Tomorrow's cosmetics: why the sourcing of plant materials and the design of ingredients will be even more strategic?

For a few years now, naturality has become one of the major trends in cosmetics. A naturality that is expressed firstly in the way the ingredients are conceived (according to Green Chemistry derived processes) and also in the ethical and sustainable selection of plant raw materials. More than a trend, this approach has become a new standard... So, for the future, why and how to choose ingredients from sustainable supply chains?

Clarins: plants for biological effectiveness

For many years Clarins has been a company strongly committed to plant-based research as a source of innovation and efficiency. This naturality is part of Clarins' core business, and as Henri du Masle, General Director Clarins France, points out, the period we have just gone through has made us aware of our dependence on our environment and the fragility of our relationship with nature. A phenomenon which, according to him, can only amplify the eco-responsible awareness of consumers and direct their purchases towards eco-designed products that are as natural as possible. 

This is why Clarins is strengthening its commitment to a better respect for nature and humans. To do this, nothing is left to chance, right down to the choice of raw materials which are sourced in a transparent, ethical and sustainable manner, all in accordance with the development of fair trade and respect for local workers. And the pandemic should only increase this expectation of transparency among consumers.

In this approach, Clarins contributes, among other things, to the establishment of this type of supply chain in order to guarantee a fair income for local producers, with the associated benefit of perpetuating the supply chain and the quality of the ingredients produced.

Nathalie Issachar, R&D Director Clarins Group, explains Clarins research process: the starting point is the biological target on which vegetal extracts developed according to the principles of green chemistry are tested. 

She also mentions the company's network of partners who support it in the development of herbal extracts and ingredients. For the future, Clarins wishes to go further with more control, more audits, more traceability and more professionalism, partners included. 

Also, in this process, respect for the environment is at the heart of Clarins' priorities: "If we have the possibility, we will prefer the plant that comes from the field next door rather than the one that comes from very far away, because we are concerned about the environmental impact and the carbon footprint generated by our developments". Also, an ingredient calculator integrating environmental, societal and safety parameters has been set up. And for each ingredient, 18 criteria are taken into account and contribute to the continuous improvement of Clarins products. 

Pierre Fabre and the experience of phytochemistry and phytofilière?

On Pierre Fabre's side, the company relies on a global approach. In interviewing Mathieu Leti (Head of Sourcing / Herbal Ingredient Development) and Stéphane Laclau (Botanical Sourcing Specialist), we learn that Pierre Fabre is strongly asserting its lifelong conviction by creating in 2019 a new entity and approach called Green Mission Pierre Fabre. Reporting directly to the Executive Management, Green Mission Pierre Fabre aims to accelerate the Group's transformation, the development of organic plant extracts, the eco-design of products, the reduction of the environmental footprint, the social commitment and the protection of biodiversity. Its objective is on one hand to strengthen and enhance its positions on plants, naturality, and respect for the environment and people; and on the other hand, to reconcile innovation and sustainable development in order to develop finished products incorporating 100% eco-designed botanical active ingredients.

With more than 60 years of expertise in phytochemistry and sustainable sourcing, Pierre Fabre is committed, in all its extract proposals, to evaluating the environment linked to the plant in order to avoid any problems: legality of access to the resource, security of supply, human and environmental respect. The selection of the active ingredient is made on the basis of pharmacological efficacy as well as respect for all CSR components.

Concerning the sourcing development abroad, Pierre Fabre is committed to creating a real partnership and support around the sector. To do this, the company will preferentially work with partners who are in direct contact with the producers, giving preference to medium-sized private companies or even small structures. Moreover, the company carries out audits with its partners in order to guarantee the traceability and the quality of these supplies and to avoid any cross-contamination of the products: "This audit makes it possible to build a win-win exchange in which our partner and us will have to learn from our respective experiences so that we can also grow mutually and be more effective in the quality of our supplies".  

Pierre Fabre will also be involved locally on structuring projects in connection with its main phytofilieres?. Certain brands will commit to fair trade certified channels, while Klorane Botanical Foundation will be able to finance certain programs to protect and raise awareness of biodiversity among the local communities involved in these channels. "Accompanying our suppliers with social and environmental projects is a way of committing to long-term win-win relationships and thus securing our supplies".

Not to mention Pierre Fabre's commitment to organic farming and greater respect for the environment with an approach to reducing the carbon footprint: "When it is possible to favour an internal sector, that is what we do since we have our own farmland, all certified organic, in the Tarn region and extraction capacity in Gaillac". It's hard to make it any shorter! 

