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The Beauty Fusion

by Janet Poveromo | January 1, 2010

Cosmeceuticals, aka nutricosmetics, beauty foods, beauty supplements or beauty-from-within products—the names can be confusing, unclear and sometimes controversial, even to those in the natural products industry, let alone the consumer. Whatever its name, this hybrid trend includes functional foods, beverages and the joining of cosmetics with nutrients.

In an attempt to help clear confusion, during a seminar at the 2009 HBA Global Expo and Conference in New York, NY, Sharrann Simmons, senior marketing manager with ingredient supplier Cognis Nutrition and Health (LaGrange, IL), offered her definitions. She labeled the category this way:

Nutraceuticals—Foods, beverages and dietary supplements consumed for additional health benefits above basic nutrition.

Nutricosmetics—Beauty foods and beverages aimed at improving external appearance, especially promoting skin health and other anti-aging benefits. Also includes oral beauty supplements.

Cosmeceuticals—Topical beauty products that contain active ingredients or technologies that provide added skin benefits.

“I’m not sure if the general public recognizes the term ‘cosmeceutical’ just yet,” said Curt Finckler, marketing director with Nelson-Bach (North Andover, MA). “However, I’m sure that there is a growing wave of consumers seeking skin care products that offer enhanced aesthetic appearance with therapeutic benefits.”

Americans Catching On

It seems the overall category is growing within the US, albeit more slowly than in other countries—Europe and the Asia Pacific region account for approximately 70 percent of the total global market value, according to a recent report by Scientia Advisors. However, predictions are that the category in the US should attain a value of $4 billion by 2011, according to the report.

Market researcher Kline Group noted that it would be very difficult for the US market to reach the same level of penetration of nutricosmetics as Japan and Europe.

This is partly because US consumers are more skeptical of the beauty-from-within concept compared to Europeans and Japanese. Americans want instant results, which nutricosmetics don’t provide, the Kline Group said.

“[American] consumers are just beginning to be aware and catch on,” agreed Simmons. “The challenge is that the results aren’t always visible immediately.”

Cognis offers Tonalin, its brand of conjugated linoleic acid, a naturally occurring compound from safflowers that affects the body’s fat metabolism and is said to support lean body mass. It’s considered a beauty-from-within product by Cognis because it impacts shaping and toning.

“For body shaping you need to use the product for six to eight weeks before seeing results,” Simmons explained. “Consumers have to be patient.”

Jenelle Kim, MSTOM, LAc with Jadience Herbal Formulas (San Diego, CA), a company whose anti-aging formulas include soaks, supplements and face and body topical products, pointed out that the natural segment of the cosmetics market is growing rapidly, and a number of products that claim to be natural have flooded the market, but awareness needs to be increased about the origins of these products and the science behind them. “It is also very clear to see that there is a movement toward the integration of medical knowledge and wisdom of the East and West,” Kim said.

Jadience Herbal Formulas has distributed its products exclusively to spas, acupuncture clinics and medical doctors’ offices in the US and Canada under the “Jade” moniker. The company launched its signature Jadience retail line of products in Whole Foods Markets in Southern California in December 2009.

“In the natural products segment of cosmeceuticals, consumers want to understand how certain ingredients can have the same efficacy as their chemical counterparts, without any negative side effects,” Kim said. “The general public, as well as those in the medical and wellness fields, are looking for integrated methods and products.”

“The cosmeceutical industry is definitely growing,” Finckler added, “as people seek ways to incorporate skin care innovations into their cosmetic routines. The key driver appears to be the aging Baby Boomer population, as this market swells with people seeking anti-aging care for skin.”

The Ingredients of Beauty

Popular ingredients used for natural cosmeceutical products include antioxidants, acids, enzymes, proteins and botanicals.

“The trend is to take established ingredients and identify their beauty benefits and then formulate products to take advantage of them,” said Simmons. A good example is vitamin E for nutritional health as well as beauty, since it supports skin health and moisture retention, she said.

Board Certified Nutrition Specialist Jonny Bowden, PhD, CNS, also pointed to well known nutrients that are being touted for their value in cosmetics. “While there is growing awareness of the importance of alpha lipoic acid and vitamin C as effective ingredients for topical preparations, the biggest increase in awareness and popularity can be seen in the area of essential fatty acids,” he said. “These are truly the original ‘beauty from the inside out’ ingredients, and consumers are becoming more aware of how essential fatty acid intake directly impacts their appearance. When I talk to people around the country, it’s increasingly apparent that they realize now that essential fatty acids can impact their hair, nails, skin as well as their cardiovascular health.”

Jane Vrewington, HBC manager with Earth Fare in Greenville, SC, confirmed that sentiment stating that the store’s customer base is looking at overall health, and healthy skin is a reflection of that. “Vitamins for skin, nails and hair are popular. Healthy fats are big, especially 3,6,9 products,” she said. Though her customers may not use the terms “cosmeceutical” or “nutricosmetic,” they are certainly aware of the potential for a beauty from the inside out result, she added.

Jadience’s Kim noted there has been a lot of research done on East Asian herbs (dating back centuries), and the benefits to the mind and body. Many of the growing companies have incorporated herbs into their products because of the association with the concept of “natural,” she said.

As its name implies, the Jadience line includes a variety of jade infused products. “As awareness in mineral therapy has grown, a number of make-up companies have focused on minerals. Jadience’s formulas use, and have used for centuries, finely ground jade powder for its ability to stimulate circulation, heal and enhance the body’s detoxification process.”

