In a constantly evolving world, the beauty industry is continually reinventing itself to meet the expectations of an increasingly demanding clientele. Cosmetic trends play a crucial role, not only in redefining what it means to be beautiful but also in shaping the future of our planet.
It is in this dynamic context that our company stands out with its commitment to ethics and the environment. At V.BIOTECH©, we use by-products from the coffee industry to create sustainable formulations for the cosmetics sector.
In this article, we will explore the 6 trends of tomorrow for committed beauty and show you how our company is at the forefront of this transition, making coffee an unexpected ally of your beauty routine.
#1: Upcycling in cosmetics
Definition of upcycling and its role in waste reduction
Upcycling, “revalorization” in French, is much more than just a trend in cosmetics. It’s a philosophy that turns waste into valuable resources while contributing to global waste reduction. This innovative approach is at the heart of a zero-waste approach, aiming to minimize the environmental impact of the cosmetic industry.
Upcycling pushes the limits of sustainability by allowing waste to have a second life. Instead of being relegated to landfills or incinerated, these “waste” materials are recovered, transformed, and integrated into beauty product formulas, thus contributing to environmental preservation and reducing overproduction.
How brands integrate upcycled ingredients?
Among the many sectors adopting upcycling, the cosmetic industry stands out. More and more brands are looking for innovative ways to leverage co-products and industrial waste to create sustainable and environmentally friendly beauty products.
Take the example of coffee co-products. Coffee beans are a precious resource, but a large amount of coffee grounds is generally considered waste. This is where upcycling comes in. Coffee co-products, such as coffee grounds, are recovered by our startup, specialized in extracting high-value-added molecules, to be then transformed and integrated into high-quality cosmetic formulations.
Among their biological properties are the ability to act as UV filters or boosters, antioxidants, depigmenting agents, as well as preservative properties. These innovative bio-sourced multifunctional molecules will replace the currently used petro-sourced molecules, especially those that are now criticized. Moreover, due to their multifunctionality, these molecules offer a major competitive advantage as they allow limiting the number of ingredients in formulations.
#2: More natural ingredients
A growing demand for body and environmentally friendly care products
The beauty industry is undergoing a major upheaval, with a growing demand for body and environmentally friendly care products. Today’s consumers are increasingly aware of the impact of cosmetic products on their skin, their health, and the planet. This awareness has led to an incessant quest for “virtuous” beauty products that offer the best of both worlds: effectiveness and sustainability.
Traditional beauty products, often loaded with chemicals, now raise concerns in terms of safety and sustainability. Consumers wish to turn to natural alternatives that are gentler on their skin, free of harmful products, and less detrimental to the environment. This trend has transformed the cosmetic landscape, pushing brands to reinvent their formulations to meet these new expectations.
The beneficial properties of natural ingredients
Natural origin ingredients are favored in the choice of cosmetic products. These compounds are full of virtues beneficial for the skin and body. This is the case with coffee grounds, which are renowned for their anti-aging, anti-wrinkle, anti-cellulite properties, as well as their soothing qualities.
These natural ingredients are not only effective but also more environmentally friendly. Their production generally requires fewer resources than chemical synthesis, thus reducing the ecological footprint. Moreover, their biodegradability ensures that residues do not harm the ecosystem.
#3: The quest for simplicity
Simpler and more transparent compositions
Today, consumers are looking for beauty products with both simple and transparent compositions. This trend emerges from a desire to understand what we apply to our skin, to know the origin of the ingredients, and to minimize the use of complex chemicals. Streamlined formulations offer a more holistic approach to beauty, highlighting natural ingredients and minimizing artificial additives.
Understandable formulations to gain consumer trust
Scientific jargon and complex ingredient names can intimidate consumers. That’s why cosmetics are moving towards formulations with understandable names. Names like “coffee extract” or “argan oil” have the advantage of not only making products more accessible but also of gaining consumer trust. Consumers are more inclined to choose products whose composition they understand, and this promotes a relationship of trust with the brand.
