New Formulations: Dissolvable Films Deliver
Dissolvable-film technology may soon be used for more personal care applications
By Marie Redding, Senior EditorDissolvable-film technology may be the next frontier for personal care products. That is the goal of National Starch Personal Care (Bridgewater, NJ) and Acupac Packaging Inc. (Mahwah, NJ), who have partnered to promote the commercialization of dissolvable-film product-delivery systems. Both companies will work together to develop customized solutions for customers.
“As a relatively new technology, dissolvable films require a large number of specialized competencies to ensure success at every stage of the product life cycle,” says Penny Vanemon, director of marketing at National Starch.
Acupac Packaging, a member of the global Outsourcing Services Group, is a contract manufacturer that handles every aspect of manufacturing, including blending, coating, and cutting of the actual films; filling and sealing; and primary packaging. National Starch contributes its formulation expertise to the partnership by supplying innovative natural and synthetic polymers necessary for product development.
Consumer products based on the work of this alliance are already on the market. Some applications suggested for the film technology include cleansing, conditioning, hair coloring, sun care, moisturizing, and shaving. Products can also be formulated for targeted applications, such as anti-acne or anti-aging.
“Since the films are largely water free, we don’t have to deal with stability issues associated with aqueous products. This opens the list of active ingredients that we can deliver to consumers, which might increase a product’s benefits,” says Vanemon.
Each type of film is unique. Craig Berry, executive vice president of Acupac Packaging, explains, “Whenever you add a different ingredient, it changes the properties of the film, so it has to be cut a little differently. We can’t use the same approach twice.” Each film formulation has its own coating “recipe” for oven temperatures and air flow. A film used for a hair-styling product usually uses a styling polymer as the main active ingredient, which also serves as the film’s former, says Berry. Using a film to deliver an active skin care product is a more-complicated formulation. “It is challenging because the aesthetics of the film must be correct from the time the consumer activates the product with moisture to the point when they are finished rubbing it in. Extensive knowledge of polymer science is necessary,” Berry says.
Acupac has been coating films since 2001, using its patented process. Films arecoated in multizone ovens, where the temperature in each zone is monitored by computers. Near-infrared monitors detect moisture levels, film thickness, and active levels in the film once it leaves the oven. The first products to use film technology were face masks, in 1986, and pore-cleansing strips in 1998. In the area of edible films, Pfizer’s Listerine PocketPaks were the first on the market. Then in 2003, Acupac supplied the first medicated over-the-counter strip in the world, Chloraseptic Relief Strips for Prestige Brands International.
Dissolvable-film technology opens up new avenues for marketers. “Today, we can respond to consumer demands for convenience,” says Vanemon. “With dissolvable-film technology, personal care products can go everywhere the consumer does—leaving the bottle at home.”