In this historical moment of uncertainty and change, Wellness, Health and Safety become the fundamental values to focus on. These are real needs felt by the whole society, but they are also the new cosmetic goals that lead to redefine the old concept of Beauty.
With the spread of the pandemic, on the one hand a feeling of anxiety and fear has grown, on the other hand people have learned to appreciate the pleasure of taking care of themselves through healthier lifestyles that also include cosmetics, which are asked not only to be Clean and Safe but also to respect the health of the person, the environment, animals and the entire planet.
Now that the individual is observed in its entirety, with its fragility and in respect of individual characteristics, we begin to understand the message of Humanistic Cosmetics that really cares about the person, his Wellness and his Beauty exterior and interior, more and more connected to Health.
One of the consequences of the pandemic on the world of ingredients and cosmetic raw materials is the new trend that reflects needs, fears and some anxiety generated or exacerbated by Covid-19. The need to strengthen the immune defenses is primary in the consumer demand for more and more products and foods able to increase the immune response of the body, with a holistic approach.
Among consumers there is also a growing fear of the spread of animal-borne diseases. The instinct of self-preservation therefore leads to favor products of plant origin: therefore, fewer ingredients of animal origin, more vegan.
Our Research and Development Laboratory, assisted by the Anthropo-relational Laboratory, has conducted a series of scientific research in collaboration with some universities, resulting in the formulation of a Vegan, All-free, eco-sustainable, ammonia-free, resorcine-free, high-performance hair coloring line that fully respects the health of people, the environment and animals.
We are witnessing the strengthening of the link between nutrition and cosmetics. Food trends are increasingly influencing Beauty. For example, the high concentration of nutrients and antioxidants contained in superfood used in cosmetics act positively on skin, hair, nails for the benefit of the entire body, as well as vitamins and super minerals.
Another phenomenon related to lockdown and limitations in travel is the rediscovery of local traditions and folklore culture, which wants to find in cosmetics locally produced ingredients, safer because they are consumed every day and their traceability. (source Beautystreams)
Past and future meet in new formulation proposals that are based on scientific research that draws more and more on territorial products and traditional popular herbal medicine, confirming the properties already known in ancient culture. I am thinking for example of the monastic tradition of the Hortus Simplicium, the garden of simple medicines cultivated in monasteries and Benedictine convents.
In Italy, plants of Mediterranean origin are in fact proving to be a very rich and varied source of cosmetic raw materials able to give products containing them interesting properties in terms of efficacy, proven by a wide and authoritative scientific literature.
In every region there are plant species of cosmetic interest. Just a few examples, among the most popular of the moment are: blood oranges of Sicily, myrtle of Sardinia, birch of the Alps, Calabrian cedar, caper of the Aeolian Islands, Ligurian basil and then the prickly pear, saffron, citrus fruits, spices, various herbs, flowers, tomatoes … and many others.
Beauty is rediscovering Nature and the importance of health as well as the body’s innate defense systems. The use of compounds to enhance the skin microbiome is growing and there is an interest in reducing the environmental impact through the processing of raw materials with extraction methods without the use of harmful substances.
The list of raw materials typical of the Mediterranean area is endless, unique and valuable, and it is our strength and our blessing.
Italy is one of the eight cosmetic trendsetting countries in the world able to dictate global trends.
We are at the gates of a new era … and from here we must start again: from the pride of being Italian!