Plant-based proliferation: Biotech boosts innovation as consumers push for transparency

Plant-based personal care has shifted from a niche market to a mainstream expectation, where environmental sustainability is now a fundamental requirement rather than an added benefit.

Innova Market Insights data suggests a 23% growth in plant-based claims for personal care products from 2020 to 2024. With 60% of consumers globally seeking natural ingredients, the market researcher says the demand for plant-based skin care is stronger than ever. 

Personal Care Insights speaks to Univar Solutions and Symrise about consumers’ increasing demand for supply chain transparency, the role of biotechnology in advancing plant-based innovation, and the impact legislation has on driving truly green solutions. 

“One of the strongest trends we’re seeing is the rise of conscious consumerism, where buyers are looking for more than ‘natural.’ They want ingredients that are ethically sourced, upcycled, biodegradable, and preferably supported by data,” Irena James, senior business development manager at Univar Solutions, tells us. 

Short- and long-term shifts

Lara Egdorf, global product manager, Micro Protection, Cosmetic Ingredients at Symrise, also recognizes a move toward better ingredient transparency based on consumer demand.

There has been a notable increase in sustainable sourcing practices, such as upcycling and lab-grown ingredients, combined with advancements in green chemistry and biotechnology. This can be attributed to the rise of consumer education.

“Consumers increasingly demand greater transparency and proven efficacy, particularly solutions catering to sensitive skin,” says Egdorf.

“In the short term, this shift has led to a resurgence of botanicals and alternative ingredients, bolstered by technological advancements. The expectation of sustainability now drives the increased use of upcycled and lab-grown botanicals, which are also being applied beyond traditional skin care products.”

Univar Solutions finds that plant-based solutions have gained pace after the pandemic.Univar’s James says that the pace of plant-based innovation has accelerated, especially post-pandemic. She adds that today’s consumers seek wellness-aligned beauty, microbiome-friendly ingredients, and bioactives that are conscious of the skin and planet.

“There is also greater openness to biotechnology-derived naturals, which offer a more sustainable path to high-performance actives.”

Regarding long-term shifts, James sees a move from “natural for the label” to “natural that delivers.”

“What started as a clean label movement has matured into a demand for proven efficacy, sustainability, and traceability,” she says.

Plant-based innovations

The personal care industry is strongly focused on science-driven advanced actives, which are complemented by the rise of biomimicry and biotechnology in ingredient formulation.

“There is growing momentum around biotech-enhanced naturals, where actives are produced through fermentation or biocatalysis, reducing pressure on biodiversity while improving consistency, and scalability,” says James.

Univar Solutions works to bridge the gap between supplier innovation and brand application. 

It supports dsm-firmenich’s bioactives and Dow’s upcycled naturals. From microalgae-based antioxidants to upcycled naturals, plant-based ingredients align with trends such as skin barrier repair, holistic beauty, and circular beauty.

“We collaborate with scientists from dsm-firmenich and Dow to rigorously test [their] actives, optimize application, and help our customers bring on-trend, effective formulations to market faster,” says James.

Egdorf adds that preserving the integrity of formulations is equally as essential as efficacy-driven actives, leading to innovations in natural and plant-derived product protection strategies.

Symrise recently launched Mindera, a 100% plant-based product protection platform. Mindera delivers multi-functional, broad-spectrum activity, offering a natural shield for personal care formulations. The platform offers a range of benefits for protecting and stabilizing cosmetic bases.

Taking on the challenge

The global product manager at Symrise says working with plant-based ingredients comes with many challenges.Univar Solutions and Symrise tackle the challenges of creating plant-based solutions for cosmetics.

“These include making sure the products are consistent and stable, managing their smell and color, ensuring they work effectively, scaling up production, controlling costs, keeping them free of microbes, and sourcing them sustainably.”

Symrise uses technology to address these issues and green chemistry to maintain ingredient quality. The company uses precise extraction methods, invests in research, and promotes sustainable sourcing.

Univar Solutions faces similar formulation hurdles, but asserts that its Solution Centers are fully equipped to address these challenges.“Natural and upcycled ingredients — whether from dsm-firmenich or Dow — can present unique challenges: variability in purity, color, odor, or behavior in complex formulas. However, these challenges are not barriers but opportunities for smart formulation,” explains James.

Call for clear legislation

Symrise anticipates that legislation regarding plant-based ingredients in cosmetics will likely evolve, especially given Europe’s “greenification” objective, signaling a move toward greater scrutiny and standardization.

This evolution could potentially involve providing clearer definitions for terms such as “plant-based,” “natural origin,” and “vegan,” which James says are loosely defined and can be misused.

“We believe clearer regulatory frameworks and consistent labeling standards would benefit the industry and the consumer.” 

Univar Solutions says it would support legislation that promotes:

Transparency in origin claims, whether plant-extracted, fermented, or synthetically derived from natural sources.

Sustainability disclosures, including carbon footprint, biodegradability, and sourcing impact.

Incentivization of green innovation, especially for companies investing in biotech and upcycling as pathways to sustainable naturals.

“As a distributor, we play a key role in compliance and traceability. Clear standards would allow us to deliver greater confidence and alignment between brands and consumers,” continues James.

Symrise and Univar Solutions call for clear legislation for plant-based beauty.Symrise’s Egdorf says it would be beneficial to explore ways to enhance supply chain transparency in sourcing plant-based ingredients.

“Any future regulations might address preventing over-exploitation of certain plant resources, encouraging sustainable sourcing practices, incorporating ethical considerations such as fair labor practices and benefit-sharing with local communities, and establishing guidelines for substantiating product claims to ensure consumer safety.”

“It is important that legislation fosters a responsible and sustainable plant-based cosmetics industry that consumers can trust, without hindering innovation,” she says.

Looking ahead

Symrise anticipates a broader integration of precision fermentation and biopharming, leading to the widespread adoption of regenerative and closed-loop practices for plant-based cosmetics.

“Ultimately, there will be a heightened focus on longevity, overall well-being, and the enhancement of classic products through plant-based innovations,” says Egdorf.

James adds that Univar Solutions sees a future defined by precision naturals — where plant-based ingredients are supported by clinical data, responsibly sourced, and optimized for stability and compatibility through advanced formulation science.