AAK Personal Care
AAK Personal Care, a division of AAK Sweden AB, supplies specialty plant-based emollient ingredients under the LIPEX brand to global cosmetics manufacturers, serving skincare, haircare, color cosmetics, sun care, and lip care formulations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersKarlshamn, Sweden
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What AAK Personal Care does
AAK Personal Care is a division of AAK Sweden AB (part of the AAK Group) that develops and supplies specialty plant-based emollient ingredients to cosmetics and personal care product manufacturers worldwide. Headquartered in Karlshamn, Sweden, with manufacturing in Aarhus, Denmark, the company has operated for more than 30 years and serves formulators across five primary use-case segments: skin care, hair care, color cosmetics, sun care, and lip care. Its core product family is the LIPEX brand of shea, canola, illipe, and cocoa derivatives, sold alongside supporting structuring and emulsifying ingredients (Akofine, Akoline, Akosun). The Kolo Nafaso direct sourcing program, established in 2009, is described as the largest certified program of its kind in West Africa and supplies FairWild-certified segregated and mass-balance shea kernels traceable to hundreds of thousands of women collectors.
The company's technical differentiation rests on proprietary lipid processing capabilities applied to plant-based raw materials. These include interesterification (Soft Technology) for bloom-free crystallization control, triterpene ester concentration to 50-65% (versus 2-6% in standard refined shea), conversion of solid shea into low-spreading liquid form, and synthesis of climate-compensated emollient esters with sensory profiles comparable to dimethicones. The ImpAAKtful segregated canola supply chain employs regenerative agriculture and a digital climate performance platform that captures field-level Scope 3 emissions data with third-party verification. Multiple third-party certifications (MyMicrobiome Standard 18.11, FairWild, NATRUE, COSMOS, Rainforest Alliance, Halal, Kosher, Vegan) and Science Based Targets initiative FLAG approval reinforce a sustainability and clean-beauty positioning.
Revenue is generated through B2B ingredient sales, with pricing negotiated per quote rather than publicly disclosed and orders facilitated through an authenticated distributor portal. Distribution combines a worldwide network of authorized distributors (including Azelis in Korea) with direct engagement from global AAK teams. Demand generation is executed via industry trade shows (in-cosmetics Global, in-cosmetics Korea), the hub.aakpersonalcare.com digital platform with formulation showcases and sample requests, AAK Academy on-demand masterclasses, and an active LinkedIn presence. Recent award recognition (INCGL 2025, Cosmebio 2024, PBA24, PBGA 2025, Sustainability Pioneer Gold) and partnerships with FairClimateFund, Saha Global, Proforest, and Global Shea Alliance indicate continued commercial and sustainability momentum.
AAK Personal Care firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- AAK Personal Care
- Legal name
- AAK Personal Care (division of AAK Sweden AB, Reg. No. 556478-1796)
- Website
- https://aakpersonalcare.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- AAK Personal Care, a division of AAK Sweden AB, supplies specialty plant-based emollient ingredients under the LIPEX brand to global cosmetics manufacturers, serving skincare, haircare, color cosmetics, sun care, and lip care formulations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
AAK Personal Care industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Cosmetic Ingredients
- NAICS
- Fats and Oils Refining and Blending (311225), Starch and Vegetable Fats and Oils Manufacturing (31122)
- SIC
- Fats & Oils (2070), Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Personal Care & Cosmetic Ingredients (IMAEABAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Lipid-Based Emulsions & Encapsulated Oils (Spray-Dried Oils, Microencapsulation) (AFAJALAM), Encapsulation & Emulsified Delivery Systems (Spray-dried emulsions, Lipid microencapsulation) (AFAJACAL), Fats, Oils & Lipid Ingredients (Specialty Oils, MCTs, Structured Lipids) (CRADAOAL)
Keywords
Where AAK Personal Care is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Karlshamn
- HQ country
- Sweden
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
AAK Personal Care business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- B2B Ingredient Sales: AAK Personal Care generates revenue by selling specialty plant-based emollient ingredients (shea, canola, illipe, cocoa derivatives) to cosmetics and personal care product manufacturers. Ingredients are sold in bulk quantities with full traceability and sustainability certifications.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
AAK Personal Care product offering
Product offeringCore offering
AAK Personal Care is a B2B specialty ingredient supplier that manufactures and sells plant-based emollient ingredients — primarily shea-derived and canola-derived specialty lipids under the LIPEX brand — to cosmetics and personal care product manufacturers. The portfolio includes optimized shea butters, liquid butters, emollient esters (silicone alternatives), triterpene concentrates, canola-based bioactive oils, illipe and cocoa butters, and supporting emulsifiers, all with sustainability, traceability, and microbiome-friendly certifications. Ingredients are sold in bulk via a worldwide distributor network and direct global AAK teams for use in skin, hair, sun, lip care, and color cosmetics formulations.
