Dear customers,
welcome to the first edition of our 2026 Personal Care newsletter. This year, we are continuing to build on our commitment to innovation and partnership with customers and suppliers, offering you inspiration, technical expertise and market insights for the development of modern personal care solutions.
Discover our new toolkit for rinse-off products, which demonstrates how surfactants influence foam, mildness and sensory experience, and gain insights into the varying requirements of the European market. Meet our European team at in-cosmetics® global in Paris, Booth 1H100, and experience our formulations first-hand.
Your STOCKMEIER Personal Care Team
See our Science in the Mirror
Paris is calling – and we are looking for ward to meeting you.
The beauty industry looks into the mirror. It showcases its capabilities to the entire industry, repeatedly delivering true, science‑based innovation. Embracing the challenges of our time, it is guided by experience and expertise while staying aligned with society’s megatrends and people’s values. Based on a proven foundation – always moving forward with optimism.
This became tangible for us with the launch of our Leave‑On Formulation Toolkit: rethinking classics and quickly translating them into popular textures and market‑ready formulations. Your feedback was overwhelmingly positive and has encouraged us to further develop the concept.
STOCKMEIER Personal Care presents 2026: “See our Science in the Mirror.”
With our new rinse‑off toolkit, we demonstrate how experienced science meets fresh ideas: proven know‑how reflected as new formulation concepts. Developed for European market requirements, it enables flexible positioning options: natural/close to nature, certified nat ural cosmetics, high‑performance & efficient, cost‑optimized, or hybrid claims.
Our experience is the mirror. Innovation emerges when expertise is shared, proven methods are reinterpreted, and science is applied with courage. That is exactly what we want to do together with you: make experience visible – and turn it into new ideas for the beauty market.
Discover how ingredients, regulatory know‑how and modern formulation strategies come together at STOCKMEIER to create strong product ideas.
We look forward to the exchange.
STOCKMEIER Toolkit Formulations – Rinse-off Solutions based on Smart Surfactants
Each formulation features its own characteristic foam structure, bubble size, rinse‑ability and skin feel offering formulators a clear understanding of performance differences. I would be happy to walk you through the concept in more detail.
Laboratory & Technical Marketing Manager Personal CareWould you like support in adapting one of the formulations or exploring new surfactant combinations?
Our Personal Care team is happy to assist. Feel free to contact us!
Contact
Rinse-Off Trends Across Europe: Market Insights & Formulation Recommendations
The European markets for shower gels, shampoos, and hand soaps remain stable, yet consumer behaviour, innovation dynamics, and growth drivers vary significantly by region. While Western Europe is largely mature, new momentum arises from premiumisation, sustainability efforts, and novel product formats.
DACH: High Quality Standards & Sustainable Mildness
Germany, Austria, and Switzerland are characterised by a strong drugstore landscape and a clear preference for sustainable, skin‑friendly formulations. Refill systems, reduced ingre dient lists, and transparent claims are gain ing traction, with consumers willing to pay a premium for credible added value. Our rec ommendation: Mild Cleansing Foam (1) with Iselux® Ultra Mild and Hydreacare™ G26 a rich, creamy foam that cleanses effectively while protecting the skin barrier. The surfac tant blend from Innospec and Maycos meets market expectations for both performance and sustainability.
BeNeLux: Innovation‑Driven & Minimalist
BeNeLux markets show high receptiveness to natural concepts, private labels, and minimalist formulations. The ideal match is our Natural Sensitive Cleansing Gel (2), powered by Cocoyl Glutamate and Coco Glucoside. Fully compliant with natural cosmetic stan dards, it offers gentle yet effective cleansing for eco‑conscious consumers.
Spain: Volume, Functionality & Family Formats
Spain remains highly price‑ and volume‑oriented, driven by functional family products and large pack sizes. Liquid soaps are well established, and private labels dominate. For this market, we recommend Hand Wash (3a/3b) featuring Sodium C14‑16 Olefin Sulfonate (AOS) or Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) with Cocamidopropyl Betaine (CAPB), easily salt‑thickened using the classic 3:1 or 2:1 ratio.
Poland & South‑Eastern Europe: Growing & Value‑Conscious
These regions show above‑average growth, supported by rising purchasing power and increasing quality awareness, yet price sensitivity remains high. Our Natural Hand Wash (3c) addresses this balance with a natural surfactant system of Sodium Coco Sulfate (SCS) and APGs (Coco Glucoside, Lauryl Glucoside) and improved mildness thanks to a blend of Coco Glucoside & Glyceryl Oleate.
France & Italy: Sensoriality & Lifestyle Positioning
In France and Italy, sensorial experience, fragrance, and perceived care benefits are key. Rinse‑off products increasingly serve as lifestyle items, supported by strong brand loyalty and high expectations for emotional value. Recommended here: Shower Gel (4a/4b) with either Sodium C14‑16 Olefin Sulfonate (AOS) or Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) plus Cocamidopropyl Betaine (CAPB). These high‑performance bases offer creative flexibility for fragrances and active ingredients. Notably, in Italy, Zschimmer & Schwarz is our exclusive partner for these surfactant types.
The toolkit is further complemented by a Shampoo (5) formulation and a Bubble Bath (6). While bath foam remains a must‑have across all European markets, hair care represents a dedicated category with distinct consumer expectations and performance requirements. Within the rinse‑off segment, volume, innovation, and sustainability must be carefully balanced. Successful concepts address clear consumer needs while remaining scalable across market – an approach that is fully reflected in the STOCKMEIER Personal Care rinse‑off toolkit.
STOCKMEIER Europe – See our Science in the Mirror
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Disclaimer
The information on products and applications is intended to provide our customers with information and suggestions. They do not imply any legal assurance of certain properties of the products or their suitability for a specific application. Our technical advice, information and recommendations are given to the best of our knowledge and are not binding. They do not release the buyer from testing our products for their suitability for the intended applications and purposes. The contents of the of this newsletter correspond to our current state of knowledge and do not claim to be complete.