Cargill Beauty’s new scoring system simplifies sustainable beauty ingredient selection for formulators

04 Jul 2023 --- Cargill Beauty has rolled out a tool designed to better inform its personal care industry customers in choosing between ingredients on the basis of sustainability credentials. Speaking to Personal Care Insights, Aude Le Grand, global marketing innovation manager at Cargill Beauty, explains the functions of the Sustainable Ingredients Score, while revealing examples of alternatives to unsustainable ingredients, which are gradually being phased out.

The benchmarking system results in a final score that indicates how eco-friendly an ingredient is. Cargill bases this third-party verified scoring system around criteria aligned with the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

Cargill cites data from a global online consumer survey of 19,000 consumers, which reveals sustainability remains at the top of cosmetics consumers’ priorities, with 90% of EU shoppers considering sustainability when buying beauty and wellness products.

“The Sustainable Ingredient Score is not designed to appear on-pack as it stands today, but rather score each ingredient individually, allowing cosmetic brands to make mindful decisions about the ingredients they choose to include with consideration of all aspects of sustainability,” explains Le Grand.

Cargill Beauty finds that even in a time when money is tight for many, 15% of beauty consumers in the US and Europe consider sustainability information more important than price, efficacy or product description.The company finds that even in a time when money is tight for many, 15% of beauty consumers in the US and Europe consider sustainability information more important than price, efficacy or product description.

Narrowing it down into the ingredient level
Drilling down further into individual product ingredients, the majority of consumers were found to be interested in transparency by beauty brands, with many of consumers wanting companies to deliver more on ingredient supply chain transparency.

Cargill also finds that 41% of consumers would be encouraged by a labeling scheme (similar to the NutriScore system designed to offer nutritional information on-pack) that shows just how environmentally friendly it is through color coding or a 1 to 5 score.

“Sustainability is becoming non-negotiable for consumers globally. Whether they are in the EU, Asia or the US, consumers are taking sustainability very seriously when choosing to buy a product and are eager to change their preferences,” says Le Grand.

This global sustainable scoring system for cosmetic ingredients is based on three pillars: clean sourcing, clean transformation and environmental impact. 

Each pillar is equally weighted (1/3 of total score of 100) towards the final rating: A (best performing)-E (lowest performing). Furthermore, each pillar is based on a total of 16 criteria to ultimately arrive at an ingredient’s sustainability score.

Cargill Beauty’s goal is for all its future innovation to achieve a Sustainable Ingredient Score of “A,” while it claims that much of its portfolio is already “on the right track.”

Replacements for phased out ingredients
Commenting on specific ingredients that have been losing appeal in consumer perceptions due their significant eco-footprint, Le Grand pinpoints the example of silicones, which have a high environmental impact and low biodegradability. 

“To address this, Cargill recently launched Botanibutter, a 100% nature-derived emollient with sensational feel that is scored ‘A’ and can be considered a solution to replace silicon wax,” she highlights. 

Cargill also finds that 41% of consumers would be encouraged by a labeling scheme.“From our portfolio Floramac 10, (ethyl macadamiate) is a natural solution to replace 5cst silicone.”

The personal care industry is also undergoing a transformational shift to replace synthetic polymers. 

“Thanks to our Red Seaweed Promise, Cargill can offer natural polymers (carrageenans) that gather a clean sourcing, clean transformation and low environmental impact,” says Le Grand. The company recently spoke about this in an exclusive video interview with Personal Care Insights.

Highest ranked eco ingredients
In other green launches boasting the “A” ranking is Cargill Beauty’s CocoaDesign S, a “feel good” energizing cocoa ethyl ester emollient.

The solution is made from a sustainable grade of cocoa butter, supported by the Cargill Cocoa Promise sustainability program, and entirely sourced through Cargill’s registered partner farmers and farmer organizations in West Africa.

One ingredient with a “B” ranking is StarDesign Care, a biodegradable (according to OECD 301B) thickening and consistency agent for creating creamy textures with a matte effect.

Naturally-derived from sustainable European corn sourcing, it is a cold processible thickener that can be used in skin care, hair care, cleansers and deodorants.

By Benjamin Ferrer