If you look at the figures from the German Cosmetic, Toiletry, Perfumery and Detergent Association (IKW), the volume of cosmetics sold to women and men is continuously increasing. Even the coronavirus crisis has clearly not affected this trend. The trend is expected to continue in the future. However, the range of products and treatments on offer is subject to constant change. What can we expect in detail?
Technological innovations
New technologies are receiving a great deal of attention, whereby a distinction must be made between verbal, purely marketing and substantial innovations. The former includes, for example, exosomes, which are vesicles that contain cell components and information and transport these in the form of proteins and nucleic acids from cells to other locations within living organisms. They are naturally components of plant preparations. This is not really new, but it shows that the physical properties of cosmetics, here in the form of small particles, undoubtedly continue to play a major role now and in the future. The reason for this is to optimise the availability of active ingredients of both plant and other origins. Technological innovations also include the optimised accessibility of natural substances through chemical synthesis.
On closer inspection, the actual innovations are sometimes years in the past and only see their implementation accelerated into the future after a slow start – as can be seen, for example, with lamellar, preservative-free or anhydrous preparations.1
Fashion trends
Cosmetics follow fashion trends. This applies not only to the deco sector, which changes both seasonally in the short term and in the medium term in a roughly three-year rhythm, but also to treatment trends that are sometimes associated with aesthetic, physical change requests. This is because small and large aesthetic "modelling" procedures are booming. Accordingly, the importance of preventive, adjuvant and aftercare are growing in equal measure.
Cosmetic institutes should be aware of this in order to be able to carry out synergistic treatments and make suitable recommendations. The focus here is on anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, astringent, barrier-active, regenerative and anti-hyperpigmentation substances in the form of serums or processed in creams.2
Cultural influences
Culture, i.e. how we treat our bodies individually, changes almost imperceptibly but continuously and only becomes visible in its effects over longer periods of time. One example is the increase in hygiene behaviour. It is an open secret that the immunisation of young children in particular suffers if this is exaggerated. The continuing increase in allergies and dermal sensitivities such as atopic skin are statistically proven.
In this context, reference is often made to aggressive environmental influences, aka exposomes, and preparations that protect against them. The fact is, however, that looking back into the past the actual exposure is decreasing more and more, especially in Europe. In cosmetic terms, preparations that act against the exposome are nothing more than applied skin protection, which has, however, changed over the last two decades. The original philosophy of an occlusive protective shield has given way to a balance between barrier integrity and maximised regenerative capacity. However, it is clear that the complete realisation of the associated findings in practice will take some time. The focus of pure skin protection is still on the occupational sector.
Pollutants
In this context, not a day will go by in the future without the media drawing attention to new harmful substances within the exposome issue, including their occurrence in cosmetic products.
These reports are either based on specific product tests or fundamental scientific studies. Many of them have one thing in common: they create uncertainty, but are usually of no real significance, as concentrations and their availability are regularly ignored in the excitement. Paracelsus already knew better: only the dosage, aka concentration, makes a substance a poison.
Here are some examples from the past. Porcelain clay (kaolin) is a common component of mineral masks and make-up. It practically always contains lead, but this is not released. Blue light, emitted by mobile phones or similar devices, produces radicals whose concentration is negligible compared to other daily sources.
On the other hand, legal and regulatory stipulations regarding restrictions and bans on substances, as well as treatment techniques, follow scientific findings with a delay. Here are two examples: Diethyl Phthalate (plasticiser) is still part of the Alcohol Denat.3 (INCI), while Dihexyl Phthalate (also a plasticiser) has recently hit the media headlines as an impurity of the UV filter Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate (INCI) in the ppm range. Asbestos content in talc is also making the rounds again and again, although all (!) mineral respirable particles are a problem, not just the asbestos they may contain.
In order to be able to categorise such information correctly, it is desirable that all those involved are even better trained in the future.
Science
Scientific knowledge, particularly on the biochemical processes in the skin and dermal biophysics, is developing rapidly. They have an influence on the use of old and new active ingredients, their concentrations and their packaging in suitable bases. The microbiome, which until a few years ago led a shadowy existence, has emerged as a key to the compatibility of cosmetics. More and more products that integrate seamlessly into the physiological processes and do not require additives will become established. They then fulfil the requirements of both the epidermis and the microbiome. In particular, easily degradable, increasingly anhydrous preparations that are applied in low doses are in the foreground.
