BioLoop Micellar Water: Raising the Bar for Clean Beauty Performance
- jessicawieland
- 7 hours ago
- 2 min read
Written by: Bareen Aowte, Development Chemist
Introduction
Micellar water is a cornerstone of modern skincare, valued for its gentle yet effective cleansing. At Lankem, we conducted a comprehensive study comparing a selection of our proprietary BioLoop surfactants in micellar water formulations against a leading commercial standard. Our goal: to identify which BioLoop variant delivers the best balance of cleansing efficacy, mildness, and user experience.
Products Used
BioLoop 56L-PG
BioLoop 68L-PG
BioLoop 84L-PG
BioLoop SUN56-PG
BioLoop SUN68-PG
BioLoop SUN84-PG
Formulation Overview:
Each BioLoop was tested in the following micellar water formulation, with the addition of BioLoop surfactant adjusted as required to account for the actives content of each product. The benchmark product was a fully formulated commercial micellar water and as such was used as supplied.
Methodology
Cleansing Efficacy:
The test evaluated the cleansing efficiency of each formulation by measuring how much makeup it removed from a coated glass slide. A clean slide was weighed, coated with a commercial pigmented foundation (approx. 0.10–0.15 g), and air-dried for 30 minutes. After immersion in 200 mL of the test formulation for 5 minutes followed by a 10-second shake, the slide was dried and reweighed. The percentage of makeup remaining was calculated from the weight difference. This method provided a quantitative measure of removal performance under controlled conditions and ensured reproducibility for comparing formulations.
Foaming Profile:
To evaluate foam stability, 100 mL of each micellar water formulation was poured into a 250mL graduated cylinder and shaken 10 times in a reproducible manner to generate foam. The initial foam height was recorded, then monitored at intervals of 1, 5, 10, and 20 minutes to track how quickly the foam dissipated.
Results
Cleansing Efficacy:
Figure 1: Visual comparison of makeup removal efficiency for a commercial micellar water product vs formulations containing Lankem BioLoops
Figure 2: % of makeup removed by each formulation
The micellar water formulation containing BioLoop 56L-PG removed over 96% of the pigmented foundation, leaving as little as 3.5% residue. This significantly outperformed the commercial standard, which typically left 35–36% residue under identical conditions. BioLoop 68L-PG and BioLoop SUN56-PG also demonstrated particularly high efficacy, removing over 92% of makeup.
Foaming Profile:
Figure 3: Foam stability of selected micellar water formulations over 20 min
All BioLoop micellar waters were low-foaming, with BioLoop 56L-PG producing only a light, transient foam—much less than many commercial products. This low foam ensured easy wipe-off and no sticky or soapy residue, enhancing user experience.
Conclusion
This study demonstrates that BioLoop 56L-PG is a standout surfactant for micellar water, offering:
Superior cleansing with minimal residue
Low-foaming for optimal leave-on application
Stable and mild suitable for sensitive skin
Compared to the commercial standard, the micellar water formulated with this product not only cleanses more effectively but also aligns with clean beauty trends due to its bio-based origin and gentle profile. This positions our formulation at the forefront of next-generation skincare solutions.
Product Links
Comments