The top 3 sustainable ingredients at InCosmetics Global 2024: As chosen by our global editors

CosmeticsDesign’s editors Cassandra Stern, Amanda Lim and Kirsty Doolan joined forces in Paris for InCosmetics Global 2024​ to get an international perspective on the standout sustainability–related launches they had seen.  

Here are their top-three sustainability ingredient picks from the show:

Cassandra Stern, Editor CosmeticsDesign USA: The Upcycled Beauty Company working with upcycled spent grain leftover 

US editor Stern was impressed by The Upcycled Beauty Company which works with spent grain leftover in its Barley Tonic, turning it into an active ingredient to rebalance irritated skin. The UK-based company is in partnership with a local brewery, but collaborates with a similar business in Quebec, Canada.

“I think it's really an interesting way to be creative in upcycling,” she says. “Plus I think it's very cool that they're scaling this concept, too.” 

Amanda Lim, Editor Cosmetics Design Asia: Laboratoires Expanscience GAÏALINE 

Lim chose a French company Laboratoires Expanscience and its new ingredient GAÏALINE. The flaxseed-based active is created using a completely wild-grown flaxseed crops and the company works with a local partner that’s committed to conservative agriculture.  

“They just let the crops grow wild,” she explains. “There's no tilling, no soil disruption, no soil disturbance, and it also promotes crop rotation as well.  

“It's very simple,” says Lim. “But I really wanted to highlight it because I think it shows you that you don't really need anything fancy to do right by our planet.”

Kirsty Doolan, Editor CosmeticsDesign Europe: Roquette Beauté ST730 

Doolan also highlighted a French company, Roquette Beauté, which has just launched ST730 Hydroxypropyl starch: a biodegradable pea-based water-resistant film former with a lifting effect. 

The circular ingredient is based on yellow pea grains and in clinical trials for water-resistance it outperformed various other ingredients that are traditionally used in cosmetic products to give a water-resistant effect. “There’s talk of using it in color cosmetics formulations,” she says, “but it also has a skin-tightening effects, which makes it ideal for hybrid skin care/makeup products too.” 

To learn more about trends in circular beauty innovation and others in the sustainable cosmetics space, consider registering​ for the upcoming US edition of Ecovia Intelligence’s Sustainable Cosmetics Summit in New York City on June 4-6, 2024, where Cassandra Stern will be moderating the summit's Marketing Developments session.