Eco boost: Five recent developments in sustainable beauty across APAC

1 – Bring your own water: HK firm develops soluble skin care tablets that pack a punch with prebiotic ingredients

Upcoming beauty brand MONO Skincare has developed a range of microbiome-friendly skin care​ tablets that are activated by dissolving them in room-temperature water.

The brand is currently in its pre-launch stage and offers seven products, including a facial serum and moisturiser, as well as a deodorant.

The minimalist brand focuses on the skin microbiome preserving skin biodiversity. The formulations contain prebiotics to support the skin microbiota, such as preBIULIN AGA.

The company claims that this ingredient hydrates 50% faster, 20% more intensively and 70% longer compared to hyaluronic acid.

2 – Transformative purpose: Cosmetics an ‘incredible platform’ to help First Nations communities thrive

The cosmetics industry has the resources and potential to prevent the loss of First Nations culture​ and knowledge that will ultimately benefit the environment, says one supplier that works closely with these communities.

Native Extracts is an Australian ingredient supplier that claims to have the largest library of native botanical extracts.

In the past few years, the company has observed a huge demand for Australian-made cosmetic products, or A-beauty.

The firm believes that the demand for A-beauty will continue on an upward trajectory on the back of clean beauty and increasing interest in native extracts.

3 – Blue is the new green: How APAC beauty firms are riding the wave towards marine protection

From ethically sourced marine ingredients to waterless formulations, cosmetic companies in Asia Pacific are turning their attention towards marine protection​ on the latest step on their journey towards sustainability.

While green beauty focuses on environmental protection, blue beauty stems from the need to address and correct the ways the industry’s products harm our oceans.

“From ingredient sourcing to responsible packaging, industry leaders that were previously seen as ‘green’ are now making a concerted effort to become ‘blue’. It’s certainly resonating with the sustainability and ethical expectations of consumers. With the oceans covering more than 70% of the Earth’s surface, it comes as no surprise that future leaders are advocating their protection,” ​explained Krutika Sen, business affairs manager of Australian biotech firm Marinova.

She said that the trend, while a global one, is spreading quickly in the APAC region, evidenced by more research into the potential of marine-derived ingredients.

4– ‘A big step’: The Body Shop believes reuse and refill habit will ‘definitely’ become mainstream in Singapore

The Body Shop has begun rolling out in-store refill services in Singapore where it believes the reuse and refill habit will become mainstream​ among beauty consumers.

The Natura-owned company has started to introduce its new in-store refill system en masse across 500 stores globally this year and plans to extend it to 300 stores in 2022.

This is the first phase of a five-year plan to expand the refill program across the globe.

In Singapore, the firm will begin its refill services at two stores in the coming months, starting at ION Orchard and Plaza Singapura Activist Workshop stores in July and August respectively.

5 – Knowledge sharing: Shiseido the first cosmetic company to join sustainable tech sharing platform WIPO GREEN

Shiseido has become the first cosmetics company to join the WIPO GREEN technology platform, which is operated by the World Intellectual Property Organisation to share sustainability solutions​.

The Japanese cosmetics company recently released its second global report on its sustainability progress after laying out its medium-to-long-term targets in its first report last year.

Among its updates, the beauty giant acknowledged that it had begun licensing its environmental technologies through WIPO GREEN.

Established in 2013, WIPO GREEN is an international technology exchange platform established by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).