The bioeconomy provides the cosmetics sector with an abundance of sustainable ingredients that will ultimately improve the performance and environmental impact of products.

Bio-based ingredients are derived from plants and genetically modified microorganisms, such as yeast and bacteria. Common bio-based ingredients include oleoresin, essential oils, and other plant extracts. Bio-based ingredients can be extracted using various techniques, including cold pressing or compression, steam distillation, or solvent extraction.

For manufacturers, bio-based cosmetics are a very lucrative business opportunity. This industry blossomed over the past century and now accounts for billions of dollars in revenue. New products are hitting the market every day, meaning that demand for research and development will be extremely high.

Nature → Petrol → Nature

The world is going back to nature to get their products and food, and the journey has been circular. Earlier, the products were created from natural elements such as plants and soil.

It is historically true that cosmetic ingredients have always been natural, but many more options opened up with the advent of petrochemicals. Now crude oil brings manufacturers a host of readily available hydrocarbons that can be refined into chemicals with specific properties, creating more efficient processes overall. Crude oil's abundance and improved process make it cheaper.

More and more consumers are becoming aware of the environmental costs of extracting crude oil compared to renewable options, resulting in a shift within the consumption patterns of product manufacturers. They are moving away from crude oil, which is being used as an ingredient for their products, and are instead switching to biobased options, which are less damaging to the environment.

Sustainable Cosmetic Ingredients

Cosmetics developers worldwide are hunting down and developing new ingredients in various ways, finding inspiration, looking for solutions to complex problems. There are lots of different sustainable sources available, including:

1. Natural oils: Palm and coconut oils are often used to derive fatty alcohols, which are used to create chemical surfactants. Other oils such as argan oil and avocado oil are regularly found in shampoos, conditioners, soaps, or lotions as moisturizers. Glycerine produced from palm kernel oil is a common ingredient in manufactured goods such as toothpaste and soap, where it acts as an emollient.

2. Bacteria: One example of a potentially renewable resource is Deinococcus bacteria. The bacteria is being studied as it produces pigments and aromatic products. Deinococcus has a potential market value of hundreds of millions of dollars for the cosmetic industry.

3. Plants: Soybeans, corn, and other agricultural plants are used repeatedly throughout the cosmetic industry to produce oils and alcohol. Biocatalysts, used as emulsifiers and surfactants manufactured from crops, can be acquired cheaply and sustainably, so they're a cheaper alternative to petroleum-based natural ingredients.

Environment- and Health-Damaging Unsustainable Cosmetic Ingredients

Some of the ingredients responsible for damaging health and the environment are:

1. BHT and BHA
2. Formaldehyde-releasing preservatives
3. Coal tar dyes
4. Dibutyl phthalate
5. Aluminum

Benefits of Producing Sustainable Cosmetics

Making environmentally responsible products doesn't mean sacrificing quality or profitability. Being able to do the right thing for both the public and the planet can genuinely help prove the quality of a brand. There are very successful companies that have gone green and seen incredible profits as a result.

Below are the main benefits of producing sustainable cosmetics:

1. Enhanced brand reputation
2. Increased corporate responsibility
3. Improved product quality
4. Reduced/ eliminated toxicity from products
5. Demonstration of a brand's social awareness and responsibility
6. Positive green marketing
7. More respect from customers

Bio-Based Cosmetics and Personal Care Ingredients Industry Overview

The shift in consumer attitude (triggered by the harmful effects of chemical products and the myriad living organisms they harm) toward accepting new forms of bio-based ingredients and methods for manufacturing them is expected to boost the bio-based cosmetics and personal care ingredients market.

As a result, multiple cosmetics companies are gradually switching to increasing organic and natural ingredients. Natural cosmetics products are a better alternative than petroleum-based makeup because they generate fewer carbon emissions and are non-toxic.

The global bio-based cosmetics and personal care ingredients market was estimated at $4,679.33 million in 2021 and is expected to reach $8,122.74 million by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 5.67% during the forecast period 2021-2031.

North America and Europe hold significant shares in the global bio-based cosmetics and personal care ingredients market. North America is currently the largest revenue-generating region in the bio-based cosmetics and personal care ingredients market.

Asia-Pacific is presently growing at the fastest CAGR in the bio-based cosmetics and personal care ingredients market.