As more and more dermatologists and skincare professionals take to platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram to teach users the ‘rights’ and ‘wrongs’ of skincare, the modern consumer finds herself almost overwhelmed with the myriad of choices and opinions – to choose among.
- Water-conscious Beauty: The most important raw material in almost any industry, water is a diminishing resource. With this statistic comes the advent of anhydrous personal care – from shampoo and conditioner bars to lotion bars. These bars not only reduce water consumption but also help in waste reduction. They can be formulated with lesser chemicals, giving your skin and hair real nourishment.
- Hyper-personalization: Some fast-growing start-ups have been focusing on hyper-personalisation – from curating haircare products to suit one’s specific hair type and needs, to curating personalised vitamin packs to create ease in one’s routine. Beauty companies are also exploring potential ‘DIY Skincare’, where customers can relay their skincare needs to them, and receive a special concoction made just for them!
- Hybrid Beauty: This relays a combination of both skincare and cosmetics: a foundation with Vitamin E and hyaluronic to leave your skin feeling dewy and healthy, or a mascara with castor oil to help with lengthening those lashes. With the lines blurred between the external and our internal (home) world, consumers are looking for nourishing products that do their skin good and double up as make-up when required. (I could very easily mix my serum with my foundation but if my favourite foundation comes with it, just know that I’m DEFINITELY buying it!)
- Ayurvedic Beauty: An ancient Indian form of herbal treatment, brands are increasingly running to get aboard the Ayurveda express. Whether it’s the newly-launched brand ‘Ranavat’ at Sephora USA or Global Influencer Diipa Buller-Khosla’s newest skincare line, ‘Indewild’ – ingredients like sandalwood, neem, and turmeric among the plethora of others is proving to be effective and in-demand.
As a plethora of trends garner views and attention, it is important to not only do a thorough scan of the ingredients but ample reviews and research on the ingredients used.
The most known ingredients that have been banned for harmful effects on humans include:
- Phthalates (Hormone disruptors)
- Parabens (Hormone disruptor)
- Lead (Fertility disruptor)
- Triclosan (Hormone and Fertility disruptor)
- Formaldehyde (Carcinogen)
While most of these chemicals are banned in the EU, they are known to be used in many other parts of the globe. However, plant-based ingredients are giving some serious competition to these chemicals, which are used as preservatives, and for other purposes.
Let’s have a look at some of the most popular plant-derived ingredients!
- Bakuchiol: Retinol’s less intense, but similarly effective sibling. This wonder oil derived from the ‘babchi’ plant in India is vegan, natural, and less irritating. y(A)y for Ayurveda!
- Vitamin C: Proven to stimulate collagen production in humans, Vitamin C is a great replacement for those who want to consume collagen (which is ALWAYS animal-derived) but cannot. It makes your body work hard to produce collagen, the production of which is said to decrease with age.
- Matcha: Why just drink it when you can apply it on your face too?! One of the most antioxidant-rich foods, matcha is as powerful when consumed, and when consistently used on the skin. Gorgeous and bouncy skin? Match(a) made in heaven!
- Marula Oil: An ingredient that’s definitely NOT spoken about enough, Marula oil really is pretty much the whole package. Rich in Vitamins E & C (antioxidants), moisturizing amino acids, and fatty acids (dehydrated skin, be gone!). It’s the perfect night-time oil (or even day-time oil for our dry-skin beauties) to keep your skin plump, hydrated and glowy!
Do you know what’s so great about these? These are naturally derived, meaning NO animals were harmed to derive these ingredients (e.g.: squalane was originally derived from shark livers; hyaluronic acid was sourced from cockerel’s combs; lactic acid from fermented meats, or milk)
Next time you’re out doing some research on a new skincare product, take a little extra step to find brands that use plant-derived ingredients – which are not only good for you (just like the animal-derived chemicals, if not better), and are great for our lovely planet too!
