How many “hero” ingredients have you heard of or read about in the consumer press; ingredients like Aloe Vera, Marigold or Argan stem cells? All of these are natural but how many synthetic “heroes” can you name? I bet the answer is “none!”
Natural cosmetics have become one of the most controversial and yet trendy topics in the last decade. Consumers want natural, but are often not aware of the difference between truly natural organic ingredients and natural-synthetic hybrids or natural placebos that are full of synthetic chemicals. There are many challenges that face the manufacturer that wants to be strictly and purely natural. Genuine green brand owners may be frustrated by the lack of strict regulation on natural claims and it is easy to become confused and overwhelmed by the many private certification schemes for “organic products”. Some of which cannot guarantee that the formulations that are given to them , our precious Intellectual Property, are 100% secure.
Natural manufacturers also face huge price fluctuations and availability issues, as well as variations in potency and quality due to weather conditions, good and bad harvest etc., as well as the effects of stockpiling by traders to keep prices artificially high; whereas the users of synthetics can simply churn out their chemicals cheaply in the lab.
There are also environmental pressures that can be caused by increasing demand for ever greater volumes of natural ingredients, and sometimes this supply is made without too much care for the long term effects of intensive cultivation or the well-being of the communities which produce them. Merchants and producers may spot an unfulfilled need in the market, and muscle themselves in, cutting corners and costs to increase their return, but producing a product that may be compromised in terms of quality, sustainability and ethics. Many believe that pharma companies lobby for, and achieve, European wide legislation that makes it increasingly difficult to use natural essential oils to the point of nearly banning some essential oils that have had centuries of long-term benign and beneficial use. Then there are the different national regulations, and the huge variance in conventional practice and legislation. For example how is a fairly traded, organic, environmentally friendly and ethically produced product able to trade into China when there are barriers such as the compulsory testing on animals placed in one’s way?
Do you face challenges such as these? What do you see as possible solutions? What is the realistic future of naturals? In my journey with Forest Secrets Skincare I have found some of my own answers to these questions.
Dr Olioso will examine this topic further at her presentation entitled ‘Developing Natural & Organic Cosmetics - Challenges and Opportunities’ at in-cosmetics Asia on 2 November at 14:30 in the Marketing Trends Theatre.
Dr Barbara Olioso
Consultant and brand owner
Organatural Cosmetic Developments Ltd
www.organatural.co.uk
www.ForestSecretsSkincare.com