Vegan beauty trends you need to know about
A few years ago, being vegan was seen as a niche interest where people simply avoided meat or meat-derived food and clothing.
Since then, we’ve seen this market grow to include all sectors of daily life and the trend is thriving on the back of strong, confident, and knowledgeable consumers. For the informed shopper, it’s all about making a lifestyle choice by adopting a rigorous code that lessens the impact of human consumption on the environment, while aiding animal health and welfare. But critically too: Going vegan influences how shoppers choose to spend their money.
As sales of vegan and ethical products continue to grow, brands and vegan manufacturers are adapting by introducing new products to their product portfolio lineup. The ability to remain relevant requires continuous research and development and this should be coupled to clear and transparent partnerships with ingredient suppliers and brand owners. The vegan beauty and skincare sector, for example, is certainly worth investing in. The sector is showing stellar growth – from a value of $15.1bn in 2020 it is expected to exceed $20bn by 2025.1
But what exactly is vegan beauty and what should you know about the defining trends that will shape the future of this market?
The term ‘vegan’ is broadly defined as products that do not contain any animal products or animal derived ingredients, including commonly used skincare ingredients such as beeswax, lanolin, and collagen. As vegan beauty morphs from the corner of super-ethical to mainstream, product developers are under pressure to deliver.
To grow your reputation as a vegan skin and beauty care brand requires commitment and a comprehensive auditing and verification processes that can track global supply chains, legal compliance, consumer expectations, quality, safety, and a specific code of ethics. It also means not dropping the ball when it comes to incorporating the latest consumer trends and ingredients into your product line-up. We track a few of the biggest market trends that meet the needs of vegans for the year ahead …
Nutricosmetics
True to its motto of ‘Beauty from within’ and ‘beautrician,’ these modern beauty treatments provide consumers with the right nutrients for a well-groomed and healthy-looking appearance. This trend is inherently coupled to living a conscious lifestyle, eating a balanced diet, and focusing on the targeted supply of nutrients that preserve the skin’s elasticity and appearance for longer. These products are often linked to encapsulation technology which offers micronutrient combinations of so-called ‘pure’ substances. These supplements are free of unnecessary additives such as emulsifiers, binding and separating agents, and artificial dyes – and is lactose, fructose, and gluten-free.2
Skinamalism - when less is more
Vegan products are often built on a less is more concept that aims at producing results that can match or even exceed luxury products. While vegan products are often perceived to be expensive due to the use of plant-based and botanical extracts, consumers can save time and money by simplifying skincare routines. Skinamalism is also linked to banishing the ‘beauty ideal’ and encourages consumers to go unfiltered and embrace the person behind the makeup. The move towards embracing your real skin by using fewer beauty products allows a user’s natural glow to shine as opposed to heavy layers of makeup and contouring that often reflects unrealistic beauty standards seen on social media.3
Sustainable beauty
Researchers at Oxford University are of the view that veganism could be the single biggest way that manufacturers, and subsequently consumers, can improve their environmental impact, reducing carbon footprints by up to 73%.4 Because of the exacting standards of ethical and clean beauty products, vegan beauty brands often use less harsh chemicals and have less lab testing of ingredients. This could potentially result in a reduction in the use of energy, water, resources, and carbon output.
Ethical consumption
Finally, let’s talk about mindset. Switching to an all vegan and cruelty-free beauty routine is a great way to change consumer behaviour and increasingly, shoppers are reporting that ethical concerns are changing the way they fill their shopping carts. Voting with your wallet is one way of changing mindsets, but it is important that all vegan products are carefully vetted to avoid greenwashing – where companies are only making superficial changes, while still riding on the back of the vegan ethos.5
Veganism will continue to shake up and disrupt product formulation to usher in an era of conscious living and mindfulness. For more information on how Oleon’s Health and Beauty ingredients can assist you in developing vegan skin and beauty products, contact our sales team.
