Holistic skin health: Spotlight on booming nutricosmetics market for “inner beauty”

08 May 2024 --- The dynamic nutricosmetics market benefits from increasing consumer awareness of the impact of nutrition on skin health. Spotting a growing holistic mindset and health consciousness, industry experts highlight a focus on inner beauty and well-being, spotting opportunities for new beauty-from-within ingredients and products to complement topical products.

Nutrition Insight dives into consumer demands for holistic skin health products that unlock inner beauty with professionals from Gencor, Lallemand Health Solutions, TriNutra, Monteloeder by Suannutra and Bioiberica. 

“In recent years, the beauty business has seen the influence of food and cosmetics on consumer habits, such as diet, nutritional supplement use and cosmetics made from food,” says Maggie McNamara, marketing director at Gencor. “Diet and health have recently been studied extensively. Dietary deficits, overconsumption and metabolic disorders can cause skin illnesses.”

She highlights that skin health depends on nutrition, which is necessary for all biological processes that affect the skin, including aging and disease. “Nutrition and diet can damage or restore the epidermis.” 

At the same time, she observes that natural, food-derived active compounds are advertised for their skin advantages in supplements for beauty-from-within or cosmetic products — “from the kitchen table to the skin.” 

Élodie Aragon, product manager at Lallemand Health Solutions, underscores that probiotics are “at the forefront of modern beauty regimes.”

“As awareness grows regarding the profound connection between the gut microbiome, skin health and overall well-being, more individuals are embracing pre- and probiotic-enriched supplements to support their skin health from within. This paradigm shift underscores the link between inner wellness and outer radiance.” 

Holistic health 
Aragon observes a holistic approach taking center stage in today’s beauty landscape — an “in and out” beauty concept. 

She explains that the concept of combining “in” (supplements) with “out” (topical products) is vital to achieving true radiance. “This holistic approach recognizes that beauty is multidimensional, encompassing elements like a well-balanced diet, an active lifestyle, stress management and nutritional supplements.” 

Ingestible beauty market growth is driven by a holistic mindset and health consciousness.“In a world where beauty is increasingly seen as a reflection of inner wellness, nutricosmetics promise to unlock one’s true radiance.” 

To help consumers feel better and shine brightly on the outside, Lallemand Health Solutions offers probiotics that target well-being on multiple fronts, as the company believes that beauty begins from within, explains Aragon. 

Dr. Liki von Oppen-Bezalel, business development director at TriNutra, observes an ongoing strong demand for anti-aging skin care products that support healthy and rejuvenated mitochondria. “The most sought-after products in this space will provide visible solutions to these trends, with the aim of supporting more than just a beautiful appearance.” 

“The challenge with beauty products is the time associated with ‘seeing’ a difference,” she adds. “Educating consumers that beauty products take time for a visible effect, especially the nutrients that work from the inside out.” 

Once consumers understand this, she notes that their expectations become more realistic, understanding that improved skin happens gradually. “There are times, though, that a product can be taken orally and applied topically for quicker results, providing a comprehensive and holistic approach to skin care.” 

Unlocking inner beauty 
Nuria Caturla, chief R&D officer at Monteloeder by Suannutra, adds that the growing ingestible beauty market is driven by an increasing health consciousness, ongoing research into personalized supplements and a quest for holistic skin care solutions. 

She highlights this creates an “opening for innovation, encouraging the development of new ingredients and formulations tailored to address specific skin concerns from within.” 

The transformation toward a more holistic skin care approach focuses on inner beauty. It resonates with consumers’ desire for natural, effective products that treat surface-level concerns and nourish the skin from within.

“Rather than solely focusing on topical solutions, there’s a growing emphasis on ingestible products that work from within to enhance skin health and appearance. This shift is evident in the increasing popularity of ingestible beauty supplements tailored to address specific nutritional deficiencies.”

“Ingredients such as vitamins, minerals, proteins and botanicals have become essential components of this approach, acknowledging the crucial role that dietary intake plays in skin wellness,” says Caturla. 

She also sees the potential to expand beyond traditional demographics as consumer awareness of nutricosmetics continues to grow. Moreover, scientific advancements promise to discover new ingredients and unlock their skin health benefits. 

Scientific research into multi-ingredient solutions may help brands to stand out in the market.From the inside out 
An ingestible beauty ingredient example is Bioiberica’s Dermial, the “industry-first” hyaluronic acid (HA) matrix ingredient for skin and beauty, comprising three naturally-occurring components — HA (60-75%), other glycosaminoglycans such as dermatan sulfate and collagen.

Antonio Vendrell, marketing director at Bioiberica, details: “At 60 mg a day, these components work together to deliver regenerative, antioxidant and moisturizing properties to the skin.” 

“Dermial helps to increase type I collagen synthesis, which supports the maintenance of the skin’s structure, and has been shown to increase elastin production by 24% and enhance skin cell proliferation and migration.” 

He adds that the ingredient has antioxidant properties in skin cells, which act against oxidative stress and contribute to anti-aging, supporting skin hydration, elasticity, firmness and dermal density.

“As the market becomes more saturated, exploring new scientific research into multi-ingredient solutions is one-way brands can stand out,” underscores Vendrell. “For example, at Bioiberica, we recently explored how combining Dermial with marine collagen peptides could provide both the hydrating and regenerative effects of Dermial, along with the firming effects of marine collagen peptides.” 

Caturla details that Monteloeder offers several solutions in skin care nutrition backed by science, each addressing essential aspects of skin health. Combining these ingredients allows people to create “personalized skin care routines” tailored to an individual’s specific needs, such as anti-aging, pollution defense, sun protection or a combination of these. 

For example, she details that the company’s ZeroPollution ingredient protects the skin from environmental pollutants and oxidative stress. 

“It offers a holistic approach by supporting the skin’s defenses from within, addressing root causes of damage. This ingredient targets superficial concerns and addresses diverse signs of damage associated with pollution exposure, such as lines, wrinkles, firmness, texture and hydration.” 

Meanwhile, EternalYoung focuses on anti-aging and skin rejuvenation, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, promoting collagen production and skin elasticity and enhancing natural radiance. 

There is an opportunity for new nutricosmetic formats as consumers look for convenient skin care solutions.Reaching new audiences
Meanwhile, Dr. Christopher Bailey, director of scientific affairs at Gencor, asserts that new ingredients and research related to the beauty-from-within category create “opportunities for innovation and novel formulations for brands to reach new audiences.” 

At the same time, he cautions that brands “need to develop a strategy to attract and educate those unfamiliar with dietary supplements to convince them to try a new way to enhance their skin care routine.” He highlights that consumers who buy topical personal care products may not be the same consumers who regularly buy supplements. 

Meanwhile, Bioiberica’s Vendrell sees an opportunity for brands to explore innovative and convenient delivery formats, such as simple pills or snacks. “Using more than three topical products is viewed as an inconvenience. However, taking one pill with a meal is perceived as much easier.” 

He highlights that time-poor consumers constantly look for ways “to fit convenient skin care solutions into their busy schedules.” 

“While capsules remain popular, gummies are also seeing significant growth as a tasty and easy way to consume supplements.” He adds that other novel formats, such as fortified teas or dairy products, are also gaining attention. 

However, Vendrell warns that developing foods and beverages may pose formulation challenges. “Manufacturers must consider dosage requirements, which can limit the options from a formulation perspective. With functional foods in particular, technical properties of the ingredient must be acknowledged, such as its solubility in water or resistance to temperatures.”

He adds that such factors can determine if an ingredient can be incorporated into specific food matrices, as they impact the ingredient’s stability and the final product’s functionality. 

By Jolanda van Hal