Top 5 stories tapping in to the natural trend

Be it a natural-based or nature-inspired product, the word ‘natural’ is being used to describe a range  of beauty and skin care products on the shelves today, as consumers are becoming better-informed and information hungry, and environmental and ethical issues all remain important in differentiating products when effectively addressed.

New technologies and applications, greater sustainability, and more traceability are some of the key areas helping to raise the profile of natural cosmetic ingredients, according to one industry expert.

CosmeticsDesign.com USA spoke with Hal Rose from Active Organics, who explains that the biggest innovations in natural actives​ currently include the development of ingredients that both have a great natural sustainability/traceability story and effective mechanism.

According to Mintel, it is the common belief that most of us have sensitive skin, and now, according to Mintel's Global New Products Database (GNPD), ‘ultra-gentle’ face care products are the most sought after, which is boosting a shift towards natural.​

The shift towards natural skin care products now sees one in four consumers seeking out products on the shelves which contain natural or organic ingredients.

Consumer demand​

In another feature we ran last month, George Korres, founder of natural cosmetics brand Korres, believes that the driving force for natural cosmetics is and will continue to be an increasingly knowledgeable consumer​.

Increasing awareness of the benefits of natural cosmetic and personal care formulation is making consumers realize that buying these types of products can benefit them personally, as well as the environment, a concept that is being combined with increasingly sophisticated formulation technology.

Another story that caused a stir this year was the use of synthetic plastic microbeads found in soaps and cosmetics, and concerns over possible plastic pollution in waterways, which has seen many moves to work them out of cosmetics.

Many manufacturers such as Unilever, Beiersdorf, Colgate-Palmolive, P&G and L'Oréal have all announced they are working to stop the use of microbeads, and men’s natural skin care maker, Bulldog’s boss Simon Duffy tells us this is an important subject in the beauty industry that manufacturers should all support.

In an exclusive interview he says that removing plastic microbeads from cosmetics products and soaps will not compromise performance​ and calls for more interest to encourage more brands to follow suit.

Biomimetics​

Finally another area that seems to resonate with readers and offers vast product development opportunities in the naturals arena Is biomimetics.

As the global cosmetic industry is moving toward pharma-like behavior to ensure better safety and efficacy of skin care products, the concept of biomimetics has been rapidly adopted.​

Biomimetic ingredients are a novel concept in the beauty industry, and there are many ingredient suppliers backing the technology and it’s potential.