How indie beauty brands can meet consumers’ expectations post-COVID-19

As a result of greater environmental awareness and a focus on their health and wellness, consumers are spending more time researching the products and brands that align with their holistic lifestyle. They demand of brands to be accountable with greater transparency related to ingredient sourcing and manufacturing practices. To gain their loyalty, it is crucial for indie beauty brands8 to be value driven and offer tangible proof of their commitments. Croda’s Pascal Yvon and Anele Ntuli highlight key consumer expectations of indie beauty brands in a post-COVID-era.

ALTHOUGH THERE HAS been a drastic increase in the demand for natural cosmetics, these days consumers look for more than just a product of natural origin. They demand naturality, a holistic approach in how ingredients are sourced and produced as well as how the cosmetic product is manufactured. To guarantee a true naturality claim to consumers, it is very important to trace back everything from the final product to the seed and focus on three main areas: 1. optimal selection of plant extracts with a high concentration of active molecules; 2. optimal manufacturing process to produce quality ingredients; and 3. use of both natural extracts and natural formulation ingredients. Croda’s many natural offerings include Natragem S140. This plant-derived versatile, cold-processable solubiliser and effective cleanser is designed to incorporate a wide range of lipophilic ingredients into clear formulations and can provide fantastic cleansing properties.7

CLEAN BEAUTY

At its core, clean beauty is about safety for human health, which of course is a must, and regulations around the world state it. Moreover, clean beauty is about safety beyond regulatory requirements. It is about the precautionary principle and concerns for controversial ingredients. This has continued to resonate during the COVID-19 pandemic. With consumers now prioritising credentials such as safety, sustainability and full transparency, the clean beauty movement has been embraced by many brands and retailers alike, each one developing their standard, often with “no-no lists”. The general agreement seems to imply that a clean beauty product has been developed with a heightened sense of safety for consumers. Meeting the rise of minimalism and clean beauty lifestyles, Rejuvasoft allows for one-pot processing and creates a premium conditioning base with minimal ingredients. It can be used to create a variety of product formats from light, detangling sprays to thick and rich masks. Rejuvasoft can act on its own as a robust chassis or in combination with other hair care actives.7

RESPONSIBLE SOURCING

Consumers are gravitating towards valuedriven brands with environmental and social stewardship. Thus, brands must implement an eco-conception approach at every step of the development and production process, which includes sourcing.

“Because we take from nature, we must work to preserve and protect it.”1 This new vision is what has fostered many brands to implement new ecoconscious sourcing processes and move towards more sustainable solutions, such as upcycling. This is the process where by-products or discarded materials are transformed into new products of higher value. In the cosmetic industry, food waste is a rich source of raw materials that can be valorised into new ingredients with effective properties for the skin. Upcycling offers many economic and environmental benefits, including decreasing the negative impact that food waste may have on the environment while helping to reduce one’s carbon and water footprint and supporting local communities. An example of this is Croda’s Phytolea Pomegranate.7 Pomegranate seed oil from upcycled seeds can help turn back time with its powerful anti-inflammatory and regenerating effects. This oil also has excellent antioxidant, moisturising and nourishing properties, and is ideal for incorporation into products for mature, dry and irritated skin. Biodiversity preservation also forms part of eco-conscious sourcing. The scientific community indicates that due to human influences, species are becoming extinct at up to 1 000 times the rate caused by natural conditions.2 A total of 95% of consumers believe their actions could help reduce unsustainable waste generation while protecting wildlife and biodiversity.3 Consumers are likely to start selecting brands that show effective actions toward biodiversity preservation. Crothix, a thickener, produces a substantial viscosity in detergent systems, even at low levels. This multi-functional ingredient also acts as a counterirritant, aiding the formulation of mild surfactant systems. Crothix requires no neutralisation and works well in clear and hardto-thicken systems. Sampling will be of the sustainable palm variant, SP Crothix MBAL. Croda considers the RSPO’s Mass Balance system to be an important progressive step in supporting the palm oil physical supply chain and creating momentum towards segregated sustainable palm oil and palm kernel oil material.7

INNOVATION

Today, innovation has become a fast-paced process in the cosmetics industry. A few trends, which have now become preeminent, include multi-tasking skin care, an all-natural approach to products, eco-conscious sourcing and manufacturing processes, and diversity-minded skin care. Another growing area is vegan beauty; this category is expected to grow in value to over $20bn by 2027.5 Creativity in the beauty industry will continue to expand. Therefore, it is crucial for brands to stay up to date with consumer demand and facilitate their purchase decisions to help them reach their holistic goals.

Croda’s recent innovation, Silverfree, helps visibly reduce the density of greying hair and helps recover the original hair colour. This biomimetic peptide supports the progressive restoration of the original hair pigmentation with a remnant effect while protecting it from oxidative damage.7

CERTIFICATIONS

Although efficacy remains vital, the demand for transparency continues to grow among consumers. 66% of consumers are more likely to choose a brand if it is transparent.6 Even though consumers are drawn to natural, organic and sustainable brands, this does not mean they will blindly purchase from them. Today’s consumers demand proof, and this is where certifications come into play. There are several well-recognised certification bodies available to help ensure that the claims presented to consumers are validated, such as Ecocert COSMOS-certified, Certified Vegan, UEBT, ISO 22716 for Good Manufacturing Practices and EcoVadis. With more and more ways for consumers to become informed, brands need to be agile and adapt swiftly to thrive in a fast-paced, post-COVID environment where trust is the new currency. Many of Croda’s products carry well-recognised certifications that you can request to claim on your finished formulations. An example of these is AHA Phytocomplex.

IECIC, Halal, COSMOS natural-approved and 16128 natural, this phytocomplex is adapted to sensitive skin and is ideal for gentle exfoliation applications. AHA Phytocomplex is a blend of efficient AHAs that exfoliate the skin, scalp and hair, and lighten the complexion.7 Addressing today’s consumer expectations fosters future commercial success by taking care of users’ health as well as the planet. This requires brands to review all critical considerations from the product ideation stage and select the right supplier committed to the values aligned with consumers’ lifestyles. •

Croda – www.crodapersonalcare.com

References: 1. Burt’s Bees. (2021). Impact 2020 + 2025 Impact Vision. 2. Global assessment on biodiversity (2019). Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services report. 3. Sustainability matters now more than ever for consumer companies (2020). Boston Consulting Group. 4. Creating a more beautiful world – Sustainability report. Personal Care Products Council (PCPC) 2019. 5. HAPPI. (2021, June 21). Vegan Beauty and Wellness Boutique Opens In Boca Raton. 6. Accenture. (2021). From Me to We: The Rise of the Purpose-Led Brand. 7. Crodapersonalcare.com. 2021. Croda Personal Care | Speciality Chemical supplier to the Personal Care and Beauty Industry | Personal Care. [online] Available at: <https://www.crodapersonalcare.com/en-gb>. 8. www.dictionary.com. 2021. Definition of indie | Dictionary.com. [online] Available at: <https://www. dictionary.com/browse/indie#:~:text=noun,rock%2C%20 that%20is%20independently%20produced.>.