Skip to main content

Amazing Amazon – Join us on a journey to secret plants and natural treasures

Clariant_Blog_Gcia_Labels_Customer_focus_200x200px_Def
Clariant_Blog_Gcia_Labels_People_engagement_200x200px_Def
Clariant_Blog_Gcia_Labels_Leading_sustainability_200x200px_Def

Delivering on Clariant's purpose »Greater chemistry - between people and planet.«
This story is an example of how Clariant delivers on its purpose-led strategy.

Giant popping pods, a tree called queen and vicious spines protecting sweet fruit – travelling along the Amazon Rainforest means discovering what you’ve probably never seen before, nor heard or tasted. In a region where nature is wild, abundant, and unique at the same time, the next »wow« is always around the corner. As well as inspiration and natural ingredients for our new formulation concept »Be the explorer« – a concept that captures the essence of the Amazon Rainforest's botanical riches while respecting the spirit of local communities.

Dive into a travel diary

To make the power of the plants and their fruitful effects more tangible, we wrote an exciting travel diary that will take you to the Amazon, more precisely to Belém do Pará, a city in the north of Brazil, near the Marajó Island, where the journey takes place. Here we join a colleague from the research department on its expedition to discover hidden gems and design new formulations, inspired by local experts and supported by local farmers and communities.

4922_CLA_mockup_ebook_ipad_V0
»Be the explorer« – the brand new e-book by Clariant

Taming frizz

After a short visit of the city of Belém, the real adventure starts: On a boat trip through the Marajó archipelago, the scientist discovers delicious Pequi fruit as well as Pracaxi trees and their giant pods which pop open during the flooding season. Immediately an idea emerges: these fruits could be good for people who need special hair treatment to care the frizzy hair (not least their own 😊). Because heat and humidity are real hair stressors, investing in a powerful formula based on the conditioning potency of Pacaxi oil, the taming touch of Pequi oil, and the soft touch of Olive Squalane. Natural frizz control: Check.

A better sleep

During the 3-day hike through the Terra Grande-Pracuúba Reserve that follows, Brazil nut trees are crowning over the canopy. Brazil nut trees are the tallest trees in the Amazon therefore respectfully called the »Queen of the Amazon.« Their fruits are rich in nutrients, and they are used to their fullest potential as the shell is used for fire and the nut is pressed for its wonderful oil, making the harvest very sustainable. The hammock is comfortable but sleeping in a group of more than ten people is quite a challenge. There is a need for a »sleeping potion« with the restorative powers of Brazil nut oil, Brazil nut extract and some other natural ingredients that helps the skin to look fresh and rested the next morning.

Clariant_Image_Amazonformulation content_202309
Clariant's »Be the explorer« concept captures the essence of the Amazon Rainforest's botanical riches while respecting the spirit of local communities.

No more spots

Almost as relaxing as a sleeping potion is a walk through the many different trees of the Amazon Rainforest: the enigmatic Andiroba, the restorative Copaiba, or the beautiful Acai tree. It’s like an Amazonian tree therapy for the mind – and the perfect blend for a new anti-blemish-formula, for the skin, relieving acne prone skin as well as irritations caused by heat, high humidity and layers of sunscreen and repellents. Since too many ingredients can cause even more stress to the skin, only white clay and a root extract of Ipomoea batatas are added. Fully refreshed and with clear skin, it's time for the last stage of the journey.

Gentle scrub

Last stop of the trip is Salvaterra. More precisely, a place near a Quilombo sanctuary where a community of mothers and farmers practices traditional extraction techniques. People who have known for centuries how to take advantage of nature without exploiting it. Very inspiring! During a walk on the beach new ideas come up: Why not mix deliciously melting Tucumã butter with a gently scrubbing quartz crystal and the moisturizing powers of Buriti oil to re-create this refreshing shore walk, leaving the Amazon with velvety soft and renewed feet? And why not bringing the beautiful, handcrafted bags and acai seed chains to go along with the formulations? Exactly!

BeTheExplorer_Amazon_samples
Four new inspirational formulations with amazing sensorial properties and powerful ingredients.

Recipes for success

The fruit of the journey? Four new formulations: »Tropical-(H)air-Control« conditioning mist, »Night-in-the-forest« sleep potion, »Hot-Spot« uplifting gel and »Footilicious« exfoliating cream. We are looking forward to introducing them to a wider audience at the In-cosmetics Latin America. There will be postcards with links to the full travelogue as well as the detailed formulas and sample kits to try all formulations directly at the booth. We worked closely with our partner communities to also design and produce the fabric cases the samples will be presented in.

Nature, next level

By the way, all formulations were developed by our South American subsidiary Beraca, one of the most important manufacturers of Brazilian biodiversity natural ingredients for personal care in the region. The company is deeply connected to local communities to ensure their participation in the global personal care business while being strongly committed to responsible harvesting and fair working conditions. Means: actives and emollients are obtained and extracted in ecofriendly processes, aiming to make their users happy – in a very natural way.


December1113,2024
Los Angeles, CA United States
SCC Annual Scientific Meeting & Showcase
This 2 ½ day event remains the premier conference for cosmetic science education. Featuring more than 40 speakers in 8 breakout sessions and 3 keynotes, SCC78 will be covering the latest research and innovation in the personal care and cosmetics industry.
This 2 ½ day event remains the premier conference for cosmetic science education. Featuring more than 40 speakers in 8 breakout sessions and 3 keynotes, SCC78 will be covering the latest research and innovation in the personal care and cosmetics industry.  more

More greater stories

  • Explorer Amazon Rainforest
    "Be the explorer" is a new concept created by Clariant to introduce the origin and environment from which its natural ingredients are sourced. The reader is sent to a journey to secret plants and natural treasures that can be an inspiration source for new personal care formulations. The first part of this concept is dedicated to the Amazon biome and Belém do Pará region.
    more
  • Cupuaçu – naturally effective
    How small family farms in the Amazon region supply Clariant with a unique active ingredient for cosmetics and why it matters so much.
    more
  • Sustainable sourcing – protecting the skin by protecting the Amazon forest
    During rainy season, in the summer months of the southern hemisphere, strange thumps can be heard from deep within the Amazon forest. They come from Brazil nut trees, sometimes called the »Queen of the Amazon« because of their majestic height, which drop large, coconut-like pods from the dripping canopy. Each pod holds up to two dozen Brazil nuts, big, rough-shelled seeds that are prized throughout the world both for their taste and the precious nutritious oils they contain.
    more

Page summary

Summarization in progress