You’ve heard it before – the natural market is continuing to grow.  According to a recent study by Grand View Research¹, the global organic personal care market is expected to reach $25B by 2025, with 9% annual growth.

This growth is being driven largely by consumers’ growing focus on health and wellness, by the growing availability of new and better natural products, and by the millennials, who embrace natural and sustainable concepts more than previous generations.

Check our our 5  top things to keep in mind when diving into natural formulating.

 

#1 Certifications Abound

With so many natural certifications out there, deciding where to start can be a real challenge; but it’s an important first step to guide you through the formulating process. Here we break down the most popular green and natural certifications and claims.

• COSMOS: One of the most widely adhered to natural standards. Products can be certified with natural or organic under the COSMOS standard.
• NOP: Originally a food certification, NOP can be difficult to achieve in cosmetics.  A formula must be made up of 95% certified organic ingredients, excluding water, to bear the NOP label.
• NSF: Under the NSF program, products with a minimum organic content of 70%, that meet the requirements, can be certified and bear the NSF/ANSI 305 mark.
• NPA: NPA guidelines serve to determine whether a product is natural, but do not extend into organic certification.  Standards are very similar to COSMOS.
• EWG: EWG is less about natural products and more about creating products that are free from “ingredients of concern”.  The Environmental Working Group maintains a database of their rankings for each cosmetic ingredient or component.

For a list of Gattefossé certified natural ingredients, click here.

#2 It’s a moving target

While just a few yeas ago, natural cosmetics focused strictly on incorporating natural ingredients, today the scope of natural continues to broaden.  In recent years, we’ve seen a sharp rise in vegan cosmetics, for example.

We also see companies taking sustainability and corporate social responsibility into account with more focus on creating a product that is good for the environment and society at every step from consumption to sue.

Lastly, new issues are coming to light every day.  Just recently, Hawaii has decided to crack down on sunscreen ingredients that have the potential to harm coral reefs.²

 

#3 Millennials Care

All of these considerations are important factors of success in today’s market because millennials are deeply invested in these causes. This generation has a broad view of natural and environmental topics and they are very close to them – they’ve grown up being told that the earth is in danger, that climate change is an imminent problem, that overpopulation and over pollution are having a serious effect on this planet, and as a result, they see it as their responsibility to affect change and they take their beliefs with them into all of their consumption habits from furniture, to clothes, to cosmetics.

By the numbers:

 

#4 It’s easier than you think

Many formulators still believe that formulating natural cosmetics is too difficult, or that natural products can’t meet the aesthetic and active standards of traditional formulation.

While it’s true that creating an all-natural formulation can limit your ingredient choices, the good news is that as the market for natural products has grown, so has the availability of natural ingredients.  Today, one can find excellent natural emulsifiers, actives, surfactants, and even preservatives that deliver activity, sensory experience, and functionality comparable to that of standard ingredients.

 

#5 Gattefossé can help!

Since our beginning in 1880, Gattefossé has been a leader in natural and sustainable cosmetic ingredients.  Our two areas of expertise, oleochemistry and plant extraction lend themselves to natural solutions.

Today, our range consists primarily of certified natural ingredients and our commitment to sustainability is stronger than ever.  Our ready-made prototypes and global application labs can also help you on your journey to better natural products.

Use our Product Finder to discover natural ingredient solutions or
Get in Touch to learn more about how Gattefossé can help.