The isostearic acid market was USD 296.7 million in 2023, which will rise to USD 463.2 million, powering at a CAGR of 6.7%, by 2030.
This acid is significantly employed in pharmaceuticals, coatings, cosmetics, food & beverages, and various other sectors. Therefore, the increasing requirement for cosmetic and personal care products, mainly in APAC and Europe, is likely to have a positive impact on this industry.
An expanding supply of effective raw materials, mainly oilseeds, will boost the supply of this chemical. It is generally made from oleic acid, an unsaturated acid type. The main raw materials for oleic acid comprise rapeseed oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, beef tallow, palm oil, and safflower oil.
As ingredients for personal care items, many chemical esters, involving monostearate, glycerol, isopropyl isostearate, and isostearate, are made from C18H36O2. Therefore, it is an essential element of personal care products like moisturizers, lipsticks, sun protection creams, and hair dyes.
The chemical esters category, on the basis of application, was the largest contributor to the isostearic acid market. Moreover, this category will remain the largest in the years to come. Chemical esters are employed in plasticizers as well as pigment adhesion promoters because of their improved dispersion, low residue formation, and quick absorption.
These factors aid in producing chemical esters a major intermediate material in personal care as well as industrial applications.
As a result, isostearic acid is extensively used in cosmetics, sun protection creams, haircare & baby care products, and liquid soaps. Its oxidation, as well as odor strength, assist in its application in personal care goods needing a greater shelf lifespan.
Europe was the largest contributor to the industry, mainly because of the surging cosmetics demand, coupled with the increasing use of biobased lubricants. In this regard, stringent environmental guidelines to decrease greenhouse gas levels in the environment will positively affect this industry.
APAC is also advancing at a significant pace, because of the increasing need for personal care items, primarily in emerging economies like India, Indonesia, and China. This can be because of the rising per capita disposable salary of the middle class, along with the mounting populace in India and China.
With the surging need for cosmetic and personal care products, the isostearic acid industry will continuously advance in the coming years.