Not so Natural after all; beauty brands make a dash for an organic lifestyle

First, it was organic food and now it’s organic skincare products — no wait!, it’s no longer organic, rather ‘Natural’ is the keyword. In fact, even Google’s SEO has picked up the word very naturally so much so that at the click of one button there is an absolute overdose of so-called natural beauty products. Interestingly, the tag is not only used by start-ups that have entered the cosmic — apologies… the cosmetic world — but by international brands as well — with a tad difference that here the focus is on the word, ‘Sustainability’. L’Oreal is moving it’s brand Garnier’s towards being a sustainable product and by the end of 2o22, the labels on the product will display the impact on the environment.

Sample this: According to the market research firm, Grand View Research, the global organic skincare market was valued at $ 3.56 billion in 2015. Rising demand for organic body lotions, sunscreens, and face creams is expected to drive the growth, stated the report. Moreover, the global natural skincare products market was valued at $10.84 billion in 2019, is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.0% from 2020 to 2027. Growing concerns regarding the side effects of chemicals on the skin, causing skin irritation, allergies, and skin dullness, have been one of the key factors fueling the market growth.

In India, there are a bunch of companies starting from NatHabit to MamaEarth, WOW Skin Science are some of the names. Not to mention, brands like Biotque and Lotus have expanded offerings under natural products. And of course, then there is Khadi — one of the oldest homegrown natural brands. So what does it actually mean to be a natural product? These brands largely try to address concerns around the impact of usage of make-up and chemicals on the skin, besides — this allows them to opt for a premium positioning — thereby asking more for consumers when it comes to price. Interestingly, when it comes to advertising and marketing, these have followed the old formula of being ‘exclusive’ — which in this case means mainly the companies mostly advertise on social media platforms such as Instagram to build popularity as well as e-commerce platforms — which beefs up discoverability. The consumer searches for organic face wash — names of some of the brands always pop-up.

Interestingly, the distribution of these products is also controlled. Most of these begin their journey as direct-to-consumer brands — thereby ensuring that customers line up on their website to place an order, post which it is delivered directly. Once, the pole position is acquired — these products are sold through various brick-and-mortar stores including pharmacies. Amidst all this one thing is for sure — with more and more asking for the natural touch, brands will surely use this wagon for a while.

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