The natural cosmetics trend is spreading all around the world, but with a few differences in terms of consumer perceptions and expectations, depending on the regions. At the 10th annual Naturkosmetik Branchencongress (a conference on natural cosmetics) held in Berlin, Germany, on September 26-27, 2017, Ildikó Szalai, of Euromonitor International, made an update on this segment.
‘Green’, ‘clean’ beauty… the meaning of ‘natural beauty’ keeps getting broader and gaining new acceptances. According to Ildikó Szalai, today, this sector involves concepts related to people and their values (organic ingredients, ‘free from’ formulas, local sourcing, religious beliefs, manufacturing processes, anti-pollution actions…), but also society and the environment (sustainable sourcing, fair trade, recyclable packaging, animal protection…), as part of a fast-developing global strategy for health prevention and wellness.
Of course, this trend offers very promising development expectations for natural ingredients, and if the presence of ‘green’ labels is even more significant in the United States and Europe than in Asia and the Middle East, consumers expecting ‘free from’ products (silicones, parabens, sulfates, chemicals, etc.) are between 60% and 70% across the world (except in the United States, where they account for 45% of consumers).
Still, natural cosmetics have not actually conquered the market yet. Indeed, when they choose their beauty products, consumers look for a good quality/price ratio, efficacy, affinity with their skin types, and functionality first – in this order – before they take into account naturalness or the product’s organic character… Then come purchasing criteria: low prices, hypoallergenicity, the brand’s fame, multifunctionality, ethical positioning…
In addition, the …
