, managing director of Applechem. “Suppliers have been treating silicone-based zinc oxide dispersions as a simple blend, without creating improvements to meet the high-level performance demands required for clinical sun care products. Formulators now are feeling handcuffed to older technologies that do not provide the flexibility needed to adapt to modern sun care trends.”
Kyle Gormley, sales manager, adds, “The industry expectations for a new Applechem mineral sunscreen dispersion are quite lofty ... Those expectations have been met and exceeded with S-Block thanks to years of development through pandemic conditions by our talented R&D team.”
