Fungal chitosan ingredients for skin care, dermo-cosmetics, sun, cleansing and make-up.
HEALTH & CARE Domain
Develop your next personal care formulation with scientifically documented ingredients derived from sustainably sourced fungal biomass.
KitOderm™ brings together complementary fungal chitosan technologies designed to support lightweight skin feel, protective film formation, sensorial performance and visually demanding formulations.
Personal care formulators are seeking renewable alternatives to petro chemical film-forming and sensorial polymers while maintaining formulation stability, consumer experience, and visual quality.
One molecular profile cannot address every formulation need.
Our ingredients
Fungal chitosan for high performance cleansing formulations.
Aspera™ is KitOzyme's low molecular weight fungal chitosan for lightweight skin care and cleansing formulations. Its controlled molecular profile provides low solution viscosity and allows effective use levels without excessive thickening. It supports the formation of a thin protective film and contributes to spreadability, foam quality, and a soft after-feel in suitable formulations. Its cationic character provides potential for interaction with oppositely charged impurities.
Recommended applications
Facial cleansers, body washes, lightweight emulsions, serums and gels, rinse-off skin care, deodorants formulations.
Key benefits
The natural fungal chitosan platform for skin and hair concepts
Agarea™ is KitOzyme's high molecular weight fungal chitosan for formulations requiring a substantive and persistent film. At an appropriate pH, its cationic profile supports interaction with the skin surface and the formation of a protective film. This film can help improve formulation residence on the skin and provide a protective, conditioning layer without implying biological repair or modification of the skin barrier.
Recommended applications
Intensive face and body care, protective creams, dermo-cosmetic formulations, sensitive-skin formulations, masks and targeted treatments,formulations requiring prolonged skin contact
Key benefits
High-purity, low-colour fungal chitosan designed for premium cosmetic formulations.
Lumina™ is a highly purified fungal chitosan developed for formulations in which colour, clarity and visual appearance are critical. Its reduced color, and lower turbidity support its incorporation into clear, white and premium-looking formulations. Lumina™ delivers the functional benefits of fungal chitosan while minimising its impact on the final appearance of the formulation.
Recommended applications
Clear serums and gels, white emulsions, sun care, color cosmetics, premium skin care, formulations sensitive to color or turbidity.
Key benefits
Functional chitosan derivative optimized for formulation versatility.
Natural origin. Superior performances.
Velvet™ is KitOzyme's ready-to-use soluble chitosan derived from fungal chitosan. Its amphoteric molecular structure supports interaction with the skin surface and the formation of a smooth, flexible film. Designed for personal care formulations, Velvet™ helps provide a silky, non-greasy sensorial profile while supporting spreadability and skin conditioning. Its liquid format enables straightforward incorporation into emulsions, serums and personal care formulations.
Recommended applications
Face and body emulsions, serums and gels, silicone-free sensorial formulations, lightweight moisturizing products, after-sun, deodorants, facial and body cleansers.
Key benefits
Verified by ECOCERT Greenlife for use in formulations developed according to the COSMOS standard. Exempt from REACH registration requirements.
Fungal chitosan is a functional biopolymer whose behaviour is influenced by molecular weight, degree of deacetylation, purity, functionalization and formulation pH. By controlling these parameters, KitOzyme develops distinct grades with differentiated viscosity, solubility, film formation, surface interaction and sensorial profiles.
At appropriate pH conditions, fungal chitosan carries cationic groups that can promote interactions with negatively charged skin surfaces, supporting surface deposition and film formation. Lower molecular weight grades such as Aspera™ and Lumina™ may enable lighter deposition at relatively low viscosity, while the higher molecular weight Agarea™ may support greater film substantivity. In addition, the cationic character and available amine groups of chitosan are associated with antimicrobial properties and antioxidant potential through metal-ion chelation, depending on grade and formulation conditions.
