Nutricosmetics bound for growth but scientific backing is pivotal, Horphag exec says

03 Apr 2019 --- The nutricosmetic space is heating up but understanding the market, the regulatory environment and consumer trends will be pivotal to successfully navigate this space. This is according to Horphag Vice President Global Sales and Marketing, Sébastien Bornet, who is urging suppliers to “do their homework.” NutritionInsight caught up with Bornet at the In-cosmetics Global 2019, held in Paris (April 2-4), where he expanded on the growing trend of “beauty from within” and the importance of science-backed ingredients in the nutricosmetics space.

Nutricosmetics are arguably in tandem with general consumer trends towards overall health and mindful living. “Consumers want healthy skin and not skin that just looks good,” Bornet notes.

“If you have healthy skin, you ultimately look more beautiful,” Bornet says. However, jumping into nutricosmetic formulations is not a simple process. A cosmetics company that is interested in developing a successful product has to have a solid understanding of the nutricosmetics market, the trends and promotional aspects, as well as the regulatory limitations.

Cosmetics are usually all about makeup and this misinterprets the consumer need for healthy skin as the basis that leads to a more aesthetically pleasing appearance. People are now more aware of the fact that everything related to the “beauty from within” is more crucial, according to Bornet. Companies in the cosmetic area have approached Horphag in order to gain a better understanding of how nutricosmetics can support skincare.

Research is good marketing
Scientific research into product formulation and function is the best marketing approach, according to Bornet. “We don’t do marketing. We just share information about the research,” he says. The French ingredients supplier’s Pycnogenol extract derived from French maritime pine bark is touted as able to protect the skin from free radicals, UV rays and environmental stresses while nourishing it. 

Horphag Vice President Global Sales and Marketing, Sébastien BornetForty years of research and 160 clinical trials have been invested in uncovering the extract’s potential. More than 20 of those clinical trials are related to oral and topical skin care. This very research is what makes pycnogenol attractive for manufacturers, according to Bornet. 

Other ingredients that are popular in the space include certain micronutrients and vitamins, as well as flavonoids. The latter’s extent of potential is still being explored and Bornet says they are in his opinion not used as much as they ought to in the skin and beauty space.

“There is a trend, where most finished-products manufacturers are looking for science-backed ingredients. They don't want to launch a product just because there is a buzz around one or two ingredients. A company needs science and data to support a product’s touted properties. After you have that settled, the manufacturer feels confident that the product launch has more chances of being successful,” he explains.

“Some companies are looking for new formulations and in our experience, they are interested in pycnogenol as a basis. Then they might add a cocktail of different ingredients to make the formulation more specific and to target a certain market or age group with different subcategories for applications,” Bornet notes.

The Ordinary is an example of a beauty brand using the pycnogenol ingredient in its products, more specifically in a plant-based antioxidant serum with 5 percent pycnogenol. “This is a great product example,” says Bornet. “Very simple and based on science which makes it a successful launch.”

The information era and beauty bloggers
Besides industry professionals, information on product ingredients and the science behind them is increasingly becoming a demand for consumers, too. “Nowadays consumers are looking and searching for this information on the internet. They read full studies even,” Bornet says.

Beauty bloggers and social media influencers are also joining the bandwagon and doing research on the products and ingredients they use and promote via their platforms. Some do it better than others, but they all do it, Bornet says, due to the increased level of consumer education.

“We all are kind of becoming experts and I believe the ones that do their homework properly and do their research enjoy the highest share of attention on their platforms. This takes us back to the research again. At the end of the day what matters is the science,” he notes.

Continued research and expansion plans
Going forward the company is going to continue its research-based ingredient development and continue with more studies and clinical trials. “We have more interesting studies being published this year, which I cannot yet disclose. Research is an area where we keep investigating and investing a lot of money in. Do your research first and then formulate a product,” Bornet highlights.

As far as its reach is concerned, Horphag has identified Asia as a very “traditionally advanced and mature market” for cosmetics and nutricosmetics. “Europe comes second. In France for example, consumers are aware of the importance of good nutrition and its relation to health and beauty. Now we see that in the US people are starting to understand the importance of nutrition for beauty, as well,” Bornet concludes. 

By Kristiana Lalou, with additional reporting from Lucy Gunn