High profile launches of beauty foods continue to make appearances in Europe and the U.S. A beauty food can consist of a vitamin supplement, or a bona-fide food that helps stimulate dermal renewal activity with demonstrable and measurable effects on the hair or skin.
The emergence of this new category of beauty category opens up a distinct opportunity for personal care manufacturers to capitalize on the trend by “bundling” their products so that they offer an all-over treatment or regimen – including topical and ingestible products – that will maximize the target results.
This concept isn’t exactly new. Remember Revlon’s vitamin supplements a decade or so ago? In the May 5th, 1997 edition of the L.A. Daily News, the following article appeared:
“Cosmetics companies are pitching more than the latest lipstick and eye-shadow shades these days. Makeup makers are manufacturing vitamin supplements. Yes, vitamins. The supplements, sold in sleek, colorful packaging (with high prices to match) boast beauty benefits from younger-looking skin to healthier hair and stronger nails. Sure, vitamin supplements have been around for decades. But beginning about a year ago, cosmetics companies – including Revlon, Aveda, Avon and Zirh, the latter a skin-care line for men – launched vitamin supplements aimed at building beauty from within.”
In the early 2000’s, Olay Vitamins were formulated to provide beautiful skin and wellness. The line has since been discontinued. Most recently, niche hair & skin care line Origenere now also offers a line of hair & skin revitalizing supplements, in addition to specially-formulated lines of hair care and anti-aging skin care products.
Cosmetics Design magazine quoted Euromonitor’s claim that the “beauty from within trend is going mainstream” in its Feb. 25, 2009 issue. According to the article, Copalis France already manufactures well-being and oral cosmetic ingredients for the functional food, dietary supplement and nutricosmetic markets in North America.
In its March 9, 2009 issue, Beverage World magazine featured Collactive – a marine-based all natural ingredient that is being used in a “beauty beverage”. Studies showed that 71% of the subjects who ingested the beauty beverage containing Collactive, showed remarkable improvement in the appearance of deep wrinkles. Collactive’s collagen and elastin components showed a “synergistic” anti-wrinkle action that also provided firmness and added moisture to the skin.
These initial findings show a promising start for this emerging “beauty from within” market, and a wide area of opportunity for fragrance development in the category. Don’t you think?
Fragrance Insights 