Univar Solutions sees bright future for “well-aging” skin care ingredients and neurocosmetics

01 Mar 2024 --- In this final of a two-part series, Irena James, senior business development manager, Beauty and Personal Care at Univar Solutions talks to Personal Care Insights about the future of anti-aging skin care with innovative ingredients and why neurocosmetics continue to play a significant role in creating age-fighting technologies. 

Neurocosmetics and emotional well-being are emerging as significant trends in the beauty industry. How does Univar Solutions see these advancements transforming the beauty industry?
James: While the mood-boosting power of cosmetics has long been acknowledged, “skintelligent” consumers are destigmatizing the impact of stress, isolation, anxiety and depression and becoming more receptive to the brain-skin connection and its influence on acne, rosacea, dryness and premature aging.

A renewed interest in “neurocosmetics,” inspired by psychodermatology, is leading to the development of age-fighting technologies that go beyond traditional anti-aging claims and address lines, wrinkles and uneven tones.

Anti-aging skin care continues to evolve and explore technologies capable of promoting emotional well-being and combating the effects of poor sleep on the skin. Incorporating wearable devices measuring the impact of stress on the skin, combined with artificial intelligence analyzing data, creates exciting opportunities in beauty product customization capable of addressing individual mental and physical needs.

senior business development manager, Beauty and Personal Care at Univar Solutions (Image credit: Univar Solutions).Which anti-aging skin care ingredients do you see taking center stage now?
James: While consumers continue to seek anti-aging ingredients such as retinoids, vitamin C, niacinamide and hyaluronic acid, there is a growing interest in technologies promoting “well-aging.” This includes improving skin health and longevity or enhancing joy and happiness.

Novel peptides, sustainably harvested seaweeds, exotic plant extracts, biomimetic collagen and snow mushrooms, known for hydration comparable to hyaluronic acid, are increasingly incorporated into anti-aging cosmetic formulations.

Menopausal wellness is also embraced by ingredient suppliers and product developers, who are showcasing new ways of combining traditional anti-aging actives targeting lines and wrinkles with a more focused approach to address specific needs of the menopausal skin, such as skin density, elasticity, hydration and sensitivity.

How does Univar Solutions work with its clients to help cut costs and bring key ingredients and products to market?
James: Our Global Brand Concierge team provides a fluid support structure that helps optimize market launches through technical support, a product portfolio and a global supply chain network. This team offers a layer of support for brands, big or small, that may not manufacture their finished goods but still play an active role in the decision-making process. Through bespoke custom solutions, we can help reduce the total cost of operation for brands and help them get their products to market on time.

We also have a global network of Solution Centers for beauty and personal care strategically placed worldwide to provide expertise through the product development process, from concept to production and commercialization. Univar Solutions offers various personal care lab capabilities to help improve and enrich customers’ personal care product lines, including custom formulations, prototype development, sampling, product benchmarking analysis and testing, stability testing and more.

In the first of this two-part series, Irena James of Univar Solutions told us what the company is seeing, hearing and helping to create with clients and peers in the ever-evolving personal care and beauty industry.

By Anita Sharma

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