How sustainable packaging and natural ingredients are changing the face of beauty

Consumer demand for clean and green products has been on the rise in recent years. Savvy shoppers are increasingly looking for eco-friendly products that align with their values – ones that support their health and wellbeing without sacrificing on the planet and environment.

According to a 2017 survey conducted by Harris Poll, 69% of women between the ages of 35 to 53 say that purchasing green beauty products is important to them ^[1]​. In conjunction, the rise in demand for sustainable products is also apparent as another 2021 Global Sustainability Study found that 85% of people surveyed globally indicated that they have shifted their purchase behavior towards being more sustainable in the past five years, with a third of those in the study saying that they are willing to pay a premium for sustainable products ^[2]​.

From production and packaging to ingredients, brands have been looking at ways to meet these consumer needs holistically. On the packaging front, the future of sustainability is built around two main focuses: the innovative use of mono-materials, and the creation of a true closed loop through recyclable materials. One good example of such a material is aluminium. Aluminium is one of the most recycled, and recyclable materials today. Not only can it be infinitely recycled without losing its inherent properties, but it is also highly durable, making aluminium ideal for consumer usage. As recycling this material can save more than 90% of the energy required compared to producing new material ^[3]​, aluminium products also bring a significant reduction in both carbon footprint and energy consumption.

On the formulation front, it is the ingredients and efficacy that have been taking center stage in consumers’ search for health and wellness. Amongst the plethora of natural ingredients that have been gaining traction in recent years, one in particular has garnered widespread appeal due to its many reported benefits – cannabidiol, or CBD. CBD has typically been labeled as a natural remedy for chronic pain. In skincare, CBD has been linked to its anti-inflammation and calming properties ^[4]​. While most consumers recognize CBD, the less well-known cannabidiolic acid, or CBDA, is also gaining interest with some recent research into its potential benefits showing good results.

Being an end-to-end solution provider in the beauty industry, Meiyume understands the importance of creating products that are holistically good for both the consumer and the environment. Recently, Meiyume provided full turnkey support with a like-minded cannabinoids company NeXtraction, which has just launched its first personal care brand, Kriva. The brand range features a massage oil and body lotion that contains the key ingredient of CBDA extracted through a proprietary water-based method, H2Only. This is paired with Meiyume’s flagship Infinite Aluminium range of bottles, chosen because the packaging material completely blocks out UV light and resists moisture and oxygen permeation, which serves to preserve and prolong the life of the formulation within.

With consumers becoming more knowledgeable about ingredients, and companies holding each other’s packaging up to environmental standards using tools such as L’Oreal and Quantis’ SPICE ^[5]​, brands will need to focus on both elements to stay competitive in the long-run.

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References:

^[1] ​https://karigran.com/pages/the-green-barometer-survey

^[2] ​https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211014005090/en/Recent-Study-Reveals More-Than-a-Third-of-Global-Consumers-Are-Willing-to-Pay-More-for-Sustainability-as Demand-Grows-for-Environmentally-Friendly-Alternatives

^[3] ​https://www.aluminum.org/Recycling

^[4] ​https://health.usnews.com/wellness/articles/do-topical-cbd-products-work ​

^[5] ​https://open-spice.com/