Finally, concerning the impact of Nagoya protocol on the phytofilieres?, Pierre Fabre will favor the plant originating from a country with controlled access rules. Indeed, in countries with clear, existing regulations, it is more obvious to position itself with full knowledge of the facts and to understand the impacts to be borne by the brand. Thus, Pierre Fabre tries to favor the French sector as much as possible. And if the desired benefits are not obtained from local plants, the company does not close itself off to the development of exotic supply chains with a sustainable and ethical vocation.

The future of the vegetal sourcing is already taking shape today

As you have understood, for the future, in the Beauty & Personal Care industry, the standard will be naturality, traceability and transparency. In this sense, it will make greater use of a global biodiversity that offers unprecedented potential for innovation. And in this process of transparency and traceability, it will be necessary to set up ethical and sustainable supply chains to protect this biodiversity while helping and supporting local populations. This translates into the development of crops or collections that do not destroy the environment, better remuneration and better working conditions for local actors and finally an ethical approach to the resources sharing and traditional knowledge through the application of Nagoya Protocol. 

According to Le?la Rochet, Director and Founder of Cosmetics Inspiration & Creation, "it is imperative for suppliers of vegetal raw materials to implement ethical sourcing of their natural materials, and even more so of those from biodiversity. UEBT has been working for more than 10 years with companies to move in this direction, which is also a requirement linked to Nagoya Protocol. This is a chance for manufacturers to innovate and to meet the consumer demands that will influence tomorrow's cosmetics".

Frédérique PORTOLAN

Acknowledgements:

A great thanks to all the professionals who contributed to enrich my purpose, to feed my reflection and who offered me their experience and precious time. I can't mention them all here but our exchanges will be the subject of other articles in the near future.

Henri du Masle (Clarins) - Nathalie Issachar (Clarins) - Mathieu Leti (Pierre Fabre) - Stéphane (Laclau (Pierre Fabre) - Le?la Rocher (Cosmetics Inspiration & Creation) - Muriel Bregou (La chênaie) - Alexis Fort (Les Poulettes) - Philippe Balesta & Véronique Planchon (Parfum Par Nature - La Production) - Olivier Lemaire (Lemaire Développement) - Jean-Claude Hubaud (Helioscience) - Stéphane Bellamy (Eleven Australia) - Sébastien Guillotin (Lessonia) - Florent Pascal (Eponyma) - Pascale de Lomas (Biosme) - Myriam Tamelghaghet (SVR Laboratory) - Hajir Hakim Hashemi (Dermeden Laboratory) - Maxime Finaz de Villaine (Bloom up - Energie Fruit) - Jean-Christophe Choulot (Caudalie) - Julien Spera (ACS Phyto) - Philippe Rinkenbach (Luxury Natural Hair Cosmetic) - Sandie Tiziano-Schaer (Biotic-Phocea) - Rehana Osmany Ichou (Parfum Christian Dior) - Fabien Durand (Alban Muller) - Claire Frelin (Léa Nature) - Michèle Evrard (M.E SkinLab) - Marlène de Matos (Berkem) - Jean-Claude Deneuville (Cosmotec Consulting) - Frédéric Airoldi (Cabinet Continental) - Bertrand Schmitt (L'Oréal) - Sarah Piotrowski (Joone) - Géraldine Archambault (Essential Parfums) - Olivier Decazes (Shiseido) - Stéphanie Goanvic Dabin (Entre Terre et Mer) - Salem Ghezaili (Le Rouge Fran?ais) - Leslie Placide (Ariland) - Nabila Chemillier (L'Oda?tès) - Corinne Rodriguez (Labosphère) - Daniela Azevedo (AB Sources) - Laurence Bacilieri (Cosmetic Resources) - Jean-Claude Le Joliff (INN2C) - Eleonora L'Hoir Cattaneo (Elemat France) - Shirley Billot (Kadalys) - Charline Combes (L'Occitane) - Nestor Caffa (Kaliom) - Fabrice de Panthou (Health & Beauty Innovation) - Fidji Briand (Odycea) - Pascal Guesdon (Kokwa?) - Francine Leal Franco (GSS Sustainability) - Mickeal Blais (MBL Sustainability) - Stéphanie Gastaldin (Linaé) - Cyril Gombert (La Lavandière en Provence) - Nicolas Chausson (Velecta Paramount) - Stéphanie Reymond (Efferv&Science) - Manal Salah (Les Candides)