Beauty in mind with Antonia Benvegnù

"Every action has an equal and opposite reaction”: I believe this statement of Isaac Newton does not apply only to science and physics, but to all things in nature, in our lives, and in business. 

In the cosmetics industry, today more than ever this quote can perfectly describe the consequences behind any transformation, change, innovation. Due to a higher sensitivity of consumers on sustainability and circular economy, for each product launch R&D managers and entrepreneurs have to take care of its effects on the environmental impact. Otherwise, they risk to lose trust.

The segment is at the centre of a growing awareness of the issue of sustainability and in search of more effective definitions and regulations than trivial references to concepts such as “natural origin” typical of the so-called “green-washing”. The market is experiencing a huge transformation. The greater attention of the consumer on how beauty products are produced, the complicated international scenarios with consequent difficulties in the supply of raw materials, the increase in energy costs, and a more and more dramatic impact of climate changes are the key factors that require the cosmetic industry to look for solutions to preserve biodiversity, with low energy consumption and with better waste management.

This is why at Cosmopack, a special exhibition area, Ingredients Zone, is dedicated to raw materials, ingredients and fragrances, so to analyse the challenges for the segment and reinforce connections with the contract manufacturing companies exhibiting at Cosmopack and the finished product brands in the Cosmoprof halls. The area, which in 2024 will be at its second edition, attracts manufacturers and distributors of raw materials, active and functional ingredients, essential oils and fragrances for the cosmetic bulk. Meeting during Cosmopack with peers and potential partners, stakeholders involved in the segment can take advantage of their presence in Bologna to discuss on the actual scenario and future solutions. The environmental change called for by the market opens up new opportunities and development areas: new energy resources, the search for more effective active ingredients, waste management and their reuse are just a few topics on the agenda of key players for the next months.

New solutions and industrial alternatives can come also from biotech, which would be a new frontier for supplying raw materials for the cosmetic industry. Biotech offers solutions to protect the planet’s biodiversity: extracting raw materials from vegetable sources may be no longer sustainable for the balance of the planet. Technology can scale and become more efficient and cost-effective for the production of very complex chemistry, thus reducing the impact of our sector on natural biodiversity. 

Storytelling towards consumers is key to have this innovation growing, and generally speaking it is the best tool to educate customers to better check and choose more efficient and sustainable ingredients and formulation.

There is still a lot of research to be done, and greater synergy with other industries is also essential, but research on new ingredients can certainly become an indispensable element for sustainable evolution and environmental neutrality of the cosmetics industry in the near future.