“Hardcore natural”: L’Oréal expert on plants’ “hidden treasures” for skin ingredient naturality

21 Nov 2019 --- The biggest consumer trend to anticipate in skincare is a further move toward the natural, with a back-to-basics approach. This is according to Amit Tewari, Group Leader, Phytochemical Ingredient Science at L’Oréal Research and Innovation, who speaks to NutritionInsight from the In-cosmetics Formulation Summit 2019 in London. Being a phytocosmetics expert, Tewari presented on how phytochemistry can unlock the secrets of cosmetic actives. “The future consumer will be happier with a product that is very natural and has undergone no chemical treatment, which spoils naturalness. Consumers will turn toward the ‘hardcore natural,’” he notes.

“Due to the prevalence of the digital age, consumers are changing and we are aware of this. We need to come up with concepts that will anticipate consumer demands, with a pronounced focus on sustainability and the demands for clean and natural beauty,” Tewari adds.

Drawing from, but pushing beyond tradition, phytochemistry can harness nature to develop high-performing, sustainable natural solutions for the skin.

“Phytochemistry is all about plants and the hidden treasures inside the plants that will offer benefits to the skin. At L’Oréal, we follow phytochemistry in a really pragmatic and agile approach to decipher the hidden benefits of any plants in preparing any kind of extract or finding their active molecules and their deriving essential oils. We do our best to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of the ingredients for cosmetic product development,” Tewari says.

 Amit Tewari, Group Leader, Phytochemical Ingredient Science at L’Oreal Research and Innovation presenting at In-Cosmetics Formulation Summit in London.Traditional practices like Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) are a very important source of inspiration for the industry. This shift toward the traditional is due to the increased consumer demand for natural ingredients, as well as a preference and trust in age-old nutritional practices. NutritionInsight has previously reported how consumers are looking for naturality and are averse to the overt use of synthetic ingredients. 

“Beauty by mouth”
Despite the appeal of herbs and plants used in traditional practices – and their clean beauty perks – such traditional medicines are primarily used in oral care and are not always suitable for a cosmetic application, Tewari says. “However, we can adopt a mixed strategy to get the maximum benefits from the plants’ potential and traditional medicine.”

“There is a new concept that is called ‘beauty by mouth,’ which is more linked to ingestible beauty. Beauty-from-within, which has been popularized as a term, is mostly linked to the microbiome and its microflora,” he notes. “But ‘beauty by mouth’ means that when you ingest something, it can offer benefits for the skin or hair and even promote skin tone balance. A synergy then of ingestible and topical applications might present the best approach for skincare.”

Natural and sustainable
L’Oréal is making strides towards sustainability, something that the rest of the cosmetic industry has largely neglected. Smaller, independent brands are making an effort towards more sustainable ingredients and packaging, but major players are still focusing on the premium appeal that cosmetics need to attract consumer attention. However, this is changing. Ingredients suppliers like Robertet, Layn and Givaudan are boasting sustainable ingredient sourcing, especially in the botanicals segment.

Recently, L’Oréal launched a new range, coined Seed Phytonutrients, which combines sustainable ingredient sourcing with a landmark shift toward paper packaging. The products come in a shower-friendly paper that is both recyclable and compostable. This is a first for the industry, coming from a beauty behemoth like L’Oréal. In addition, Seed Phytonutrients is supporting US organic farmers as the potent natural ingredients they supply are at the heart of the brand’s products, the company notes.

L’Oreal has launched the Seed Phytonutrients range, which combines sustainable ingredient sourcing with a landmark shift toward paper packaging. “Naturality in ingredients combined with clean beauty is a major trend and if you add a sustainability aspect to your product it is the cherry on the proverbial cake,” Tewari comments.

“Consumers today – predominantly millennials and Generation X-ers – due to the internet and other sources of information are more aware of what is inside a product, what are the raw materials and their benefits and how can they contribute to beauty. There is also consumer awareness on how ingredients are sourced and their effect on the environment. Maybe an ingredient has a natural origin, but how is that affecting the environment it is sourced from? Consumers require a sustainable approach. They also care for ‘nasties’ not to be included in a product. These nasties are the unwanted chemicals that are harming the environment,” he adds.

Sustainability is also linked to packaging but this also requires the right approach, according to Tewari. A product’s concept is accompanied by the packaging and a sustainable approach to it needs to reflect that as well. However, it remains to be seen what sustainable packaging really entails.

“For example, at the Summit, it was mentioned how some companies are moving towards packaging derived from sugar cane. However, these crops use inordinate amounts of water and the aftermath of harvesting sugar cane, leading often to farmers burning unused crops, is causing significant environmental pollution. This renders it an unsustainable option in the end,” Tewari concludes.

By Kristiana Lalou