A new plant-based ingredient targets performance, safety, and sustainability in cosmetics

Swiss bio-materials company Seprify has announced the commercial launch of SilvaLuma™, a 100% bio-based ingredient designed for cosmetics and personal care. The innovation was unveiled at the IFSCC 2025 Congress in Cannes and marks a breakthrough in sustainable beauty by providing safe alternatives to conventional skincare ingredients.

Derived entirely from cellulose, SilvaLuma™ is positioned as a high-performance ingredient for formulators balancing sustainability goals with consumer expectations around texture and effectiveness.

Performance and protection

Independent in-vitro studies show SilvaLuma™ can double SPF values at just 3% dosage, enabling brands to reduce UV filter loads while enhancing reef-safe sun protection. This innovation addresses rising demand for sustainable suncare with lower chemical impact.

Seprify’s CEO and Co-founder Lukas Schertel, PhD, stated: “With SilvaLuma™, formulators no longer need to choose between performance and sustainability. By controlling cellulose-light interactions, we deliver SPF-boosting power and a mattifying finish in a clean, consumer-friendly way.”

Beyond UV protection, SilvaLuma™ enhances skincare aesthetics, offering a matte finish without a white cast — a key advantage for non-greasy skincare textures.

Versatile formulations

SilvaLuma™ disperses in both oil and water phases and can be used at 1–5% concentrations. It functions as a stabiliser and co-emulsifier, with applications in creams, gels, serums, powders, and sticks.

In oral care, SilvaLuma™ provides a plant-based alternative to titanium dioxide, helping brands meet regulatory compliance and respond to consumer concerns over synthetic whitening agents.

Biodegradable, microplastic-free, and compliant as a non-nano material, SilvaLuma™ aligns with EU cosmetic regulations (EC 1223/2009) and industry sustainability targets.

Scaling sustainable production

Seprify has scaled SilvaLuma™ from a 1-tonne pilot to 200 tonnes annually, proving readiness for industrial adoption. Its proprietary process recycles all chemicals, eliminates wastewater treatment, and cuts energy demand by over 50%.

By co-locating with pulp mills, the process lowers greenhouse gas emissions by up to 70% compared to conventional materials, reflecting circular supply chain innovation in ingredient manufacturing.

Responding to shifting industry priorities

The cosmetics industry faces growing pressure to deliver safe, sustainable products. Concerns over UV filters, microplastics, and synthetic ingredients are reshaping ingredient innovation.

Market research projects the natural cosmetics market to surpass $50 billion by 2030, driven by eco-friendly beauty trends. Functional ingredients like SilvaLuma™ that combine performance and sustainability are in high demand among global beauty brands.

From prototype to market

SilvaLuma™ builds on Seprify’s earlier SkyWhite™ prototype, which showcased the potential of engineered cellulose pigments. Now validated for skincare, suncare, and oral care, SilvaLuma™ is positioned as a commercially viable solution for mainstream cosmetics.

By aligning sustainability with consumer experience, Seprify is redefining beauty ingredient innovation and setting new standards for bio-based cosmetics.

A new benchmark for bio-based beauty

With industrial-scale production and applications spanning skincare and oral care, SilvaLuma™ is set to become a reference point for bio-based ingredients. Its launch underscores the beauty industry’s pivot toward sustainable cosmetics that balance regulatory compliance with consumer expectations.