Emollients Market Report 2026

The emollients market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $1.63 billion in 2025 to $1.73 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to growth of personal care and cosmetics industry, rising consumer awareness of skin health, increasing use of moisturizing formulations, expansion of global beauty markets, availability of synthetic emollient alternatives.

The emollients market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $2.14 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.5%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increasing demand for clean-label cosmetics, rising adoption of plant-based ingredients, expansion of dermatology-focused products, growing focus on long-lasting skin hydration, increasing investment in cosmetic ingredient innovation. Major trends in the forecast period include rising demand for natural and bio-based emollients, increasing use in premium skin care products, growing adoption in dermatological formulations, expansion of multifunctional cosmetic ingredients, enhanced focus on skin barrier protection.

The increasing demand for personal care products is expected to propel the growth of the emollient market going forward. Personal care products refer to those products that are used for personal grooming and maintaining personal hygiene. Emollients are the ingredients that are used in personal care products to relieve irritation and dryness of the skin. These are used in various skincare and personal care products to provide moisturizing effects, smoothen fine lines and wrinkles, improve photodamage, and reduce signs of aging. For instance, in March 2023, according to the Federal Reserve Economic Data, a US-based online database organization, the consumer price index for personal care products in the major cities of the USA was $160.22 in January 2022 and grew to $171.53 representing a growth of 6.59% in February 2023. Therefore, the increasing demand for personal care products is driving the growth of the emollient market going forward.

Major companies operating in the emollients market are focusing on developing sustainable and bio-based solutions to meet the growing demand for environmentally friendly personal care and cosmetic products. Sustainable emollients are derived from renewable raw materials, providing skin-conditioning benefits while minimizing environmental impact. For instance, in September 2024, Evonik, a Germany-based specialty chemicals company, opened a new plant at its Steinau site to produce sustainable emollients. The facility will increase production capacity, improve supply reliability, and strengthen Evonik’s portfolio of eco-friendly personal care ingredients, supporting the shift toward sustainable formulations. This launch gives Evonik a competitive advantage by enabling faster market response, scaling sustainable product offerings, and meeting rising regulatory and consumer demand for green cosmetics.

In April 2024, Clariant, a Switzerland-based specialty chemicals company, completed the acquisition of Lucas Meyer Cosmetics for an undisclosed amount. With this acquisition, Clariant aims to expand its portfolio of high-value cosmetic ingredients, strengthen its position in the global personal care market, enhance innovation capabilities, and drive long-term growth and profitability. Lucas Meyer Cosmetics is a Canada-based manufacturer of specialty cosmetic ingredients and solutions serving various personal care applications.

Major companies operating in the emollients market are Cargill Incorporated, BASF SE, The Dow Chemical Company, Peter Cremer North America LP, Stephenson Group Ltd., Evonik Industries AG, Sasol Limited, Solvay SA, Kao Corporation, Croda International plc, Eastman Chemical Company, The Lubrizol Corporation, Lonza Group Ltd., Clariant AG, Stepan Company, Ashland Inc., Innospec Inc., Elementis plc, Emery Oleochemicals LLC, Sonneborn LLC, Oleon NV, Vantage Specialty Chemicals, Hallstar, Jarchem Industries Inc., Colonial Chemical Inc., Lipo Chemicals Inc.

North America was the largest region in the emollient market in 2025. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the global emollients market report during the forecast period. The regions covered in the emollients market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the emollients market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

The emollient market consists of sales of creams, ointments, bath additives, soap substitutes, and cosmetic products. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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