Inside the trends that are driving the nutri-cosmetic boom
There is such an interest for nutribeauty that NutraIngredients-USA Awards added the Beauty from Within category this year in response to the demand for ingredients that take a holistic approach to providing targeted and sustainable effects on the overall health and appearance of hair, skin and nails. In recent years we have seen a number of impressive innovations on the market, including this year’s Beauty from Within Ingredient of the Year winner, Wellnex’s Replenwell collagen peptides.
According to Research & Markets, the growing emphasis on maintaining physical appearance and the rising demand for natural beauty products are among the key factors that are fueling the global nutricosmetics market.
Another factor contributing to this demand is the pivot from physical appearance to holistic health. Women are rebelling against the photoshopped look and taking a more natural approach to their beauty regimen.
Beauty for all
Joshua Schall, a functional CPG strategist and president of J. Schall Consulting, said he believes there's a huge opportunity for supplement brands to embrace everyone—including men, saying, “It shouldn't be a radical notion that men might want to look their best selves.”
Indeed, men’s presence in the nutribeauty market has evolved beyond gender-neutral offerings to SKUs marketed directly to men. Darrin Rude, CEO of Nutrawise, told NutraIngredients-USA that Costco recently picked up it’s Men’s Collagen nationwide and in the UK.
“It’s been highly successful. Guys are taking it,” said Rude. “Even your normal guy, they want to keep their hair and they want to feel better with their joints. And so a lot of them were taking the regular collagen that we offer and then switched over to the men's, because for them, it was something that they felt they owned.”
Ingredients
Whether it’s collagen for smoothness and elasticity to skin, biotin for strong nails or fo-ti for restoring the color of graying hair, this category is resonating in the marketplace as consumers look to maintain their youthful glow and turn back the clock.
“Increased consumer knowledge on product ingredients has spurred this trend. Consumers are now researching the benefits of ingredients online. Consumers recognize that there is a close relationship between the supplements they consume and the skincare products they put on their bodies. In addition, they are more open to trying new products to achieve specific benefits,” noted DSM Market Research Analyst Brian Grady.
While collagen is the most common beauty supplement ingredient, there are many other ingredients finding their way into the category.
“What we have seen in the market is that there has been a peak in interest and positive conversation around vitamins in beauty products, especially for Vitamins B3 and C and particularly in skincare. Both men and women have been interested in these types of ingredients,” said Grady. “DSM's Niacinamide PC, a form of vitamin B3, has become extremely popular because of its remarkable efficacy. It helps protect from UV and blue light damage for beautiful and healthy looking skin. In addition, it improves the elasticity of the skin and reduces the appearance of lines and wrinkles. Niacinamide PC is guaranteed to contain less than 100 ppm residual nicotinic acid, making it exceptionally well tolerated. STAY-C 50, which also belongs to DSM’s vitamin portfolio, is a vitamin c derivative with superior stability compared to straight ascorbic acid. It helps protect the skin from photo damage, improves skin firmness and evens the skin tone.”
In recent years, brands have really focused on nutricosmetics, bridging the gap between wellness and beauty. One way NutraIngredients-USA encapsulates the wider dietary supplement market is through it’s monthly Launch Pad, which provides a roundup of new products.
Since January, we have seen several beauty-from-within products make a splash. Here are a few:
Hair
- Nutrafol launched Nutrafol Postpartum, a physician-formulated nutraceutical supplement that targets the root causes of hair thinning for women in the postpartum period. The formula contains a proprietary Synergen Recovery Complex made of ingredients like shatavari, apple extract and nettle that support hair health after childbirth.
- Viviscal debuted Hair Therapy, a line of mix-in powder supplements designed to boost hair health. The three products, Stress Relief, Beauty Rest and Post-Baby, are all formulated with ingredients that help to boost overall hair health, including biotin and marine collagen as well as a proprietary seaweed complex.
Skin
- Life Extension unveiled a new supplement formula to help fight the appearance of wrinkles and oxidative stress. Their blend of extracts combines lemon verbena and rosemary with olive leaf and Japanese pagoda.Country Life Vitamins expanded its collection of vegan beauty by releasing Maxi-Skin CeraClear. The formula contains clinically studied ceramides from the konjac root, shown to improve hyperpigmentation, balance oiliness, alleviate dryness and promote clear skin.
- ResVitále Whole Body Revitalize includes ingredients like egg shell membrane, resveratrol, crominex 3 & ginseng to support heart health, joint health, cognitive function, and youthful-looking skin. The eggshell membrane collagen supports smoothness and elasticity of the skin, while the trans-resveratrol sourced from Japanese Knotweed extract provides a boost of antioxidants to help counter the effects of free-radicals in the body.
- Ancient Nutrition recently re-introduced their best-selling Multi Collagen Protein to include more benefits. The upgraded formulation contains fermented collagen that results in bioactive collagen peptides for faster and easier absorption. It also includes vitamin C and 2B CFU soil-based probiotics (bacillus coagulans).
Beauty from Within webinar
On July 22, NutraIngredients-USA and Cosmetics Design will hold a webinar centered around functional ingredients and their substantiation for nutribeauty benefits including skin, hair, and nails.
The webinar will feature an lineup of expert panelists, including Asma Ishaq, CEO of Modere; Rachel Jones, MS, RDN, Chief Nutrition Officer at GNC; Dawna Salter Venzon PhD, RD, Principal Research Scientist at Amway Global / Nutrilite; and Deanna Utroske, Editor of Cosmetics Design.
With insights from these esteemed experts, viewers will walk away with a better understanding of ingredients, the science behind them and the knowledge needed to take on the market.
Click here to register for this free event.