Natural ingredients benefit from local input

A large proportion of the major ingredients players are releasing natural active ingredient ranges in order to cash in on the trend for natural and organic cosmetics and personal care products. One of the best ways of tapping in to this trend is to create a partnership with a local company, according to Betty Santonnat, marketing manager for the recently released natural range from Evonik Goldschmidt. The German-based ingredients supplier, previously known as Degussa Personal Care, announced their partnership with Indian company Sabinsa in May 2007. Sabinsa markets a range of Ayurvedic herbal extracts, phytonutrients as well as speciality chemicals. Although the company's original focus was on the nutrient and pharmaceutical industries, this partnership with Evonik Goldschmidt represents a move into the cosmetics and personal care sector. Sabinsa has a good relationship with local farmers, and a strong focus on ethical issues, according to Santonnat, who emphasised that the ethical aspect is particularly important for Evonik Goldschmidt. Sabinsa helps with the supply and production of raw ingredients which are then tested and analysed by Evonik Goldschmidt's European laboratories, she said. Many of the natural extracts that appear in cosmetics and personal care products have their roots in holistic traditions such as Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine. For this reason a good relationship with a local company who both understands the traditions and has access to community figures with specialist knowledge of these traditions is imperative. According to Santonnat, Sabinsa has a good relationship with local communities through which it identifies the traditional ingredients, before Evonik Goldschmidt investigates in their laboratories the science behind the ingredients. The ingredient TEGO Turmerone was given by Santonnat as an example, which is traditionally used as part of the marriage ceremony as it is believed to improve the quality and radiance of the skin. Further research showed that the extract is very high in antioxidants, therefore providing the scientific explanation for the observed characteristics of its traditional use, she explained. Evonik Goldschmidt is not the only European ingredients supplier to be tapping into the naturals trend. Cognis, another Germany-based ingredients supplier, extended its naturals portfolio with the launch of an Amazonian clay-based exfoliating ingredient earlier this year