From skin-gut axis to immuno-cosmetics: Experts expand on holistic beauty-from-within trends

06 Oct 2021 --- Ingestible beauty has established itself as a mega trend within the supplements sector, with the global market seeing increasing demand as consumers take a holistic approach to skin health. Experts from ADM and Lubrizol Life Science (LLS) speak to NutritionInsight about the gut-skin axis’ potential for healthy skin, as well as immuno-cosmetics and botanicals with epidermis-boosting properties.

“Global consumers are recognizing a link between good skin and overall health. At the same time, research shows that many consumers are not overly satisfied with their skin health,” says Marta Tortajada Serra, vice president of science and technology, health and wellness at ADM.

“Many global consumers suffer from common skin health concerns at least some of the time. This year, the top concerns include dry skin, acne, pores on the skin and swelling. The proportion of consumers saying they suffer from such problems has considerably increased over the last three years, and this may be related to lifestyle changes and behavior shifts around the COVID-19 pandemic.” 

Comfort eating and drinking and subsequent weight gain, reduced levels of mental well-being, disruption of sleep cycles, as well as the adjustment in beauty routines may negatively impact skin health, Tortajada Serra supports.

Isabel Gómez, global marketing manager for Nutraceutical Ingredients at LLS Health, also sees this holistic consumer approach to skin health. “Well-being has accelerated since COVID-19 with consumers looking for product synergies that enhance their overall health as a whole.”

“All of this has moved consumer’s focus on products that offer targeted immunity support alongside improving skin appearance,” she says.

Gut-skin axis
Consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the connection between gut and skin health, notes Tortajada Serra. 

Consumers are looking into a variety of ingredients to support skin health, such as probiotics, calcium and vitamin C.Changes in diet and visible changes in skin are propeling consumers’ beliefs that skin reflects the balance in the digestive tract. 

People are indicating interest in proactive use of food, drink and supplements and considering their diet more closely to support skin health. Specifically, 60% of global consumers say they regularly seek out food and beverage products that are associated with skin health, which is up from 46% in 2018,” Tortajada Serra asserts. 

Consumers do not just associate these products with aesthetic benefits, such as improving appearance and reducing signs of aging, she adds.

Rather, they are also connecting them with inner health and long-term benefits, such as improving self-confidence and reducing risk of illness. “This further demonstrates the clear rising trend of consumers seeking products that meet holistic health and wellness needs.”

Consumers look to a variety of ingredients to support skin health, and probiotics, calcium and vitamin C are the ingredients most likely to have this association, Tortajada Serra notes. 

“While probiotic purchases are on the rise, especially as people become more aware of beneficial bacteria, only a small proportion of consumers say that they currently use such products to support their skin health.” 

“However, we are seeing more skincare products containing probiotics today, with a dramatic increase in NPD since 2016. There is a vast opportunity for brands to establish a firmer link between probiotics and skincare with consumers.”

Skin-boosting botanicals
Gómez says that in terms of ingredients, industry sees renewed interest in vitamins and minerals that have well-known health validated claims. These are expected to have an increased demand in NPD. 

“An example of these could be vitamin C, iron and zinc that support immune health while improving external beauty.” 

“There is also an increasing interest in botanical extracts such as Ayurvedic ingredients like curcumin or micro-algae extracts like astaxanthin. These ingredients have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that can provide benefits for the skin by protecting it from oxidative stress from within.”

This makes them promising ingredients to support the growing skin health category among consumers, Gómez explais.

Probiotics in skin health
ADM has an on-going program to pinpoint microbial strains that support the gut microbiome and consumers’ skincare needs. It also has the potential to be involved in supporting their holistic health and wellness goals, the company supports. 

“Our formulations are backed by science, and our cross-functional teams work together to incorporate these strains into convenient formats, such as supplements, gummies, powders and beverages, to fit into consumers’ busy everyday lives,” says Tortajada Serra.

“Moreover, our probiotic solutions are poised to help brands penetrate key categories in skin health, including psoriasis and atopic dermatitis.”

ADM’s probiotic formulation made of three microorganism strains has been developed for this consumer group. 

Marta Tortajada Serra, vice president of science and technology, health and wellness at ADM.The three strains – Bifidobacterium lactis CECT 8145, Bifidobacterium longum CECT 7347 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus CECT 8361 – have been specifically selected because they demonstrate modulating effects on markers of inflammation, acute oxidative stress and intestinal barrier integrity. 

Astaxanthin and curcumin
Part of LLS Health’s strategic focus consists of providing functional food ingredients with scientific evidence that provide skin benefits from within. 

“There is an increasing interest in botanical extracts such as Ayurvedic ingredients and algae-based extracts,” Gómez says.

“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 has been shown to have strong antioxidant properties, which has further encouraged its usage to tackle skin damage.” 

These ingredients can provide benefits for the skin and for the immune system, so they are considered promising ingredients to support the growing category of immuno-cosmetics.

“Our product portfolio includes Lipofer microcapsules, a bioavailable and stable source of iron, that promotes a healthy glowing skin by maintaining the normal levels of iron in blood. It also includes Zincnova microcapsules, a tasteless and stable source of zinc, that contributes to the maintenance of normal skin.”

Trends to look out for
Tortajada Serra says that skincare solutions for infants and children will be a key trend to watch in 2022. 

“We are actively researching how skin conditions can impact different age groups to better pinpoint the right solutions and microbial strains that can help.”

“We also anticipate offerings taken orally, such as gummies or beverages, will be highly sought after to make products aimed to support skincare a fun experience for this younger group.”

For Gómez, the most promising area is developing products to prevent the signs of inflammaging – the aforementioned immuno-cosmetics. 

“This translates into products evolving into immunity-supporting preventative wellness products- that factor skin, mind, immune system and body as one holistic entity.”

She sees this one of the biggest areas of promise for the skin health market and expects to see more ingredients with anti-inflammatory and skin-immune supporting properties being included in new product launches in 2022.” 

“Additionally, clean and clear labels with ingredients derived from natural sources such as plants and botanicals will continue to be a key trend and important to shoppers seeking out skincare products,” adds Tortajada Serra. 

“This space is ripe for opportunity for brands to provide both ingestible and topical products that tout closer-to-nature ingredients,” she concludes.

By Kristiana Lalou