Berg+Schmidt

EURO COSMETICS: Hello Christiana and hello Annika! It’s great to talk to you today. Maybe you can shortly introduce your-selves briefly and describe your roles at Berg+Schmidt for the audience.
Christiana Herkommer: Thank you for the opportunity. My name is Christiana Herkommer and I am responsible for sales of cosmetic esters, fatty acids, and fatty alcohols at Berg+Schmidt in North Rhine Westphalia and South Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. I have been part of the team since 2017.
Annika Groenick: I joined the Berg+Schmidt family as Technical Sales Manager for cosmetic specialties three years after Christiana. Since then, my role has evolved continuously, and I also handle product management for some of our products. One is the BergaSun product line of modern UV Filters that we launched recently.

EURO COSMETICS: Please tell us more about your BergaSun sun protection product line.
Annika Groenick: It consists of four chemical UV filters. BergaSun BEMT is an effective oil soluble broadband filter that effectively blocks both UVA and UVB rays. Its high photostability makes it particularly useful for stabilizing other sunscreens. BergaSun EHS, on the other hand, is a chemical UVA filter that provides broad coverage together with effective UVB filters and can help to increase the sun protection factor. Then we have BergaSun EHT, which offers an effective solution for UVB protection. And finally, BergaSun DHHB offers another highly effective oil soluble UVB filter. Since we know that working with UV filters can be challenging, our Application Technology team carried out extensive solubility testing in order to generate useful data for our customers. Furthermore, we have developed several guideline formulations that may serve as a creative input for formulators. All formulations can be found in our “Shield & Shine” suncare sample kit.
Christiana Herkommer: And to match this new product range and concept, we also offer emollients that you need to solubilize UV filters. One of our main products for sun care applications is BergaCare EM-AB, hence C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate. It’s the ideal base for the oil phase of a cosmetic emulsion, as it is a light, non-greasy emollient that is quickly absorbed by the skin and provides a soothing effect and a pleasant skin feel.

EURO COSMETICS: Are there other emollients in your cosmetics portfolio that are suitable for sun care formulations?
Christiana Herkommer: We also offer BergaBest MCT 60/40, BergaCare EM-14, BergaCare EM-16 and BergaCare EM-LC. BergaCare EM-LC is a naturally derived, biodegradable Ecocert-certified emollient. It makes the skin supple and provides elasticity while providing a silky feel.
You can try it out yourself at the occasion of Cosmetic Business in June in booth no. D22!
Annika Groenick: Speaking of Cosmetic Business, there is so much more to tell and present. We’ve teamed up with a new partner. Green Line™ Ingredients is based on the US East Coast and offers a broad spectrum of natural ingredients that meet current marketing requirements. For example, it provides active ingredient blends, natural antioxidants, and multifunctional antimicrobials, as well as a variety of plant extracts. These products fit perfectly with our existing product line!

EURO COSMETICS: So, a visit to Cosmetic Business will definitely pay off! What made you decide to work with Green Line™? And what products and services are at the heart of your daily work?
Annika Groenick: Skin health is an inevitable aspect and a growing trend in the cosmetic industry and customers are seeking products that provide more than just care. Modern skin care products have to provide protection against external influences and prevent sun-induced skin damage and premature skin aging. These requirements from the market influenced our decision to continue focusing on sun care. Luckily, we can offer nearly all ingredients that are needed to formulate the oil phase of an emulsion from a single source.

EURO COSMETICS: That sounds exciting! And we have also noticed that Berg+Schmidt feature a new design. What was the reason for the rebranding?
Christiana Herkommer: Throughout our history our company has operated across three divisions: Animal Nutrition, Performance Chemicals and Care Ingredients. To better serve customer needs and to enhance our focus and expertise in these industries, we have decided to separate these businesses. In order to make the new structure visible we have developed a new brand identity and a new design for Care Ingredients. We focused on the plus in our name Berg+Schmidt because we wanted to show the added value that we offer to our customers.
Annika Groenick: Yes, and our customers and partners will directly experience that on our website. We provide a product finder where customers can easily find information about our ingredients and concepts.
https://solutions.berg-schmidt.com/careingredients/care-products/

EURO COSMETICS: What are the values of Berg+Schmidt? What does Berg+Schmidt Care Ingredients stand for?
Christiana Herkommer: Our three core values are competence, future orientation, and customer focus. Berg+Schmidt has more than 60 years of market expertise. We combine industry knowledge with in-depth expertise to offer excellent advice on cosmetic applications, and our global network makes us a highly qualified local partner. Future orientation is essential for us. Our natural cosmetics portfolio includes exciting silicone oil alternatives and Cosmos/Ecocert certified products, underscoring our commitment to environmental sustainability. But for us, the most important value is being close to our customers. It’s always the people who matter, and that’s why I enjoy working for a family-owned company. Berg+Schmidt is part of the Stern Wywiol Gruppe with 2,000 employees and its headquarters in Hamburg.

EURO COSMETICS: Finally, is there anything else you would like to share with the audience of EURO COSMETICS Magazine?
Annika Groenick: Christiana and I are personally delighted to have the opportunity to present Berg+Schmidt in its new look and feel. We look forward to continuing to work closely with our customers and partners on innovative formulation concepts.

EURO COSMETICS: Thank you for the conversation.