Global Trends in Natural and Organic Cosmetics Market - Ecovia Insights

Market Overview

In 2020, the global organic and natural cosmetics market was valued at €10.28 billion ($11.9 billion), marking a 2.9% increase from the previous year. The European market was estimated at €3.89 billion ($4.5 billion). The leading markets globally were the US, Germany, and France.

Defining Natural and Organic Cosmetics

Natural products: These must be made using plant extracts and avoid controversial synthetic chemicals such as parabens, petrochemicals, artificial formaldehydes, mineral oils, aluminum salts, and phthalates.

Organic products: They contain certified organic ingredients and adhere to the same standards as natural products.

Growth Channels for Natural and Organic Cosmetics

Iveta Kovacova from Ecovia Intelligence mentioned that future growth in the European market will primarily occur in pharmacies, non-specialist retail channels such as beauty chains, and e-commerce. Traditional organic retailers have reached saturation, making expansion in these other channels more likely.

COVID-19 has further increased consumer demand for online availability and wider access to organic beauty products.

Key Trends in France

France is a leading market for natural and organic cosmetics. Between 2005 and 2019, sales from pharmacies grew from €7.7 million ($9 million) to €257.4 million ($298 million). Sales from non-specialist channels such as spas, salons, and online retailers also surged from €18.9 million ($22 million) to €114 million ($133 million).

New Product Launches by Major Brands

Large companies such as Colgate-Palmolive and L'Oréal are increasingly launching products to tap into the growing demand for natural and organic cosmetics. Colgate's vegan-certified Smile for Good toothpaste and L'Oréal's Garnier bio range are recent examples of this trend.

Packaging and Certification Trends

With consumer interest in sustainability, certifications such as Fairtrade, EU Ecolabel, and Nordic Ecolabel are becoming more important. Labels such as vegan, gluten-free, and halal are also gaining traction, reflecting changing lifestyle preferences.

Additionally, the Cradle-to-Cradle concept is influencing product development, with increasing emphasis on sustainability across the supply chain.

Consumer Awareness and Future Outlook

European consumers are highly aware of certifications, especially those related to product formulation. As interest in sustainability grows, the organic cosmetics market will continue evolving with new certifications and innovative products.

Lip Mud: China's Game-Changing Beauty Innovation

Lip mud, a new category in the lip cosmetics space, is China's latest beauty obsession.

C-beauty label INTO YOU introduced the "lip mud" concept in 2020, and it has quickly become one of China's fastest-growing consumer brands.

China's growing base of beauty-obsessed consumers continues to offer opportunities for brands that dare to innovate.

Many beauty enthusiasts in China have found that traditional lip products like lipstick, gloss, balm, and liner no longer satisfy their needs. Almost overnight, a new addition to the lip cosmetics category—lip mud—became their latest fixation and the fastest-rising star of C-beauty.

As the name suggests, lip mud is a product with a soft, mud-like texture that delivers a lightweight, matte finish on the lips. It strikes the perfect balance between the glossy shine of lip gloss and the natural, muted tones of traditional lipsticks. According to Mktindex, lip mud sales reached $35.7 million (230 million RMB) on Alibaba in 2020, with a 3,141% year-on-year increase.

Today, there are over 72,000 customer posts about lip mud on Xiaohongshu, and 16,000 SKUs listed on the platform's shopping feature. With prices ranging from $8 to $15, lip mud is an affordable and fun purchase for China's beauty-obsessed youth, who are always on the lookout for new trends.

INTO YOU, a C-beauty brand founded in 2019, led the charge in this booming lip mud market. Responding to the rise in face mask use due to the pandemic, the brand's lip mud line has surpassed $8.9 million (57 million RMB) in annual sales.

As brands like INTO YOU and others, including Perfect Diary, Hyntoor, and VNK, continue to expand the lip mud market, they offer consumers lightweight, matte finishes that are quickly becoming the new beauty standard in China.

Adorn Cosmetics Enhances Online Shopping with Adobe Commerce

Adorn Cosmetics has rapidly established itself as one of Australia's leading online destinations for luxury and ethical beauty products. Now, the Australian beauty brand has given its online shopping experience for 'Adorners' a complete makeover by migrating its entire e-commerce environment to Adobe Commerce.

Since its launch in 2009, Adorn Cosmetics has used an open-source version of Adobe Magento Commerce to scale its business through direct-to-consumer sales via e-commerce. As the number of customers visiting its site has grown, Adorn Cosmetics decided to upgrade to Adobe Commerce to enhance customer experience and loyalty programs.

"Upgrading to Adobe Commerce will allow us to focus on making great products, building a beautiful brand, and enhancing how we operate as a company," said Briony Kennedy, Founder of Adorn Cosmetics. "We're excited about the possibilities of optimizing our customer experience with automation and AI through Adobe Commerce."

The new Adorn Cosmetics website will leverage Adobe Commerce's capabilities, including improved product details, ingredients, and certifications, helping customers make more informed purchasing decisions. The enhanced site design will offer a seamless shopping experience, providing access to tutorials, podcasts, live chat support, and easy product browsing.

Adorn Cosmetics will also utilize Adobe Commerce's dashboard to automatically personalize product recommendations based on customer behavior. For example, customers purchasing makeup tools may receive reminders to clean or replace their brushes.

Security is a priority for Adorn Cosmetics. Adobe Commerce's integrated payment gateways and security certificates will allow the company to securely transmit credit card data without storing sensitive information, ensuring a smooth and secure checkout experience.

With Adobe Commerce, Adorn Cosmetics is on track to realize its ambitious e-commerce vision of delivering innovative digital experiences while making a positive impact on society.

Enhancing Your Natural Beauty with Cosmetic Procedures

If you're a woman in your 20s or older, chances are you know someone who's experimented with cosmetic procedures. Whether you or a friend have tried Botox, lip injections, or one of the latest trendy facials, there's no shame in wanting to maintain a youthful appearance.

Everyone has insecurities they wish to address. Many people fear cosmetic procedures, especially if they haven't been introduced to minimally and non-invasive options. A Board-Certified Physician notes that "cosmetic enhancements are often associated with botched surgeries," making many hesitant to try them.

However, the goal isn't to permanently alter one's appearance. The physician emphasizes "natural results," explaining that his focus is to "enhance the patient's natural beauty" through minimally invasive treatments like Botox, Microneedling, Ultherapy, laser treatments, and more, which leave patients feeling more confident in their skin.

One of the doctor's preferred confidence boosters is lip injections, a hyaluronic acid-based filler. For those considering fillers, the doctor advises to "do your research before the procedure." He encourages patients to explore different types of dermal fillers, understand the look they want to achieve, and review the provider's experience, qualifications, and before-and-after photos to avoid dissatisfaction.

Regarding lip fillers, the doctor explains that the primary side effects are "swelling and bruising," which can be reduced with cold compresses. Additionally, avoiding "exercise and excessive heat" for three to four days will lead to better results. It's also important not to "rub or touch your lips."

As for the duration, the doctor states that "you can expect your lips to return to their original state" after about nine months. However, patients shouldn't worry about their lips becoming "flat or saggy" as the skin is flexible and typically returns to its original shape once the filler is absorbed by the body.

If you're considering lip fillers or another procedure, the doctor wants you to know it's possible to "embrace your natural look with minor enhancements." His top priority as a beautician is to ensure his patients "feel more comfortable and confident in themselves."