The drawn-out pandemic with all its associated hardships, concerns and restrictions has left people all over the world longing to reconnect, travel and enjoy new experiences. Consumers are also more aware than ever of what’s most important in their lives and for the future. Health, wellness and sustainability have gained even more prominence. BASF’s Care Creations® addresses these needs with the concept “Getting closer.”
The globally leading supplier of ingredients for personal care products, BASF, became aware of the fact that living in the “new normal” doesn’t feel normal at all. It’s personal care specialists at BASF’s Care Creations® have developed concepts that provide a moment of nurturing and care in a stressed world. “Getting closer” addresses consumers’ needs and wishes and fills the gap left by the absence of sensory experiences like travelling and pursuing favorite activities together with friends.
Additionally, the company has identified another need: the crisis has enhanced people’s focus on the importance of caring for the environment. In response, BASF is expanding its portfolio of sustainable ingredients for personal care manufacturers.
The “Responsibly Active” program
The Responsibly Active program focuses on botanical sourcing and BASF’s bio-actives portfolio. It is based on three pillars: innovative products that protect natural resources, empowering and respecting people along the value chain and reducing the company’s climate impact and operational footprint.
Based on 40-year track record in developing bio-actives, BASF is now equipped with a portfolio of more than 300 items, mainly derived from plant extracts. Manufacturing these high-performance actives involves valorizing 140 species of plants and microorganisms that grow in five regions of the world and come from 40 different countries.
Each plant extract has verified efficacy. In addition, they are all rooted in their own ecosystems, seasonality and lifecycle. These are resources that have been cultivated by farmers, local people and communities for generations. As plants form the core of the entire Responsibly Active program, and biodiversity is essential to ensuring a source of new feedstocks for innovation, sustainable practices are a key component of BASF’s business model – and not just part of good corporate citizenship. Only mutual commitment, trust and long-term partnership can lay the foundation for future success.
Bio-active highlights
High-performance solutions from BASF’s Care Creations include plant-based ingredients from responsibly farmed crops, such as the Southeast Asian superfruit rambutan. BASF uses the husk and kernel as well as the leaves of the rambutan bush as feedstocks for ingredients like Nephoria®, Nephydrat® and Rambuvital®. The plantations use sustainable farming practices and ensure fair pay and working conditions.
A further example is a project in Morocco to source argan oil, which has long been valued for its skincare benefits. The argan trees are cultivated by women, who are able to earn sufficient wages to afford healthcare for themselves and their children. The oil qualifies for certification as a 100% natural and Fair Trade product.
Minimalist personal care
The renewable, nature-based ingredients are also ideal for products in line with the minimalist cosmetics trend. Consumers increasingly desire pure solutions with a reduced number of ingredients that provide clear benefits. Once more, this reflects an emerging sense of focusing on what truly matters and results in eliminating unnecessary overconsumption.
At the same time, minimalism covers more than concepts of pure functionality. The suggested formulations developed by BASF’s Care Creations® put a strong emphasis on sensory profiles and fragrances. As a result, they offer feel-good experiences, while reminding people of the freedom to visit faraway and exciting destinations.
Different colors, shapes and sizes
A further aspect of the “Getting closer” initiative builds on diversity and inclusion. In today’s fragmentized cosmetics market, societies no longer hold up uniform ideals of beauty and behavior. Accordingly, the concepts are designed for widely diverse wishes and lifestyle choices. From young skateboard enthusiasts, career entrants and hard-working (single) moms to graying best-agers, BASF addresses a huge cross-section and includes everyone.
In other words, it’s not just about addressing people’s needs to get together again, but also about connecting different people who may have felt alienated in the past. As societies emerge from the pandemic and refocus their attention on pressing issues like climate change, equality and growth opportunities, these topics are likely to become more relevant than ever. Societies worldwide need to get closer and come together to master today’s and tomorrow’s global c