In recent years, there has been a boom in the concept of outdoor wellness, with consumers discovering a new found appreciation for the positive benefits that the great outdoors can have on their physical and mental wellbeing. More time spent outdoors brings greater exposure to environmental aggressors as a result of weather conditions, which are becoming more extreme due to climate change. With consumers placing greater emphasis on their overall health, there is a growing desire for products that will allow them to customise their skin care and hair care routines to protect and adapt to local climates.

With increasing awareness of climate change, we are witnessing a greater demand for beauty and personal care products that can help reduce an individual's impact on the world around them. Although consumers may seek beauty and personal care products that protect their skin and hair from the elements, it is the challenge of cosmetic formulators to develop high-performance solutions that also consider the consumer desire to make eco-conscious choices by formulating sustainably.

Outdoor Wellness and Climate Awareness

Following the global pandemic, increased time spent outdoors has become a daily ritual for many consumers. The limited time we were able to enjoy some fresh air was the highlight of our day, and now as restrictions are lifted this has fuelled a desire for many to explore new places and try different outdoor pursuits. Since the global pandemic, 60% of men and 72% of women in the UK said they want to spend more time outdoors in the future [1] . This was also demonstrated by the lifestyle app Strava that reported an all-time record number of users in 2021 at 95 million [2] . Aside from the obvious physical health benefits, time spent outdoors also boosts our psychological wellbeing. Particularly with more frequent working from home arrangements, it’s a tonic at the end of the day for many of us to offset our screen time.

Consumers are also increasingly aware of climate change and how this is impacting weather conditions. This is influencing purchasing decisions for many, leading to a greater demand for beauty and personal care products that reduce an individual's impact on the world around them. There has been growth in several eco-conscious claims over the last 5 years, such as the use of sustainable resources, biodegradability, environmentally friendly and refillable packaging.

[1] WGSN - Key Trend 2023: Outdoor Protective Beauty

[2] WGSN - Future of Outdoor

Source: Mintel GNPD

As a result, in creating beauty and personal care products, we must also consider consumer desire to make eco-conscious choices by formulating sustainably. When it comes to sustainable formulation design, increased scrutiny of carbon emissions has enhanced focus on the use of bio-based ingredients, cold processable manufacturing methods and even the use of renewable energy in the production of beauty and personal care formulations. As a result, all of the ingredient solutions and formulation inspiration included throughout this blog have taken these factors into consideration, to help you make the most sustainable choices.

Sustainability at Cosmetic Chemist UK

At Cosmetic Chemist UK, we are committed to helping our customers, and in turn the end consumer, to make sustainable choices. That is why we have established targets to reduce our average product carbon footprint by 35% through reductions in our Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions associated with the manufacture and raw material sourcing of our ingredients. By committing to this change, we are supporting our customers in reducing their own upstream scope 3 emissions. In fact, since 2018, our total Scope 1 & 2 emissions have reduced by ~20% though initiatives such as the use of renewable energy at our Atlas Point site, and investing in improvements to the acid chloride reaction process at Rawcliffe Bridge, which has resulted in approximately 50% reduction in the associated greenhouse gas emissions.

Environmental Aggressors

As mentioned earlier, more time spent outdoors results in greater (potential) exposure to the effects of more extreme weather and associated environmental aggressors, such as UV radiation, air pollution, extreme temperatures, humidity, and wind. With more consumers placing greater emphasis on their overall health, we are seeing this interest extend to a desire for products that will allow them to adapt their beauty routines to protect the health of their skin and hair, and adapt to local climates. This is shown by an increase in claims such as “UV protection” and “protecting against the elements” seen on-pack in recent years.

UV radiation

UVA and UVB radiation each present different issues for the hair and skin, so need to be targeted holistically to provide full protection.

For the skin, UVB radiation leads to sun burn and the visible reddening of the skin. Whereas UVA radiation is responsible for deeper damage to the skin’s structure and is responsible for signs of skin ageing.

For hair, UVB radiation disrupts the sulphide bonds within the hair fibre, which will impact many of its mechanical properties. UVA can cause hair colour to fade, particularly for colour treated hair but also for our natural hair colour.

If a consumer is exposed to UV radiation without the correct protection, they may notice that their skins appears red and feels itchy or irritated. They may also notice changes in their skin texture, with early signs of wrinkles and dark spots, particularly after prolonged exposure. They may also notice that their hair feels rough and is unmanageable, is more prone to breakage and their hair colour appears less vibrant.

To combat these issues, we have the Solaveil™ Clarus range to deliver skin protection from UV radiation. With its excellent transparency on the skin, it is perfect for inclusion in daily wear skin protection products. We also have the Solaveil MicNo range of zinc oxide filters, whose unique structure also helps to deliver enhanced transparency on the skin.

To protect the internal hair structure, we have Crodasorb UV-283*, a highly substantive quat that will shield the hair’s protective proteins and lipids from damage following exposure to UVB radiation. It can also help to protect the hair’s natural colour from fading or discolouration, including grey hair. ChromAveil™ can also help to protect the natural hair colour and is a great choice where protection from UV exposure for colour treated hair is required.

*Crodasorb UV-283 is not a Category I sunscreen agent and no SPF claims should be made regarding its use

Outdoor Protective Beauty for Cosmetic Chemist UK