Replacing Microplastics in Cosmetics with Biodegradable Cellulose Ester Technology

As the cosmetics industry responds to increasing regulatory and consumer pressure to eliminate intentionally added microplastics, Eastman is supporting this transition through its cellulose ester-based micropowder, Esmeri™ CC1N10. The ingredient enables beauty brands to replace traditional synthetic polymer microparticles while maintaining the high-performance aesthetics expected in modern colour cosmetics.

Balancing regulatory change with consumer expectations

The cosmetics sector is undergoing significant change as EU microplastic regulations come into force, requiring brands to reformulate products and transition to compliant, biodegradable alternatives. At the same time, consumers continue to expect high performance in texture, coverage, long wear and sensory feel.

While synthetic microparticles such as Nylon-12 and PMMA have traditionally been used to deliver these attributes, they are increasingly being phased out due to environmental concerns. Existing natural alternatives can present trade-offs, particularly in stability, texture and optical effect.

Esmeri™ CC1N10 addresses this challenge by offering a readily biodegradable, non-nano cellulose ester micropowder that combines regulatory compliance with premium cosmetic performance.

Supporting industry-wide formulation transition

Esmeri™ CC1N10 is designed for use across a wide range of lipophilic colour cosmetics, including foundations, pressed powders and lipsticks. It enables formulators and brands to move away from persistent synthetic microparticles while maintaining product quality and consumer experience.

For cosmetic manufacturers, it provides a practical route to meeting evolving EU regulatory requirements while maintaining differentiation in an increasingly sustainability-driven market.

Enabling performance through material innovation

Alongside regulatory alignment, Esmeri™ CC1N10 has been developed to meet the performance demands of modern cosmetic formulations. Produced using Eastman’s expertise in cellulose ester chemistry, the ingredient is derived from 63% sustainably sourced wood pulp certified under FSC® and/or PEFC™ schemes.

With a controlled particle size distribution, it delivers a soft-focus optical effect, improved colour intensity and uniform coverage across applications. It is also compatible with lipophilic systems and water-in-oil emulsions, providing formulation flexibility across a wide range of cosmetic formats.

Esmeri™ CC1N10 biodegrades readily in freshwater environments (OECD 301B), supporting compliance with EU Regulation (EU) 2023/2055 on synthetic polymer microparticles.

Delivering measurable environmental progress

Esmeri™ CC1N10 enables brands to replace persistent synthetic polymer microparticles with a biodegradable, cellulose ester-based alternative designed for high-performance cosmetic applications.

This supports formulators and brands in meeting evolving regulatory expectations while maintaining performance, stability and consumer experience.

Overcoming formulation and performance challenges

Developing a biodegradable micropowder capable of matching the performance of established synthetic alternatives required extensive material engineering and formulation optimisation. A key challenge was achieving regulatory-compliant biodegradability alongside the optical performance, stability and sensory profile expected across diverse cosmetic applications.

Through more than three years of development, Eastman has demonstrated that biodegradability and high performance can be successfully combined. Esmeri™ CC1N10 enables formulators to transition away from microplastics with confidence, without compromising product quality or consumer experience.