Active ingredients
One topic that constantly moves the industry is the active ingredients of the future. It can be assumed that the trend towards substances that induce, accelerate, slow down or block specific biochemical reactions will continue. This involves, for example, influencing the collagen and hyaluronic acid balance or utilising anti-inflammatory metabolites of natural substances. Metabolites are often synthetically accessible and have already proved to be more elegant and effective in the past than the isolation of the actual natural substances such as growth factors.
The further perfection of radiation protection is a perennial issue – although marketing exaggerations that neglect the body's own protective mechanisms cannot be ruled out.
In terms of molecular structure, fatty acid derivatives4 and oligopeptides will continue to lead the way. However, cell components from the group of phospholipids5 and nucleotides will also remain in focus. In terms of maximising the availability of active ingredients, the replacement of physiological penetration enhancers will increase.
There will certainly be other competitors among the established active ingredients, such as antioxidants. However, they are more likely to be used for marketing purposes, as their function can be assumed to be known by users and they are advertised as increasing their numerical effectiveness. In terms of substance and science, however, they can be categorised as rather uninteresting.
Cosmeceuticals
The use and categorisation of cosmetic and pharmaceutical active ingredients is increasingly crossing boundaries. The establishment and further development of the class of cosmeceuticals is a typical example of a niche development. With regard to any side effects that may arise, physiological compatibility and assessment within the safety report required by the Cosmetics Regulation will become increasingly important. Examples include antimycotics used to treat dandruff, azelaic acid (acne, rosacea) and tranexamic acid (hyperpigmentation).
Food supplements
In the past, dietary supplements were more of a supplementary sales offer, but they are becoming increasingly important from the point of view of "target organ skin" in oral administration, even if most efficacy studies are still of dubious value today, as they appear to be scientific but are not.
Ecology
Ecological conditions are changing locally and globally. The production and supply chains of cosmetic ingredients are increasingly playing a role in this. Prospectively, it can be assumed that there will be increasing restrictions, stricter import regulations and thus an inevitable switch to substitutes.
In other words, the question arises as to which ingredients in cosmetics are sustainable. The main issue here is to avoid monocultures in cultivation, which harm the diversity of plants and native fauna as well as the climate. The focus will increasingly be on oils, fats and their by-products that arise during their extraction. It is primarily the task of cosmetics developers to deal with this intensively.6
Pricing and distribution channels
The cost of producing and distributing cosmetics continues to rise and, together with the annual inflation rate, is placing an increasing burden on consumers. This trend, together with individual minimalist goals, is leading to an increased focus on the sustainability and long-term effectiveness of cosmetics.
With regard to beauty salons, parallel online shops are being established by manufacturers on the one hand and beauty salons and dermatological (combined) practices on the other. This is associated with stronger online competition and a reduction in personalised advice through sales talks and institute treatments.
Despite an increasing online presence, or perhaps precisely because of this, the personalisation of preparations and treatments is becoming a decisive factor in the future viability of institutes. The focus on niches in the dermatological field by means of special private label formulations also contributes to this.
The promotional component in the form of seals is increasingly being used to make it easier for consumers to make a decision. However, the more critical among them are increasingly realising that the seals are primarily a marketing tool for sale.
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence algorithms are increasingly influencing all areas of cosmetics, starting with skin analysis. In addition to intelligent software solutions in which preparations correlate with skin conditions, there are no self-learning constructions to date, although this would be particularly desirable for modular systems in personalised skincare. This is due to the fact that, on the one hand, the necessary data on individual substances is lacking and, on the other hand, their combinations involve complex interactions. We therefore have to rely on estimates, which will presumably become more accurate over time. This means that humans are still required to learn and then transfer the results to the machine – i.e. the software. It is particularly important to prevent subjective and hidden marketing influences.
The correlation of genetic analyses with treatment concepts is also still in its infancy and is not yet yielding any substantially usable results.
References
- H. Lautenschläger, Die Haut und ihre Pflege – Physiologie und Chemie im Einklang? Chemie in unserer Zeit, 2021, 55 (5), 306-319
- H. Lautenschläger, Synergieeffekte: Vor- und Nachsorge bei ästhetischen Eingriffen, Beauty Forum 2024 (9), 94-96
- https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diethylphthalat
- H. Lautenschläger, Langweilig oder spannend? Eine Reise durch die Fettsäure-Chemie der Haut, Chemie in unserer Zeit, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ciuz.202400008 (8. November 2024)
- H. Lautenschläger, Trend zu physiologischen Inhaltsstoffen – Phosphatidylserin in der Hautpflege, Chemie in unserer Zeit 2024, 58 (5), 93-97
- H. Lautenschläger, Das grüne Labor, Beauty Forum 2023 (7), 68-69
Dr Hans Lautenschläger
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