Degussa has developed the ‘dry water’ concept for decorative cosmetics under the name Aqua Foundation’ and is presenting it to the cosmetics industry.

“They’re really excited about it,” says Dr Thomas Hennig of the Degussa Aerosil & Silanes Business Unit, reporting on the reaction so far. It’s clear why the response has been so positive, because not only is it a water-based make-up light on the skin it also has a pleasant cooling effect.”
The  ‘dry water’ process converts solutions containing water-dispersible pigments, vitamins, plants extracts and other active ingredients into powdered products.
“It all starts with the silica Aerosil, a compound produced in a high-temperature process and consisting of silicon dioxide (sand). With a thousand and one different applications, it’s proving to be a particularly suitable raw material for skin care and cosmetic products,” Degussa said.
“For instance, one feature of the silica is the way it effects how oils, waxes and emulsions flow (viscosity). Using it radically improves the structure and stability of creams, lotions and other make-up operations. Silica Aerosil helps to increase the stability of lipsticks at high temperatures as well, so they don’t turn off so quickly in summer. It also reduces caking in hair dyes and bleaches. This illustrates just how versatile Aersosil is as it can be both a wetting agent (hydrophilic) and a water-repellant (hydrophobic).
“These two products interact in Aqua Foundation. For example, when fine droplets of water come into contact with hydrophobic Aerosil in a mixer, the water-repellant silica raps around them, preventing the droplets from running together. The result is a special powder that nonetheless contains up to 95 per cent water, hence the apparently contradictory name dry water.”
Dr Steffen Hasenzahl, a development scientist at Degussa, explains that this powder is then easily converted into a cream by adding small amounts of silicone oil. “When the cream is rubbed, the water is released, partly evaporates and penetrates the skin. What remains is the finished make-up. Experts call the process the dry water effect with the result that cosmetic companies now have a very promising basis for developing new products,” he says.