Pandemic-driven: COVID-19 creates resilient beauty trend and accelerate clean beauty movement in APAC - DSM

Yusuke Saito, director of Personal Care & Aroma Ingredients (APAC) at DSM explained to CosmeticsDesign-Asia​: “It’s the ​emphasis on feeling rather than looking good. This might mean creating a sense of ritual or pampering around skincare and beauty routines to restore inner calm​.

“Or it could mean seeking out scientifically proven solutions or falling back on familiar, trusted ingredients like vitamins, to nurture and enhance immunity and skin​,” he said.

Saito added that the clean beauty movement already gaining momentum in APAC will further accelerate post-pandemic. Brands in South Korea​, Singapore​, India​ are capitalising on this trend.

While there is no universal definition for clean beauty, it mostly associates to claims of being natural, free from artificial additives, cruelty free and non-toxic.

“Consumers are looking for more products which are proven to be safe. With the new habits like frequent hand washing and wearing of mask, we also saw problems popping up like acne caused by wearing face masks and dry skin on hands’ surface caused by increased hand washing​.”

In addition, “the ingredients have to be ethically sourced and safe for the people and environment​.”

In September 2020, DSM released its microbiome-friendly, multifunctional natural ingredient (TILAMAR PDO with NØØVISTA) which is biodegradable and 100% bio-sourced from non-GMO and palm-oil free feedstock.

It can act as a preservative booster, a skin humectant, sensory enhancer, solvent and actives carrier.

Saito said: “The quality of our 1,3-propandiol is also rated as the best quality in terms of smell which fits customers who are seeking for ingredient with less odour. This is definitely in line with the clean beauty trend that we are seeing now​.”

Application centre​

On the back of these trends, DSM Personal Care & Aroma Ingredients recently opened its Asia Pacific Application Centre in Singapore.

The application centre will provide formulation, product application solutions and consultancy services.

Saito said the requirement from Asian consumers varies from country to country, especially when it comes to the texture and sensory of the formulations.

Singapore was an ideal location for the firm, “Being close to our customer is also a main reason why we set up the Asia Pacific Application Centre in Singapore as Singapore houses many big multinational cosmetics brands. The presence of global leading universities, research institutions and associations also allow easy access for business collaboration​.”

The Singapore centre will mainly serve South East Asia, Oceania, Japan, South Korea and India regions.

The company also has an application centre in Shanghai, which has been operational since 2016.

In H1 2021, DSM is planning to launch its digitalised initiative (technical service hotline) where customers can be served virtually, as the pandemic continues to spread globally. “This is especially useful when travel is limited in times like these​.”