Does it Work?

How much scientific proof means to the consumer is open to debate. “At this point it’s pretty anecdotal,” said Bowden, “but the ‘evidence’ of the eyes is the best and most persuasive evidence of all. Dry skin, brittle hair and nails all improve noticeably and substantially (and rather quickly) when essential fatty acid intake is considerably increased. Most consumers don’t care as much about scientific double-blind studies as they do about what they see with their own eyes.”

Kim disagreed, however, and argued that consumers are looking for proof before buying, especially in the natural products segment, including traditional Oriental medicine. “Awareness in this area is growing, and people are looking for natural products that incorporate science. With traditional Oriental medicine, the history often speaks for itself, but it is still important to explain the history of the science, and the way it can help the individual consumer. It is important to feed the consumer’s curiosity with information that they can understand as well as give consumers the results they yearn for. This information and efficacy has to come from the manufacturer.”

Jeanette Mento, an aesthetician with retail store New Morning Natural & Organic Foods in Woodbury, CT, said she has found truth in both viewpoints. “The best ways for manufacturers to show efficacy of these products to customers is through clinical trial results and research findings on new products,” she said. “However, the best way for retailers to sell these products is through demos, so customers can see and sample new skincare products. I personally find sample kits are great so the consumer can try products available and choose the ones right for their needs. The customers at New Morning are very well educated on product ingredients and the buying staff does its very best to accommodate their requests.”

Nelson-Bach’s Finckler said the company has found that homeopathy has gained quite a bit of momentum in recent years. “Whereas consumers previously saw the modality’s benefits related to common medicine cabinet-like ailments, such as cold and flu or first aid treatment, they now recognize the benefits that can be realized with topical use. The homeopathic benefits found in Nelsons Pure & Clear provide consumers with a key therapeutic benefit, acne care; however, the four-step system of products contains unique essential oil bases, also providing general skin care benefits.” Each Nelsons Pure & Clear item is individually blended with homeopathic (arnica, calendula and hypericum) and essential oil (tea tree, lavender, limonene, grapefruit, linalool and petitgrain) ingredients. The line also includes ingestible tablets containing sulfur.

Sealing the Deal

Do all the seals and certifications existing for natural and organic cosmetics concern the consumers?

“Most definitely yes!” said Andreas Koch, marketing director with Barlean’s (Ferndale, WA), whose new product The Essential Woman Swirl is being promoted for its ability to help “nurture, nourish and moisturize from the inside out.” “There are lots of fly-by-night companies with a quick-to-market product without proper testing and certification,” Koch said. “Consumers expect only the best. Barlean’s is third party certified by QAI (Quality Assurance International).”

Other manufacturers aren’t quite as convinced of the level of significance to consumers seals and certifications may offer. “These can be important because they can add credibility to certain unknown products. However, if the consumer understands the history of the company and the science behind the products, these items are secondary or tertiary in terms of importance,” said Kim.

Lessons Learned

There have been obstacles facing conventional cosmetic manufacturers in marketing cosmeceutical products. Several years back, Oil of Olay launched a beauty from the inside out supplement only to pull the product a few years later. Apparently, customers didn’t want to buy a supplement from a skin care company. Also, rather than use the Loreal name, the company established Inneov, a separate brand of cosmeceuticals.

Natural products manufacturers are also learning to overcome marketing problems.

“This is an incredibly difficult barrier to penetrate,” Kim admitted, stressing that consumers want to know where the research comes from, who formulated these products and what their credentials are. “If a skin care company cannot or will not show this, people will wait and place their trust in the product that will. With supplements, history counts for so much of the acceptance of the product. Our supplements do so well because they are part of a system that is literally centuries-proven to be effective, and we are as much an overall health company as we are a skin care company.”

“I think the consumer resistance to the inside out approach to skin care has waned a bit, as it seems that more skin care leaders offer this approach,” said Finckler. “Let’s not forget that skin is an organ, the largest one in the body, so it seems extremely reasonable that skin care would start from the inside. In fact, one of the Nelsons Pure & Clear products, ingestible 30c potency homeopathic treatment tablet containing sulfur, helps ease outbreaks and clears up the skin. It’s the perfect complement to the topical range, and I believe that consumers are really starting to gravitate to the concept. In fact, the item has become one of our biggest sellers in the line.”

As for retail sales, marketing support from the manufacturer is of utmost importance, said Kim. “A skin care company cannot just create a supplement and expect to sell it alongside their established skin care line. An explanation of how the supplement works in conjunction with the skin care, supported by the science and history, needs to be available to the consumer and presented in a simple, yet concise and readily available manner. If that support from the manufacturer exists, the retailer should make an effort to highlight the new products with independent displays and education among the retail team.”

Another obstacle, according to Koch, is the FDA’s limitations put forth on what natural product manufacturers are able to claim/say and not say.

Secrets to Success

As for lines that offer topical cosmetics, supplements and other products, Kim suggested they be sold individually and as kits. “You do not want to alienate the consumers who are dedicated to the skin care, but not the supplement; however, you also want to make it attractive by creating kits that present a discount. We already have established protocols that are used by spas and doctors, which has made it easy to create effective kits based on those protocols. The emphasis has to be placed on how the products work together and why, and of course the products must show results.”

But the Kline Group stressed the importance of simplicity to achieve product success in the emerging cosmeceutical category.

Products must be innovative but must not require consumers to make an extra effort: “Changing consumer habits is too much of a hurdle … products must fit in with existing behavior.”

 

 

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