Sustainability by reduced energy consumption: selecting ingredients and manufacturing processes in water-in-oil emulsions

Attempts to reduce carbon footprint of cosmetic products are often made by changing synthetic for natural ingredients. The same effect could more reliably be achieved by minimising the energy consumption required to manufacture the final product. However, there is a scarcity of data that would allow formulators and manufacturers to make fact-based decisions in this important area. The aim of this study was to provide information on the carbon footprint of a standard (not natural) W/O emulsion cream in comparison to one with similar physico-chemical characteristics but made with COSMOS-approved natural ingredients. In addition, it aimed to establish the differences in the carbon footprint when the two above-mentioned W/O emulsions are made using three different manufacturing processes (hot, hot-cold and cold).