Apolaire — extraction CO₂ supercritique

Industry · Cosmetics

Supercritical CO₂ natural actives for cosmetics

Concentrated antioxidants, lipid fractions, co-product valorization. Bespoke R&D for formulators with COSMOS / ECOCERT compatibility and full traceability.

Cosmetics formulators are increasingly turning to supercritical CO₂ extracts to obtain potent, traceable, residue-free natural actives. Carbon dioxide pushed beyond its critical point (31.1 °C, 73.8 bar) extracts at low temperature without organic solvent: ideal for fragile compounds (vitamins, polyphenols, essential fatty acids) and demanding regulatory frameworks (COSMOS, ECOCERT, free-from claims).

Apolaire develops tailored extracts for actives, antioxidants and emollient ingredients, including the valorization of agricultural co-products (grape pomace, coffee grounds, fruit peels). Each project ends with technical and economic documentation oriented toward industrial scale-up.

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Étude de cas

Roasted coffee grounds (France)

Cosmetics

Roasted coffee grounds (France)

  • Upcycling
  • Emollient
  • Antioxidants
  • 5 days

Résultat obtenu

CO₂ extract — concentrated lipid fraction

Coffee-grounds extraction concentrated in diterpenes. Selective protocol combining a gourmand olfactory signature with emollient and antioxidant properties. Easier to formulate than the crude residue.

What apolaire brings to cosmetics

  • 01

    Concentrated natural actives

    Targeted extraction of active families (terpenes, polyphenols, fatty acids, sterols) for optimal effective concentration. Active assays often higher than steam distillation or maceration.

  • 02

    No residual solvent

    CO₂ evaporates naturally after extraction. No hexane, ethanol or other solvent. Compatible with COSMOS, ECOCERT certifications and free-from cosmetic communications.

  • 03

    Co-product valorisation

    Apolaire turns your agricultural co-products (pomace, grounds, peels, residues) into high-value cosmetic ingredients. Ideal for upcycling and circular CSR.

  • 04

    Heat-sensitive preservation

    Low-temperature extraction protects vitamins (A, E), unsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants degraded by other processes. Better stability of the final ingredient.

FAQ — Cosmetics

The most common questions from formulators and innovation teams.

01 Is a CO₂ extract compatible with COSMOS / ECOCERT certification?
Yes. Supercritical CO₂ is recognized as a clean process by the main natural and organic cosmetics certifications. CO₂ leaves no residue and is not classified as a chemical solvent. Apolaire provides the regulatory documentation needed for your certification dossier.
02 Can you handle a co-product or processing residue?
Absolutely. We work with grape pomace, coffee grounds, fruit peels, processing residues and forestry by-products. The feasibility study determines whether the material has cosmetic-relevant extractive potential.
03 What active concentrations can be reached?
Concentrations vary by material and target families. By way of example, on coffee grounds, the lipid fraction can be concentrated by a factor of 5–10 vs. crude material; on fragile flowers, terpenic profiles are preserved at over 90 % vs. < 50 % in steam distillation. Each project is calibrated to the application target.
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Technical Feasibility

Analysis of your raw material and extraction parameters

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