Product overview
AAK Personal Care is a B2B ingredient supplier offering natural-based, value-adding solutions for the personal care and cosmetics industry. Their core product portfolio centers on the LIPEX® brand family of specialty lipid ingredients derived from plant sources, primarily shea butter and canola. The LIPEX® Shea line includes multiple variants: LIPEX® SheaSolve™ (emollient ester), LIPEX® SheaLiquid TR™ (liquid butter), LIPEX® Shea (optimized solid butter), LIPEX® SheaSoft TR™ (semi-solid butter), LIPEX® SheaLuxe TR™ (silicone alternative ester), and LIPEX® SheaTris™ (triterpene concentrate). Their canola-based ingredients include LIPEX® Bassol C™ (performance oil), LIPEX® PreAct™ (bioactive emollient), and LIPEX® Cellect™ (phytosterol concentrate). They also offer tropical butters (LIPEX® IllipeSoft™, LIPEX® CocoaSoft RA MB™) and supporting ingredients (Akofine™, Akoline™ emulsifiers, Akosun™). All ingredients are from renewable plant sources with an emphasis on sustainable, ethical supply chains.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- LIPEX: Premium brand of shea-based emollient ingredients including LIPEX Shea, LIPEX SheaLiquid TR, LIPEX SheaSoft TR, LIPEX SheaLuxe TR, LIPEX SheaSolve, LIPEX SheaTris, LIPEX SheaClear, and others.
- ImpAAKtful
- Kolo Nafaso
- LIPEX Bassol C
- LIPEX PreAct
Products and services
- LIPEX SheaSolve Eco-friendly shea-derived emollient ester with excellent wetting, dispersing, and solubilizing properties for UV filters and pigments. Targeted at formulators of sun care, UV protection skincare, and color cosmetics. Made from FairWild certified mass balance shea kernels.
- LIPEX SheaLiquid TR Climate-compensated, low-spreading liquid butter rich in triterpene esters and linoleic acid for cosmetic formulators. Delivers high stability and moisturizing benefits, supports low-energy cold processing. Made from FairWild certified segregated shea kernels.
- LIPEX Shea Climate-compensated, optimized pure shea butter with a superior crystallization profile and high oxidative stability, suitable for use across a wide range of skincare formulations. Microbiome-Friendly certified under MyMicrobiome Standard 18.11.
- LIPEX SheaSoft TR Climate-compensated, fully traceable semi-solid shea butter with a creamy texture, proven skin moisturizing benefits, and easy formulating and upscaling properties for cosmetic manufacturers. PBGA Finalist 2025 in best ingredient category.
- LIPEX SheaLuxe TR Climate-compensated shea-derived emollient ester alternative to non-volatile silicones in light skin care and hair care formulations, with soft, silky texture and non-greasy after-feel. NATRUE compliant, COSMOS approved, Vegan-friendly, Halal, Kosher certified.
- LIPEX SheaTris Shea butter triterpene ester concentrate (50–65%) for cosmetic formulators seeking bioactive ingredients with documented skin protecting and anti-aging benefits against environmental stress and premature skin aging.
- LIPEX Bassol C Superior quality canola-based oil offering high oxidative stability and odorless, colorless appearance, intended as a base for eco-friendly clean beauty applications. Produced from non-GMO Swedish canola.
