From collagen to adaptogens: Experts discuss cosmeceutical trends and ingestible beauty during COVID-19

10 Dec 2020 --- With COVID-19 bringing overall health into focus, skin health and care are also coming to the fore. NutritionInsight speaks with cosmeceuticals experts, who discuss what ingredients are trending and how ingestible beauty is impacting the market. 

“Consumers of all ages, genders and backgrounds are increasingly putting in the work to learn more about their health, and they see beauty and well-being as being more closely connected too,” says Stéphane Vouche, marketing manager, Lonza Capsules & Health Ingredients.

He explains consumers are also more aware of the impact their purchasing decisions have on the planet. Reflecting this interest in sustainability and transparency, Innova Market Insights has crowned Transparency Triumphs its top trend for 2021.

“These trends together inform a set of values for living better, which are top-of-mind when shopping for products that help people look and feel good. This has bolstered interest in plant-based, clean label cosmeceutical solutions that offer benefits for consumers’ appearance, while also aligning with their preferences and ideals,” Vouche explains.

Rising cosmeceutical trends
Ethical purchasing drivers are increasingly important in the cosmeceutical space, with consumers more willing to change their habits to reduce environmental impact. This is according to Zev Ziegler, head of global brand and marketing for Health at Lycored.

“For example, the ‘blue beauty’ movement, related to the oceans, has put a spotlight on the impact of harmful chemicals and packaging on marine ecosystems. It’s therefore important for manufacturers to commit to sustainability, as well as traceability and transparency.”

“We’re also seeing some exciting examples of innovation in delivery systems. Ready-to-drink beverages, powder mixes, and concentrated tonics and elixirs are some of the new beauty-from-within formats that are becoming more common,” Ziegler says.

Adaptogens enter the space
For Melanie Duprat, category manager for Givaudan Active Beauty, what is really new in this space is the use of trends and ingredients previously only used in food supplements. 

A rising trend is adaptogens in cosmeceuticals as consumers used to taking food supplements are already familiar with these ingredients.

“The main trend is the adaptogens trend. We are seeing that these ingredients are coming on the cosmetics market, with very unusual ingredients such as mushrooms. Consumers that were used to taking food supplements are already familiar with these adaptogens, but it is new and innovative for cosmetics consumers,” she highlights.

Most consumers view beauty-from-within as an important strategy to support healthy aging and healthy skin, among other benefits, says Núria Jiménez, marketing specialist, nutraceutical ingredients at Lubrizol Life Science, Health (LLS Health).

“A concept that is gaining more and more strength is that of personalized nutrition, even with the incorporated digital influence. It should be noted that natural ingredients are still the order of the day,” Jiménez adds.

Collagen boost
Suhail Ishaq, president of BioCell Technology, explains collagen is still trending for use in dietary supplement formulations. 

The company’s collagen is composed of naturally-occurring hydrolyzed collagen type II peptides, chondroitin sulfate (CS) and hyaluronic acid (HA). These are essential structural components in the skin dermis and responsible for the skin’s moisture, suppleness, elasticity and beauty.

“These molecules degrade as we age, contributing to disarray or collapse of the dermal matrix structure, resulting in dermal dehydration and eventually aged skin appearances such as fine lines, wrinkles and superficial sagging,” Ishaq explains.

When talking about skin beauty in the cosmeceutical area, then collagen supplements are one of the most popular ingredients with consumers, says Alice Olufeso, product manager for Food & Health at Mibelle Biochemistry.

However, increasing demand for vegan and plant-based products have made collagen boosting botanicals an interesting alternative. “The collagen ingested via food or supplements delivers the building blocks for the body collagen production. We use a different approach by activating the longevity intrinsic pathway in the skin, as well as impacting the vitality of skin stem cells directly with our collagen stimulating botanicals,” she adds.

Lycored’s Ziegler notes collagen is one of the best-known ingredients in cosmetic products and a mainstay of many beauty regimens. 

“Consumers are now looking for ingredients to pair it with, and the growing body of evidence for the role of carotenoids such as lycopene is cutting through to them. By building up a natural reservoir of these free-radical-fighting phytonutrients, we can improve our skin’s resilience to environmental challenges,” he adds.

Ingestible beauty rises
A holistic approach to health and wellness management has opened the doors for nearly all industries to tap into wellness marketing. The health and wellness market has grown from an industry to a culture, expanding the definition of health and wellness and becoming more holistic, according to Duprat of Givaudan Active Beauty.

“A holistic approach to health and wellness management has opened the doors for nearly all industries to tap into wellness marketing. Everyone is doing something to benefit their health and well-being, and most brands highlighting health and wellness will gain consumer attention, especially in a market impacted by the pandemic.”

Ishaq of BioCell supports that ingestible beauty has been one of the top global supplement trends for some years already. 

“Consumers are staying at home more often during the pandemic. As a result, they’re looking for clinically validated products that are easily accessible at home.”

“The unprecedented disruption during this year has resulted in a significant shift in consumer behavior and attitudes around health and nutrition, but research indicates the beauty segment is one area where demand is not wavering,” says Lonza’s Vouche.

“Longer term, when it comes to ingestible beauty we expect that consumer values will continue to be a key driver behind the future of the cosmeceuticals space. Ultimately, every trend is driven by what consumers want, which is why we prioritize a consumer-driven approach to innovation.”

Beauty-from-within
Vouche continues that more and more individuals are seeking out combination products that help them look and feel good inside and out – as such, he anticipates beauty-from-within will overlap with other wellness priorities, such as joint health, healthy aging and more. 

“People are, by now, well aware that healthy skin and hair are supported by strong overall health, and we expect to see a growing interest in cosmeceutical solutions as part of a bigger picture that informs a whole lifestyle,” he adds.

“We do see a continuously strong interest for botanical actives for beauty-from-within products, despite or maybe also due to this pandemic crisis. One reason can be unhealthy skin, led by constantly wearing face masks to protect ourselves, which increases the demand for skin health supplements and attracts new consumers who had not been taking beauty supplements prior to the pandemic,” notes Mibelle's Olufeso.

An essential part of well-being is ensuring healthy looking skin and, especially since COVID-19, consumers around the globe are seeking a greater sense of well-being beauty supplements, according to LLS Health’s Jiménez.

Furthermore, due to elevated stress brought on by the pandemic, more people seek out ingestible products to supplement a topical skincare routine and improve overall skin appearance, she concludes.

By Kristiana Lalou