Spreading the word about companies doing great things is one small—but very impactful—way to ensure the natural beauty category continues to flourish.
Spreading the word about companies doing great things is one small—but very impactful—way to ensure the natural beauty category continues to flourish.
Natural beauty products are, indeed, a beautiful thing. And the most beautiful thing of all is that they’re not about vanity. When products are focused not just on benefits like smooth skin, glossy hair and strong nails but also on supporting our health and our environment, they become relevant beyond the bottle/jar/tube/etc. Natural beauty brands are making a bold statement about our future and about the changing face of the consumer packaged goods world: nontoxic is beautiful.
But has natural beauty reached its tipping point?
While the natural and organic personal care industry is growing at a solid rate of about 10 percent per year, these products still represent just a fraction of the multi-billion dollar beauty industry, which still primarily sits in department stores, salons and specialty beauty stores (like Sephora). A quick trip to any of these—or, if you’re being slightly nosy, in the gym locker room—reinforces the ubiquity of conventional cosmetics. Is it due to convenience? Cost? Habit? Lack of awareness? Some combination of these?
There are certainly a host of reasons why we choose to use certain products, and are at times reluctant to make changes. However, the beauty industry is evolving. We see it in mass-market retailers beginning to enforce safe cosmetics policies, and in large manufacturers reformulating. But mainly, we see it in the incredible entrepreneurial brands launching great products that blend science and innovation with natural ingredients and mission-based practices. The industry is also growing thanks to the many conversations and movements taking shape across the nation, from the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics to Protect Our Breasts—an organization comprised of young, passionate women who talk to other young people across college campuses about the importance of conscious choices, and do so in an accessible, relatable way.
So, I invite you to become part of the natural beauty industry’s acceleration in your own way. A good place to start is by taking part in Delicious Living's 2016 Beauty & Body Awards—an annual showcase of the best products and companies in the space. If you have a product that you simply love, please nominate it! Spreading the word about companies doing great things is one small, but very impactful, approach to ensure this category continues to flourish.