- LIPEX PreAct Bioactive emollient derived from canola, naturally rich in antioxidant tocopherols and phytosterols, providing photo-protection and restoring compromised skin barrier function for skincare formulators.
- LIPEX IllipeSoft Illipe butter with optimized melting and crystallization properties via interesterification, preventing bloom, protecting and repairing the lipid barrier, and delivering increased thermal stability for cosmetic formulations.
- LIPEX CocoaSoft RA MB Sustainably sourced cocoa butter with a flatter melting profile and superior crystallization pattern compared to standard refined cocoa butter. Rainforest Alliance certified for cosmetic and personal care formulators.
- Akofine R Biodegradable, eco-friendly powdered fat based on rapeseed oil with high melting point and good thermal and oxidative stability. Used by formulators as a stabilizer and structuring agent for cosmetic emulsions.
- Akoline PG7 Non-ionic polyglycerol ester emulsifier made from edible, saturated vegetable fatty acids, designed to create soft, fluid emulsions suitable for cosmetic lotions and balms.
Quantifiable outcome
- Up to 50% energy savings and 30% less production time using liquid shea vs solid shea butter in low-temperature processing
- +7 more outcomes
Companies that use AAK Personal Care
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
AAK Personal Care technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
AAK Personal Care partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Saha GlobalcorePartnership to train Kolo Nafaso women's groups in Northern Ghana to start and sustain small water treatment units (water businesses). Saha Global is a non-profit that provides training and support for women to connect their communities to cost-effective water treatment technology. Women sell clean drinking water to their communities for an affordable price, providing extra income. AAK's ambition was to fund 15 new water businesses reaching 6,500 people by 2024/2025.
- FairClimateFundcorePartnership to scale a high-quality cookstove project in Burkina Faso (a key shea supply region). The project trains women shea collectors to build and use safer, more energy-efficient cookstoves. FairClimateFund issues Fairtrade and Gold Standard carbon credits, with the premium going directly to women's cooperatives for climate adaptation. AAK buys these carbon credits to offset emissions calculated at product level, enabling climate-compensated shea products (LIPEX SheaSoft TR, LIPEX SheaLiquid TR, LIPEX SheaLuxe TR, LIPEX Shea).
- ProforestcoreAAK works with Proforest, a sustainability assurance specialist, to conduct risk assessments of both shea supply chains. Proforest helps ensure responsible sourcing practices, traceability to district level in the traditional supply chain, and full traceability to the Kolo Nafaso direct sourcing program.
- FairWildcoreFairWild is a global certification body that provides assurance that AAK's Kolo Nafaso direct sourcing program complies with global standards for sustainable, ethical, and transparent wild ingredient sourcing. The Kolo Nafaso collection operation is FairWild certified, enabling AAK to offer products 'made from FairWild certified segregated shea kernels' or 'FairWild certified mass balance shea kernels'.
- Global Shea Alliance (GSA)minorThe Global Shea Alliance supports AAK's Sustainability Partner Program. The shared aim is to empower women shea collectors, improve livelihoods, and secure the future of shea by maximizing the impact of economic, environmental, and quality training initiatives.
- AzelisminorAzelis is a specialty chemicals distributor acting as AAK's channel partner at in-cosmetics Korea 2026 (Azelis booth D-K10). Azelis distributes AAK Personal Care ingredients in the Korean market and co-exhibits with AAK at trade events.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights7 records
AAK Personal Care competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Symrise (Diana Division): Symrise's Cosmetic Ingredients division supplies actives, UV filters, and natural extracts for personal care. A direct competitor with overlapping specialty ingredients portfolio serving cosmetics brands globally.
- Croda International: Global specialty ingredients company with a major Personal Care division supplying emollients, actives, and specialty lipids to cosmetics and beauty brands. Directly comparable to AAK Personal Care in customer base (multinational cosmetic manufacturers), B2B ingredient model, and emphasis on natural/sustainable claim-backed ingredients.
- Seppic (Air Liquide): Seppic supplies specialty ingredients including emollients, emulsifiers, and actives for personal care. Directly comparable B2B specialty ingredients supplier with focus on natural-origin credentials serving the same cosmetics formulation customers as AAK Personal Care.
