“Instagrammable skin”: Givaudan targets Generation Z with new botanical beauty concept

05 Nov 2019 --- With the appeal of botanicals accelerating, Givaudan’s Active Beauty arm has launched a new botanical skincare concept designed for Generation Z consumers. The release of My Blue Guard High Defence is a bid to tap into the “clean beauty” trend, as it contains 95 percent natural ingredients, the company notes. The product is marketed as a day cream powered by botanical extracts, which can help Generation Z’s achieve “perfect Instagrammable skin.”

“It was a great challenge for our formulation team to create a concept dedicated to Generation Z. It allowed us to go beyond what we did before by creating a refined skincare product that offers perfect ‘Instagrammable’ skin while bringing sensoriality, thanks to its specific velvety texture, soft touch and fine floral scent. Simple and pure, this is the incarnation of efficiency to take care of consumers’ specific skin types,” says Caroline Reverte, Formulation Project Manager at Givaudan Active Beauty.

“The digitally native and always connected, 92 percent of Gen Z’s go online every single day. They want to keep it that way but need to be protected from blue-light and other external skin pollution. Connected with friends and influencers, this generation wants clean products and is actually already spending more on cosmetics than previous generations. We found this sentence perfect to define their need URL convenience to IRL experience,” Pauline Martin, Global Communications & Events Manager tells NutritionInsight.

Previously, NutritionInsight reported on how herbal extracts are highly sought after in the food, beverage and beauty markets. Several industry players have recognized a consumer trend for natural ingredients and are tapping into the power of botanicals. Recently, Layn launched a botanicals division, while Robertet innovated a powdered essential oils range.

Givaudan Active Beauty, spotting the trend, has released several, ecological, natural beauty concepts such as Naturein Wheat Peptides. Sourced from 100 percent French-origin locally-sourced wheat and crafted by green fractionation, the product is targeting haircare.

Givaudan has launched a botanical skincare concept which can help Generation Z’s achieve “perfect instagrammable skin. Most notably, the company recently launched the “world’s first” instant microbiome analysis and profiling system, coined i-MAPS. The technology allows Givaudan’s customers to expand their product offerings to include skincare products that are tailored to the unique microbiome of their consumers.

Consumer demand for clean beauty
Supported by botanical actives and hyaluronic acid, My Blue Guard HD represents an ideal balance between natural ingredients and biotechnology, the company notes. A Givaudan study, coined Clean and Natural Study 2019, showed that that 92 percent of people are interested in the concept of “clean beauty” and that 75 percent of them are even more interested in products powered by biotechnology.

The product touts a clean label profile as it is composed of four active ingredients to cover four major skincare areas:

• Hydration: Hydranellys comes from Selaginella Pulvinata, a Traditional Chinese Medicine “resurrection” plant extract. The active ingredient helps to increase skin moisturising and strengthening the barrier function. Additionally, it significantly restores water and lipid balance for skin hydration.
• Radiance: Eliorelys is an active ingredient obtained through the extraction of fresh cherry blossoms that significantly improves the quality of the skin showing signs of photo-aging. It is also a protector against blue-light and counteracts digital pollution. Measures of visible aspects and texture of the skin demonstrate its repairing property in fighting photo-induced skin damages.
• Gently Exfoliate: Hibiscus acids are botanical extracts traditionally used topically to soothe the skin. The flower turned active ingredient has a multitude of benefits such as radiance and antioxidant effects on the skin.
• Defend: CristalHyal MW+ is a high molecular weight hyaluronic acid crafted by white biotechnology. The biomimetic active ingredient acts as a film generator that protects the skin from external aggressions and ensures its hydration.

“My Blue Guard HD will be consumers’ best partner against daily skin aggressions,” Reverte notes. “Our experts recommend using it in the morning, after serum application. As soon as applied, consumers will have an immediate feeling of hydration and will be ready to face their digital life.”

“More than products, Generation Z requests are for claims: Clean, sustainable and cruelty-free. My Blue Guard HD is  answering that demand. Just like millennials, Generation Z is marked by a passion for issues of social justice and the environment. However, in a twist from their predecessors, Generation Z is perceived as more realistic than idealistic. This passion for the environment helps explain Generation Z’s preference for green, natural claims, organic, vegan, and other eco-friendly personal care products. Formulators and product planners can be ready for this wild card generation by equipping their brands with an array of personal care products that focus on Instagrammability, green claims, and inclusivity above all else,” says Martin.

The company is showcasing the My Blue Guard HD during the in-cosmetics Asia trade show in Bangkok, Thailand, from November 5 to 7.

By Kristiana Lalou