Holistic beauty-from-within: Industry spotlights probiotics, botanicals and collagen for the skin

17 Jun 2021 --- Consumer interest in holistic skin care is rising as consumers slowly go back to socializing and want to look and feel their best. A roundtable of ingestible beauty experts speak to NutritionInsight about probiotics, botanical ingredients and collagen varieties that can support skin health from within.

June Lin, global vice president of marketing, Health & Wellness at ADM says that only 56 percent of global consumers are satisfied with their skin health.

“Along with the growing prevalence of dermatological disorders, this has increased demand for natural solutions. The global skin health market increased by 1.3 percent between 2020 and 2021, indicating steady growth,” Lin explains.

June Lin, global vice president of marketing, Health & Wellness at ADM.A rising market
Ingestible beauty is experiencing tremendous growth, supports Marcos Lopez, business development director, USA at Monteloeder.

“Innova Market Insights included ingestible beauty in its Top Ten Trends of 2020. Both beauty-from-within and clean beauty are experiencing significant growth as consumers continue to recognize the significant roles that nutrition and natural ingredients can play within the body in supporting healthy aging, hair and skin health.”

Violetta Insolia, scientific project and marketing specialist at EPO, says the link between wellness and beauty is stronger than ever in consumers’ minds.

“Health is the top priority and holistic self-care will gain greater attention, becoming the daily approach for consumers. Recently, awareness of the relationship between dietary supplementation and skin appearance has increased significantly among consumers as well as in the scientific community. The concept of ingestible skincare is now firmly in the mainstream,” she adds.

Oliver Wolf, head of B2B global marketing at Gelita, believes that consumers have become much more discerning about functionality, sustainability, quality, clean label and transparency.

“They have also become better educated about the correlation between skin health and nutrition and more interested in understanding how these products work together. Therefore, they will favor products with the greatest amount of scientific research and substantiation to support them.”

Microbiome-based skin care
Much interest has also been focused on the role of the microbiome in helping to understand and to be a part of treatments for skin conditions, notes ADM’s Lin.

“This is also reflected in market figures. While there were only 14 skin care products containing probiotics launched in 2014, this rose dramatically to 201 in 2020.”

Géraldine Blanc, head of marketing at Evolva.Isabel Gómez, global marketing manager, Nutraceutical Ingredients, Lubrizol Life Science says: “Probiotic beauty supplements have emerged and tap into increased understanding of the importance of healthy gut microbiota on digestive health and on skin and immune health too.”

There is also a strong business driver in the growing science around nutricosmetics and their potential impact on the “gut-brain-skin axis,” which has not yet revealed its full potential in terms of research, according to Marcia da silva Pinto, senior technical manager, health ingredients at Evolva.

Natural ingredients for holistic skin care
“When it comes to skin health, consumers are taking the time to learn more about how to rebuild and repair the skin, as opposed to surface solutions and cover-up cosmetics,” says Sebastien Merchet, sales and marketing manager, Nutrition, Seppic.

“The shift in routine and accelerated growth in this area may be partially influenced by the effects of the global pandemic. Wearing masks and other facial coverings have certainly contributed to more skin irritation.”

Other factors driving this growth in beauty-from-within include an aging population, as well as young consumers, particularly millennials, embracing the category. There is also a clear understanding in the minds of consumers regarding the wellness and beauty connection, Merchet adds.

“Beauty is a holistic body concept that goes far beyond the superficial aspect of the skin epidermis and hypodermis and is now more and more considered a result of balanced and better-for-you dietary habits,” supports Evolva’s da silva Pinto.

“Looking at new product launches in that space, we observe a growing number of ‘multifunctional’ products addressing physical as well as emotional well-being, including mood, stress and lack of sleep, as well as appearance,” she notes.

Florencia Moreno, market analyst at Rousselot Health & Nutrition.Florencia Moreno, market analyst at Rousselot Health & Nutrition, details that the supplement industry has grown massively since 2020. Vitamin sales nearly doubled in the US in March 2020 compared to the previous year, she notes.