#4: Short supply chain and traceability
The importance of sustainable sourcing and traceability
Sustainable sourcing is the foundation of eco-responsible cosmetics. It involves ensuring that the raw materials used in the manufacture of cosmetic products are extracted or produced in a way that minimizes the impact on the environment and supports local communities. One of the keys to sustainability lies in reducing unnecessary travel, which generates carbon emissions. This is where short circuits come into play. By minimizing the distance between the place where the ingredients are produced and the place where the products are manufactured, we significantly reduce our carbon footprint.
Traceability is another essential aspect. Consumers want to know where the ingredients of their cosmetic products come from, how they were harvested, and what impact this had on local communities and the environment. Total traceability ensures complete transparency, which strengthens consumer trust in brands.
How does our startup value local coffee by-products?
At V.BIOTECH©, we have chosen to work with coffee industry co-products, especially coffee grounds, from local sources. Our commitment to short circuits is twofold: it reduces environmental impact by minimizing travel, while supporting local actors, strengthening regional economies. For example, one of our CSR initiatives is to limit our road travel radius to two hours from the city of Reims.
#5: Committed to beauty
Consumers seek ethical brands
In a world in perpetual transformation, consumers are no longer content with simple cosmetic products. They want to buy consciously, support ethical brands, and contribute to broader causes. They also closely examine the ethical practices of brands and want to ensure that the companies behind the products they buy share their values in terms of sustainability, social responsibility, and transparency.
Supporting companies with social initiatives
Consumers are looking for brands that contribute positively to society, whether through corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs, donations to charitable causes, or community initiatives. They want to know that their purchase is not only beneficial for their own well-being but also for the well-being of others.
Many cosmetic companies respond by integrating ethical and socially responsible practices into their business model. These actions thus strengthen the brands’ reputation and create a deeper connection with consumers who seek a broader meaning in their purchasing choices.
#6: Educating consumers
The quest for knowledge
Consumer education has become a major pillar of contemporary cosmetic industry. Today’s consumers are more informed than ever and aspire to a deep understanding of the products they use. They are no longer satisfied with simple advertising promises, but seek guarantees before making a purchase. This trend for knowledge is particularly evident when consumers verify the ingredient list of care products to determine their effectiveness or not.
The importance of compliance
This safety requirement has become even more crucial with the proliferation of cosmetic products on the market. Consumers are concerned about health risks, especially with products containing controversial ingredients.
This is highlighted by the growing number of users of the Yuka app, with over 40 million users to date. A shopping aid application that allows scanning cosmetic products to know their ingredients and assess their level of risk based on their potential effects on health and/or the environment.
This reinforces the importance of consumer education in the cosmetic industry, as it informs them about safety standards, regulatory compliance, and the quality guarantees that some brands offer.
Conclusion
In a constantly evolving cosmetic landscape, the six trends we have discussed are much more than mere fashion phenomena. They redefine modern beauty, transforming the role of the beauty industry for the better. Upcycling, the use of natural ingredients, the quest for simplicity, short circuits, committed beauty, and consumer education are all key elements of this major transition.
Today’s consumers are no longer content with simple cosmetic products. They demand more, they require products in line with their values, and they look for brands that share this commitment to sustainable, ethical, and transparent beauty.
V.BIOTECH© is committed to staying at the forefront of this transition by integrating these trends into its unique approach to valorizing coffee co-products. A startup proud to place coffee at the heart of tomorrow’s beauty!
Sources
- Trois tendances beauté à surveiller en 2022 – Premium Beauty News
- Les 5 tendances de la cosmétique bio et naturelle – Costomise
- Upcycling : Quand la cosmétique offre une seconde vie aux « déchets » – Premium Beauty News
- Marché des cosmétiques : top 3 des tendances à suivre (alcimed.com)
- Découvez les 8 tendances beauté qui définiront l’industrie en 2022 selon Yieldify – PharmaCos-Média (pharmacos-media.fr)
- L’upcycling, c’est quoi ? | CCI – Chambre de commerce et d’industrie (www.cci.fr)
- Https://yuka.io/wp-content/uploads/presskit/Yuka-dossier-de-presse.pdf
