Ahead of Sustainability & Naturals in Cosmetics 2019 we spoke with Mark Evans, Commercial Director Europe from INOLEX, about his presentation, industry drivers for green and natural cosmetics, opportunities, the future of sustainable raw materials and more..
You will deliver a presentation on Day 1 - What are some key thoughts that you be sharing with our audience?
One of my key takeaways will be how INOLEX is focusing on ‘Life Ingredients’. The INOLEX innovation platform is guided by the principles of Green Chemistry and life cycle thinking. Our goal is to provide ingredients that deliver objective, measurable improvements in performance, consumer preference and sustainability.
What are some top drivers that lead to the Green and Natural Cosmetics movement in hair conditioning (in terms of raw materials)?
One of the biggest drivers is performance. Natural hair conditioning is notoriously one of the most difficult areas of personal care formulating. The functionality of cationic conditioning is not easy to achieve using only natural ingredients.
Another driver, which is probably just as relevant, is life cycle awareness. Most hair conditioning products are rinse-off. They are very quickly introduced to the water cycle after showers and baths, so it’s not crazy to realise that consumers are starting to wonder what happens next. Biodegradability of rinse off hair conditioning ingredients is a huge ecological concern, and rightly so.
What do you see as the key opportunities for the Green and Natural Beauty industry in Europe?
From an ingredient perspective, I believe key opportunities are within other aspects of personal care formulating that are difficult to achieve with natural ingredients. For example, sun care. We have mandatory tests in sun care to prove efficacy. Sun care products must work, so if we use natural ingredients, they have to function without compromise. INOLEX is also strong in this area.
Do you see growing demands for sustainable raw materials in the beauty and personal care industry in the following years? How will the future of the industry look like?
Absolutely I see demands for sustainable raw materials growing, not just in volume but in integrity. I think the future of our industry will be in proving how natural products are. Analytical techniques exist which can determine if the carbon within a formulation is from plant source or is from petrochemical source. The ‘real’ future of natural certification is proving it analytically!
Why do you feel it is important for people to attend Sustainability & Naturals in Cosmetics Conference 2019?
I have never seen such a leading line-up of experts from brand owners, ingredient designers and independent associations at one event. It’s sure to provide insights and knowledge from every angle of personal care product design.