“As people take a more holistic approach to their well-being against the backdrop of a global pandemic, it’s natural that they are taking a similar approach to their beauty and skincare.”

Trending ingredients
Currently, emollients and topical steroids are the mainstays of treatment for mild to moderate symptoms, says ADM’s Lin.

“Calcineurin inhibitors and systemic immunosuppressants can also be used for more severe cases. But consumers – particularly parents – are increasingly seeking non-pharmacological aids for a variety of common health concerns, including atopic dermatitis.”

Monteloeder’s Lopez highlights the company’s clinically validated ingredients, designed for a variety of nutricosmetic formulations, Zeropollution, Nutroxsun and Metabolaid.

In the same space, Seppic offers Ceramosides, a science-based ingredient for the dietary supplement market.

“Our clinical evidence showing skin improvements in only 15 days are a unique advantage in this category, helping brands to innovate with strong claims,” Merchet notes.

Seppic recently launched Sepibliss, a coriander seed oil scientifically studied in a gold standard clinical study. Sepibliss is the first nutrition ingredient studied for sensitive skin.

Violets, astaxanthin and resveratrol
An important trend is the use of natural ingredients to boost beauty, says Giovanna Nicotra, scientific and marketing director at EPO.

“Considering this, botanical extracts represent perfect ingredients to be used. The flagship of cellular and physiological activities are the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties as well as the healthy blood flow since it is the key to nutrient delivery and vital looking skin.”

EPO offers Violapure, which is the dry extract of wild pansy plant, Viola tricolor L.). The company offers Violapure (the dry extract of wild pansy plant, Viola tricolor L.). The flowering plant contains a pool of active molecules responsible for the anti-seborrheic, anti-inflammatory action (flavonoids and mucilage) and for keratolytic, rubefacient properties (methyl salicylates).

Lubrizol’s Gomez notes that there is an increasing interest in botanical extracts such as ayurvedic ingredients and algae-based extracts.

“Our product offering includes Curcushine microcapsules, a bioavailable and soluble source of curcumin, which has been shown to protect skin from oxidative stress from within.”

“Another botanical ingredient in our portfolio is Astagile microcapsules, a naturally stable source of astaxanthin that has been shown to have strong antioxidant properties, which has further encouraged its usage to tackle skin damage. These are considered promising ingredients to support the growing category of immunocosmetics,” she asserts.

Meanwhile, Evolva is bringing to market ingredients produced by a natural fermentation process. “Our ingredients meet current customer demands for sustainable, clean-label and with a strong science to back the beneficial effect,” says Géraldine Blanc, head of marketing at Evolva. The company offers Veri-te resveratrol with high purity and is suited for a range of supplement applications.

Collagen and marine collagen
Recently, collagen has reached heightened levels of consumer awareness when considering beauty supplements, according to Gelita’s Wolf.

This attitude is stimulated by the increasing science available for collagen peptides – especially bioactive ones – and their effect on skin, hair and nails.

“For beauty from within, Verisol Bioactive Collagen Peptides have been scientifically confirmed in placebo-controlled human clinical studies to improve skin elasticity, reduce wrinkles, and reduce cellulite as well as improve nail and hair growth,” he supports.

Collagen has been steadily becoming more popular with consumers since 2016 and is expected to develop further, echoes Rousselot’s Moreno.

“We are also seeing manufacturers including other functional ingredients in their collagen product formulations, which can help to support nutrition or health claims. For example, vitamin C is a common addition in beauty formulations, whilst other ingredients such as biotin and hyaluronic acid are increasingly being found in collagen peptides product launches.”

“One of our latest developments in this space is Peptan Marine. Sourced from 100 percent wild-caught marine white fish, Peptan Marine has strengthened our portfolio with a solution that caters to the latest trends in collagen consumer demand.”

By Kristiana Lalou

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