Velvet™s amphoteric structure provides it’s a distinctive solubility and broad formulation compatibility, enabling versatile filmformation and and a silky, non-greasy sensory profile suitable for both leave-on and rinse-off applications.
• Designed for good skin compatibility
• Favorable safety profile
• 99% natural origin content - ISO 16128.
Compliant with EU Regulation (EU) 2023/2055 requirements on synthetic polymer microparticles
For more than 25 years, KitOzyme has pioneered the development and industrial production of fungal chitosan and chitin-glucan ingredients.
Our expertise extends beyond manufacturing. We help partners select and integrate the most relevant molecular profile according to their formulation, application and targeted performance.
Patent-backed technology. Supported by KitOzyme IP portfolio.
Pioneer and leader in fungal biopolymers
Belgian manufacturing expertise
EFSA health claim for fungal chitosan
FDA GRAS status
Novel Food authorization in Europe
ISO 13485 and HACCP certified manufacturing
Application and formulation guidance
Scientific and regulatory support from initial screening to industrial scale-up
Vegan, allergen-free, halal & kosher compatible
Find clear, science-backed answers to common questions about our fungal biopolymers, applications, regulatory compliance, and formulation integration.
KitOderm™ is KitOzyme’s platform of fungal chitosan ingredients for skin care, dermo-cosmetics, and personal care. Its four complementary grades Aspera™, Agarea™, Lumina™, and Velvet™, provide differentiated molecular profiles for lightweight film formation, substantive protective films, visually demanding formulations, and sensorial performance. All grades share a non-animal, allergen-free fungal origin and are verified by ECOCERT GREENLIFE for use in formulations developed according to the COSMOS standard.
Yes. KitOderm™ ingredients are derived from selected fungal sources, non-animal in origin and free from animal by-products at every stage of production. They are compatible with vegan, halal, and kosher formulation requirements. Natural Origin Index and applicable ECOCERT GREENLIFE or COSMOS documentation are available per grade upon request. The certification status of the final product remains dependent on the complete formulation.
Yes. KitOzyme’s formulation and scientific teams work alongside personal care formulators to support grade selection, concentration and pH recommendations, compatibility assessment, application protocols, technical documentation, and development from first evaluation to industrial scale-up.
KitOderm™ ingredients form cosmetic films that can help protect the skin surface and temporarily reduce moisture loss. Claims related to improvement of the physiological skin barrier should only be made when supported by appropriate testing, such as transepidermal water loss measurements, corneometry, or controlled clinical evaluation of the final formulation.
At an appropriate pH, cationic fungal chitosan interacts with negatively charged sites at the skin surface and forms an adherent cosmetic film. Film properties depend on the molecular profile of the selected grade, lower molecular weight grades support light deposition, higher molecular weight grades deliver more substantive films. Velvet™ has a different, amphoteric structure that supports flexible film formation and a smooth sensorial profile.
No. Lumina™ is designed to minimize the impact of chitosan on the color, clarity and visual appearance of the formulation. Its reduced color does not, by itself, imply a biological skin-brightening effect.
Velvet™ supports silicone-free formulation strategies by providing a smooth, silky, and non-greasy sensorial profile Rather than serving as a universal drop-in replacement for silicone, its Performance and optimal use level should be assessed according to the formulation, application and targeted sensory profile.
Aspera™ is a low molecular weight fungal chitosan for lightweight film formation and cleansing formulations optimized for low viscosity, spreadability, and a soft after-feel.
Agarea™ is a high molecular weight fungal chitosan for more substantive and adherent cosmetic films suited to intensive skin care and barrier applications.
Lumina™ is a purified grade with reduced color and turbidity designed for clear, white, and visually sensitive formulations including sun care and color cosmetics.
Velvet™ is an amphoteric chitosan derivative in a ready-to-use liquid format delivering flexible film formation and a smooth, silky, non-greasy sensorial profile.
KitOderm™ ingredients are suited for face care, body care, color cosmetics, sun care, dermo-cosmetics, deodorants, and sensitive skin formulations.
