Active ingredients: performance meets marketing
You can have the best product in the world but if no-one knows about it, you won’t sell a single unit. So, when I’m looking at active ingredients, I’m also considering how ‘marketable’ the end product story will be, especially when ensuring compliant claims are made. Similarly, there is no point splashing out on a clever marketing campaign if the product can’t deliver on its promises. A winning product takes fantastic formulation and active selection along with a clever yet compliant marketing plan. I have been absolutely blown away by the calibre of entries in the Innovation Zone this year, here are some of my highlights.
Top picks I can tell you about…
- Blue light protection actives: EnergiNius (Gattefosse), Blue Oleoactif (Hallstar), Alpha-Lupaline (Laboratoires Expanscience), BlueShield (Solabia Group), plus others I can’t mention!
- Microbiome actives for various benefits: Actibiome (Codif Technologie Naturelle) for improved skin health and more radiant complexion; Aurafirm (Oat Cosmetics) particularly suited to male skin care; Pure-Phen (Phenbiox) for skin AND scalp microbiome balance; and others you’ll have to wait to find out about…
- Holimel (Robertet) – an amazing active that actually boosts the body’s natural antioxidant defences to reduce sensitivity to sunburn and sun damage
What other actives might you see in the Innovation Zone (shhh… it’s a secret…)
While I can’t give you names, make sure you check out the innovation zone for fantastic active material innovations such as:
- Hair care actives that slow greying, increase strength and protect from pollution
- An incredible approach to hair straightening that actually IMPROVES hair condition – I can’t wait to work with this in my lab!
- Vitamin A alternatives – the performance aspects without the irritation or regulatory hassles.
With 67 entries in the active materials category, there is sure to be one that will lead your next innovation!
Where the industry is heading in 2018: actives
From exhibitor entries in the Innovation Zone and pre-show publicity, the must have trends for 2018 include:
- Combating the effects of stress on the skin – there is no doubt the lifestyles we are living impact our skin’s condition. Whether its actives to deal with the increased sensitivities this brings, the stress related hormones, extra pollution we are exposed to, or to counteract our blue light devices, taking care of the wholistic aspects of skin care is big on the 2018 agenda
- Microbiome – if your product range doesn’t have a microbiome product or active, then you’ll be left behind!
- Hairceuticals – from protection, to repair, to anti-ageing (reverse greying and hairfall), hair care is taking on new shape in 2018, and we’ll see some amazing product launches from these actives later in the year.
- Smart collagen and lifting approaches – actives can now target, and be more efficacious, the more they are needed! Smart collagen approaches provide improvements in younger skin but greater improvements in older skin; while lifting agents now target the dermal-hypodermal anchor for better efficacy and more noticeable results.
I look forward to seeing you at in-cosmetics Global. Happy formulating!