Mindsets have changed! There is a growing awareness of environmental issues that carries all the way to our bathroom. Zero-waste cosmetics made of natural ingredients or co-produced with local makers: cosmetic trends point toward a return to natural, transparency and simplicity.
Organic or natural ingredients, bulk or liquid care: what are the current trends in the organic cosmetics market?
1. More natural ingredients
Today, there is a search for care products that are kinder to the body but also to the environment. This translates into a desire to buy 100% green cosmetics.
But you have to stay vigilant, because claims such as “natural”, “made with…” or “extracts containing…” can be misleading. To identify genuinely natural cosmetics, it is best to carefully examine the ingredients listed on the label.
For example, cosmetics certified COSMOS (Natural or Organic) must contain at least 95% ingredients of natural origin.
Natural ingredients have many beneficial properties, as we have seen with CBD, which has many virtues for the skin.
2. A wish for simplicity
This desire to use natural ingredients goes hand in hand with a wish for transparency and simplicity in the composition.
Too many ingredients with long names do not inspire consumer confidence.
Simple, effective products with few ingredients help declutter your bathroom shelves. Some cosmetics then serve several purposes, in line with a slow-cosmetics approach: lipstick can serve as blush, or concealer becomes the perfect tool to hide small imperfections.
3. Short supply chains
Using natural ingredients is a good thing, but if they come from the other side of the world, it somewhat defeats the goal of an environmentally friendly product.
Today, it is important to have sustainable sourcing with reliable traceability.
You can work with suppliers from Europe or France, or even go further by working hand in hand with small producers in your region. Beyond minimising environmental and social risks, it is increasingly easy to offer an organic cosmetic with natural, local and even seasonal ingredients, made in small quantities with strong traceability.
4. Vegan products
With the desire to market products that respect the planet and health comes the desire for vegan cosmetics. Such products are defined by the exclusion of ingredients of animal origin.
Packaging cannot use wool or leather, while care products contain no milk or beeswax, for example. Animal welfare is at the heart of the values carried by these brands.
Since 2013, animal testing has been banned in Europe, and in 2016 the Court of Justice of the European Union banned the import of cosmetics tested on animals. In theory, all products on the market are cruelty-free.
5. Less packaging, or none at all
Zero waste is on trend, and that’s a good thing! The plastics used for single-use packaging often end up in the sea and are highly polluting.
Glass containers, upcycled or recycled packaging, bulk products without packaging: there are many alternatives to replace plastic.
These 5 trends clearly show that the main desire is respect: for the environment, animals and one’s health. Transparency, French-made and less polluting products are the common threads in today’s way of consuming.
