Growth of Personal Care Products Industry Sparks Demand for Natural Beauty Ingredients

If natural or organic beauty supplements are not part of your product line, you may be missing out on a huge opportunity to generate revenue for your business and an opportunity to build your brand.

Despite a global economic downturn that has negatively impacted countless industries, the natural personal care market was one of the quickest to bounce back and is currently showing a faster growth rate than any other segment. According to Mintel International, a market research firm based in New York City, the natural and organic bath segment is forecasted to grow 30 percent by the end of this year.

This data suggests that now would be the right time to launch a new line of beauty supplements or improve your existing product line to meet the ever-changing nutritional needs of your customers. 1

A 2010 survey conducted by Natural Foods Merchandiser (NFM) of 36,050 U.S. natural products retailers revealed that consumers of natural and organic products not only remained loyal to their brand but, those who left because of economic constraints, are purchasing them again. According to this study, the sale of natural and organic supplements through these retailers showed a 5.9 percent increase over the last year (2009) marking long term growth trends for the organic and natural market, which includes beauty supplements. 2

Factors Driving Growth of Natural and Organic Supplements

According to Mintel, worldwide interest in the natural and organic beauty supplements industry reached an all-time high in 2009, when an estimated 300 new products hit the market.

Frost & Sullivan, a business research and consulting firm with over 40 global offices, and Nutrition Business Journal valued the natural products market at $117 billion in 2010, out of which the natural beauty market accounted for $15 billion. 3-5

Factors that drove growth included:

A strong consumer patronage to natural and organic beauty products.
Increased consumer awareness about the benefits associated with natural and organic ingredients in beauty products.
Increased consumer awareness about the concerns associated with using cosmetics and toiletries that contain synthetic ingredients.

What Are Some Of The Most Popular Natural Beauty Ingredients?

According to Nutrition Business Journal, sales for beauty supplements totaled $900 million in 2010. Hair, skin and nails supplement sales represented $600 million of that total and healthy-aging supplements that work on a cellular level accounted for $300 million. 6

Natural, herbal-based supplements are a good source of antioxidants and bio-active components that hold specific benefits for age and appearance. Organic ingredients include a myriad of plant, herb and fruit extracts ranging from bilberry and blackberry powders to horsetail and green tea extracts.

Below are some of the most popular natural beauty ingredients to include in beauty supplements:

Unprocessed raw cacao, goji and acai berries, blueberries, cranberries and coconut oil, as well as new extracts that have high antioxidant potential and show efficacy in supporting skin hydration, and skin health. 7
Resveratrol is a powerful antioxidant and grape seed polyphenols show efficacy in helping maintain the balance of hyaluronic acid present in skin and improve cutaneous microcirculation for greater skin radiance. 8
Horsetail extract is rich in silica (for healthy hair) and flavonoids. 9
Burdock promotes blood circulation to the skin. 10
Green tea extracts contain antioxidant properties for clear skin. 11
Lycopene, an antioxidant found in tomatoes, shows skin-protective benefits, antioxidant properties and has been shown to significantly increase skin density, thickness and smoothness. 12
Turmeric contains active compounds called curcuminoids which function as photo-protectants, antioxidants and anti-inflammatories. 13
Grape seeds contain proanthocyanidin, which help support collagen production. 14

Challenges to Consider When Manufacturing Natural or Organic Beauty Supplements

According to Dr. Cara Welch, Vice President of Scientific and Regulatory Affairs, Natural Products Association (NPA), "Consumers notice certifications on packaging, and they know the difference between self-labeling and true, third-party certification."

Consumer demand for natural or organic products is high and beauty companies that formulate new products or improve old formulas to meet the stringent requirements of natural or organic certification stand to gain a competitive edge in the market.

The high standards required for organic certification is the USDA's National Organic Program (NOP). The NOP seal is what consumers are looking for when choosing organic beauty products.

The challenge for formulators is to produce innovative products with natural and organic ingredients that have clinical backing and show high efficacy. Beauty companies can resolve such challenges by choosing a high-quality contract supplement manufacturer that can provide them with the best beauty supplements manufactured within a GMP-certified facility and meeting NOP-certification requirements.

Tips for Marketing Natural and Organic Beauty Supplements

Natural market shoppers are the typical consumers of natural and organic beauty supplements as seen by the results of a consumer survey report published in NFM's sister publication, Delicious Living. Some of their tips include focusing on:

Ingredients that are familiar to consumers and have scientific support.
Optimal dosage efficiency of ingredients. Research shows that efficacy of dose is more important to consumers than creative delivery systems.
Sixty percent of natural product consumers were receptive to beauty supplements in either softgel or capsule form. Only 21 percent preferred a tablet delivery system and 6 percent said they would consider taking ready-to-drink shots and beverages.

Contact an Organic Beauty Supplement Manufacturer Today!

For nearly a decade, we've been providing business owners like you with in-house, contract manufacturing, labeling, packaging and order fulfillment services. You can trust us to formulate a high-quality, well-researched beauty supplement that will meet the needs of your customers.

For more information on our services, call (855) 492-7388 to speak to one of our knowledgeable Production Specialists or submit a request to receive a free quote from us within 48 hours.