MS
Montana State University
Polysarcosine surfactants offered as a biodegradable replacement for PEG.
LicensingIn-development
Get the Discover digest
Receive a weekly email digest of the latest cosmetic chemistry solutions added by the network.Discover innovations in cosmetic chemistry
Get the Discover digest
Receive a weekly email digest of the latest cosmetic chemistry solutions added by the network.Browse 974 solutions in cosmetic chemistry on the Halo network
Updated Nov 2, 2026
Cosmetic chemistry covers the molecules and processes behind a formulation, before any claim about skin. On Halo, the solutions cover predicting a formulation, nail coating chemistry, sourcing the raw material, and delivery formats and processing. Sign up to search the full network and post your specific need.
Surfactants, gelators and emulsions
MS
CB
GlycoSurf, Inc · Startup
Rhamnolipids and xylolipids made by green chemistry at high purity.
In-development
Predicting a formulation
DM
Digital twins of skin and hair, to predict how an ingredient behaves.
In-development
JS
Schrodinger · Supplier
Molecular simulation and machine learning applied to ingredient characterization.
In-development
Nail coating chemistry
MR
Chemence Ltd · Supplier
Light-cured color that peels off cleanly when it is meant to.
In-development
LS
University of Connecticut
Carbon-containing silica powders that glow long after the light goes.
In-development
Sourcing the raw material
Gabriella Dweck
High-oleic oils and polyol esters made from non-food biomass, offered as a renewable feedstock for emollients and surfactants.
LicensingIn-development
QT
Greenpharma · Supplier
A 420,000-compound database pointed at industrial byproducts.
Sponsored researchIn-development
Delivery formats and processing
Hisham Al-Obaidi
University of Reading
A green chemistry microemulsion absorbing faster into irritated skin.
In-development
WK
DAEDAL INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD. · Supplier
High-purity caprylyl glycol, the multifunctional in most wet wipes.
Supply/purchaseIn-development
Green catalysis
MN
Akanocure Pharmaceuticals, Inc. · Supplier
Water-soluble catalysts that esterify a complex substrate at low temperature.
In-development
Pigments
Simone Savino
Eumelanin by bacterial fermentation, soluble to 300 mg/ml and heat stable.
Pilot/trialIn-development
You're viewing a preview of cosmetic chemistry solutions on Halo.
Sign up free to search the full network and post your specific need.
Already have an account?
Who is working on cosmetic chemistry
Organizations in cosmetic chemistry
Universities, startups, and suppliers with solutions in cosmetic chemistry.
Cosmetic chemistry companies
Innovators in cosmetic chemistry
Researchers and inventors advancing cosmetic chemistry.
Cosmetic chemistry expertsAbout cosmetic chemistry
Prediction and substitution are the two themes on Halo. Five entries simulate what a molecule will do to viscosity, film formation and adhesion before anyone mixes it, and a similar number replace something: PEG, silicone, palm oil derivatives, antimony and tin catalysts, synthetic colorants. On Halo it spans 7 groups, including predicting a formulation, nail coating chemistry, and sourcing the raw material.
Stage of development. Work on cosmetic chemistry on Halo comes mostly from companies. 47% of the solutions are in market. Co-development and sponsored research are the usual partnering routes, and about 31% of the solutions that state terms offer pilot engagements.
Three trends in cosmetic chemistry on Halo
Five platforms predicting the same properties. Viscosity, film formation and substrate adhesion come up in four of the five simulation entries, from molecular dynamics with AI, digital twins of skin and hair, a causal model across ingredient and process, and multiphysics from atomic interactions. They are solving one problem: a cosmetic is judged on how it feels, and feel is a rheology question nobody wants to reach by trial.
Substitution is the brief. Polysarcosine surfactants offered in place of PEG, an amino-acid gelator with no silicone, fermentation-derived fats aimed at palm oil derivatives, a titanium-bismuth esterification catalyst carrying neither antimony nor tin, and engineered spirulina pigments replacing synthetic colorants. Each names the incumbent it is written against.
Nails are a separate discipline. Five entries are nail coatings and they share one contradiction: the film has to survive a week and then come off in a minute. Light-cured peel-off color, a retail UV gel avoiding restricted monomers, graphene against chipping, peelability borrowed from removable tape, and a phosphorescent silica powder that glows after dark.
833organizations
974solutions listed
74%from startups and companies
47%in market
Frequently asked questions
What is cosmetic chemistry?
Cosmetic chemistry covers the molecules and processes behind a formulation, upstream of any claim about skin. It spans surfactants, gelators and emulsion systems, the nail coating chemistry that has to cure and then come off, simulation platforms that predict viscosity and film formation, green catalysis for esterification, pigments, the sourcing of a raw material, skin models used for testing, and the delivery formats an active arrives in.
What are examples of cosmetic chemistry?
Five examples of cosmetic chemistry solutions on Halo include:
- Polysarcosine surfactants offered as a biodegradable replacement for PEG. (Montana State University)
- Digital twins of skin and hair, to predict how an ingredient behaves. (iMEAN)
- Light-cured color that peels off cleanly when it is meant to. (Chemence Ltd)
- A 420,000-compound database pointed at industrial byproducts. (Greenpharma)
- A green chemistry microemulsion absorbing faster into irritated skin. (University of Reading)
What are the latest cosmetic chemistry innovations?
Over the past 90 days, researchers and innovators on Halo have added these cosmetic chemistry solutions:
- Laser-textured metal molds cast silicone surfaces with real skin topography, giving repeatable substrates for spreading, transfer and rub tests. (Princeton University)
- Silicone test coupons tuned in chemistry and texture to wet, pin and smear fluids the way human skin does. (Stony Brook University)
- Polysarcosine surfactants offered as a biodegradable replacement for PEG. (Montana State University)
Which companies and suppliers are developing cosmetic chemistry?
There are 833 organizations with cosmetic chemistry solutions on Halo, 127 of them universities and research institutions. Among them are Montana State University, GlycoSurf, Inc, and iMEAN. Most offer co-development or sponsored research. Sign up to see every organization working in the area and to send them your specific need.
How do I find cosmetic chemistry research partners?
Browsing cosmetic chemistry solutions on Halo is free. Sign up to search the full network and save the ones you want. Post your specific need to get exact matches. Organizations reply directly on the platform.
What are R&D teams looking for in cosmetic chemistry?
Over the past 12 months, R&D teams on Halo have posted these cosmetic chemistry needs:
Related beauty & skincare research areas
Confirm digest type