Many components must be considered when choosing an effective skin care regimen. The most obvious question is, “Does it work?” Does this product moisturize my skin, clear my acne, reduce my wrinkles, etc. One big factor in fighting aging is sun care. Over-exposure to the sun causes wrinkles and the appearance of aging. Consumers are aware of this, along with other potential damaging side effects of too much sun. As a result, consumers are looking for products that incorporate SPF into their foundation or moisturizer. Consumers are also looking to be the “fairest one of all” in every mirror medium, including their food. Mintel Beauty Innovation reported global food and drink product launches with a 'beauty enhancing' claim increased by 306 percent from 2005 to 2008. And in 2009 alone, almost 300 food and drink products with a “beauty-enhancing” claim were launched.
A shift toward natural ingredients is also taking place. There is a demand for products that are paraben-free and use natural ingredients such as vitamin C, resveratrol and essential oils. “Most of the functional qualities delivered by synthetic ingredients can be derived from natural products,” said Andree Falardeau, president and founder of Canus Goat's Milk skin care. “Benzoic acid and sorbic acid, for instance, are natural preservatives that can be used instead of parabens. We use potassium sorbate and citric acid as other natural preservatives as well. We can also get sudzing qualities from palm or coconut oil, instead of the synthetic sources for sodium lauryl sulfate.”
In Europe, natural and organic cosmetic sales continue to rise with revenues projected to increase by 13 percent to € 1.7 billion this year. Organic Monitor forecasts sales revenues to approach € 2 billion in 2010. There is an obvious demand for natural and organic alternatives in the personal care world, but it doesn’t go without its challenges. “Consumers are under the impression that natural is not as powerful,” said Dr. Linda Miles, L. Ac., D.O.M., vice president of derma e® Natural Bodycare. “Utilizing skin care solutions with effective levels of scientifically proven natural ingredients offers an incredible array of active compounds that contribute to a range of healing powers that often can't be recreated with synthetic ingredients. Natural ingredients stimulate the body’s own amazing power to restore balance and produce healthy, beautiful skin.”
Pratibha Sachdev, education and product manager at Himalaya Herbal Healthcare, echoed Miles’ sentiments on natural ingredients. “Synthetic ingredients leave too much behind,” she said. “Whether it’s a chemical in contact with your skin or a residue that leaves you feeling oily, greasy or uncomfortable, when you use synthetic personal care products, you’re always leaving something behind that has no business being there. We ingest through our skin. Technically, our bodies eat what we put on our skin. Take lip balms, for example. Our lips are the doorway to our digestive system, yet people everywhere apply artificial balms, lipsticks and glosses that are literally swimming with synthetic ingredients. We need to be much more aware and much more careful of what we allow our bodies to ingest topically.”
In simple terms, “The skin is the body’s largest organ so everything put on the skin is absorbed directly into the body,” said Emma Froelich, vice president of personal care, Hain Celestial. “Why risk using potentially harmful ingredients if an effective natural alternative delivers the same, if not better, beauty result?"