- Lubrizol Life Science (Beauty): Lubrizol's Beauty business supplies specialty polymers, emollients, and conditioning ingredients for skin, hair, and sun care formulations. Comparable B2B specialty ingredients platform serving similar cosmetics manufacturer customers with technology-driven differentiation.
- IOI Oleo: Specialty oleochemicals producer focused on plant-based emollients, esters, and lipid ingredients for personal care and cosmetics. Directly comparable to AAK Personal Care in oleochemistry, vegetable-oil-based specialty lipids, and B2B ingredient supply to cosmetics manufacturers.
- Evonik Personal Care: Evonik's Care Solutions business supplies specialty emollients, silicones alternatives, and conditioning agents for skin, hair, and sun care. A direct competitor to AAK Personal Care in natural-derived specialty lipid ingredients serving the same cosmetics manufacturer customers.
- Stepan Company: Specialty chemicals manufacturer producing surfactants, esters, and emollient ingredients for personal care. Comparable B2B specialty ingredient platform with vegetable-oil-based chemistries relevant to AAK Personal Care's natural lipid positioning.
- Gattefossé: French specialty lipid ingredient supplier for personal care and pharmaceuticals, with deep expertise in plant-derived emollients, esters, and texturizing butters. A direct peer in the plant-based specialty lipid niche, comparable technology platform, and overlapping customer base in prestige skincare and color cosmetics.
- BASF Care Chemicals: Personal care and cosmetics ingredients division of BASF, supplying surfactants, emollients, UV filters, and active ingredients to global cosmetics brands. Directly comparable specialty chemicals platform with broader product breadth but overlapping customer base with AAK Personal Care.
Others
- AAK Food Ingredients (sister division): Sister division within the AAK Group that supplies specialty vegetable oils and fats for the food industry. Closely comparable in upstream lipid processing technology and raw material sourcing (shea, canola), and shares R&D, manufacturing, and commercial infrastructure with AAK Personal Care — making it an intra-group strategic reference.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat7 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
AAK Personal Care social profiles
Digital presenceAAK Personal Care compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance9 records
AAK Personal Care financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
AAK Personal Care leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
AAK Personal Care funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
AAK Personal Care M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about AAK Personal Care
What does AAK Personal Care do?
AAK Personal Care is a B2B specialty ingredient supplier that manufactures and sells plant-based emollient ingredients — primarily shea-derived and canola-derived specialty lipids under the LIPEX brand — to cosmetics and personal care product manufacturers. The portfolio includes optimized shea butters, liquid butters, emollient esters (silicone alternatives), triterpene concentrates, canola-based bioactive oils, illipe and cocoa butters, and supporting emulsifiers, all with sustainability, traceability, and microbiome-friendly certifications. Ingredients are sold in bulk via a worldwide distributor network and direct global AAK teams for use in skin, hair, sun, lip care, and color cosmetics formulations.
Is AAK Personal Care a public or private company?
AAK Personal Care is a private company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was AAK Personal Care founded?
AAK Personal Care was founded in 1990.
Where is AAK Personal Care based?
AAK Personal Care is headquartered in Karlshamn, Sweden, in the Europe region.
How does AAK Personal Care make money?
One revenue line is on record: B2B Ingredient Sales.
Who are AAK Personal Care's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Symrise (Diana Division), Croda International, Seppic (Air Liquide), Lubrizol Life Science (Beauty), IOI Oleo, Evonik Personal Care, Stepan Company, Gattefossé and BASF Care Chemicals. AAK Food Ingredients (sister division) is listed as an others.
Does AAK Personal Care have an API?
No public API is recorded for AAK Personal Care.
What industry is AAK Personal Care in?
AAK Personal Care's product category is Specialty Cosmetic Ingredients. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAEABAJ, Personal Care & Cosmetic Ingredients, with a secondary code of AFAJALAM, Lipid-Based Emulsions & Encapsulated Oils (Spray-Dried Oils, Microencapsulation). Its NAICS code is 311225 and its SIC code is 2070.