Beauty takes a bigger bite out of nutraceuticals

Roziani Zulkifli

The global consumer trends towards caring for the environment and increased awareness of health have long influenced the direction that cosmetic manufacturers are taking.

The word ‘nutraceutical’ implies food or nourishment and the benefit is that these products offer some wellbeing or restorative advantages.

A nutraceutical might be a supplement-rich dynamic food, such as soybeans or garlic, or it might be a particular part of a food, such as omega-3, which can be sourced from certain seeds and fish.

For years now, we have seen natural ingredients finding their way into finished cosmetic and beauty products, and later flying off the shelves as they increasingly hit the right note with consumers.

From plant extracts to weird and wonderful fruits, consumers want to see more ‘natural’ in their products and this isn’t just to protect the environment.

Thanks to marketing and a deeper understanding of health and wellbeing, this movement plays into the rise of nutraceuticals whereby people seek to benefit their skin and hair via the products they choose – thereby looking after their health and appearance from within and on the outside.

Some even accredit the rise of nutraceuticals to the consumer preference for high-protein diets with natural ingredients.

The last few years have seen a seismic shift in the way people choose to eat and what foods they deem beneficial.

The behaviours of diet, lifestyle and product choices are merging, and manufacturers worldwide are looking to answer this development.

As the industry evolves, there are even possibilities of