by Deanna Utroske

Technology is rapidly expanding what’s possible in the cosmetic and personal care industry. Innovations in beauty tech translate into personalized experiences and enhanced product efficacy for consumers at home. And instrumental assessment tools as well as treatment technologies that support dermatologists, medi-spa practitioners, and aesthetic centers are revolutionizing the client experience.

We loved Eva Lagarde’s recent article titled, “The Year of Renewal for Sustainable Packaging”, published in February 2023’s edition of Beauty Innovation Packaging magazine, where the founder of the consulting and training company Re-Sources outlines her five top trends for the year.

1 Keepsake packaging is her first trend. Levelling up from disposable transportation device, packaging will become smart art. Guerlain, Hourglass and Byredo are examples of brands who have invested more in packaging creation, and today’s brands will add smart features, like design-for-recycling and embedding digital information.

2 Lagarde next highlights conserving water, citing moving to closed loop pulp and paper making as an option. She also highlights a continued rise in waterless product formulas; check out brands like Susteau, Neo by Nature, KateMcLeod and Yodi Beauty. Meanwhile, dispensers for powder or solid products will become more sophisticated, turning to pharma-style tablet packaging, glass jars or rigid plastic boxes.

3 Low carbon and PCR materials are her third trend, with safe and food-grade packaging inspiring new technologies. Established brands L’Oreal and Unilever, partnered with Lanzatech, and Canadian company OCO, partnered with Element packaging, are successfully creating innovative beauty industry quality packaging with reduced carbon dioxide emissions.

4 Fourth is Biotechs, using micro-organisms to create packaging. Using mycelium, algae and bacteria, for example, are hampered by water interaction issues. Companies to watch, however, include Eranova using seaweed, and Ecovative using mushrooms. Replacing petrochemical ingredients with biotech in product formulas is also on trend.

5 Finally, Lagarde mentions the use of recycled and upcycled materials. It is anticipated it will be years before it becomes fully effective and mainstream as regulations mount, and the new European Green Deal underlines the essential avoidance of waste in products, materials and energy.

Halal Beauty can be defined by the range of cosmetics that obtained a local halal certification, in respect of strict religious rules and regulations, such as the absence of « haram » ingredients like pig, animal’s blood or alcohol. 

However, this definition can be broadened as most halal brands also adopt a more comprehensive ethical positioning including BPOM certification (Indonesia), vegan and cruelty-free claims, natural/botanical ingredients, inclusivity and local pride. 

Let us take a look at the Indonesian market where halal certification is becoming mandatory by 2026. Interestingly, it is not so much the certification that will be sought after by the consumers (since it will be required anyway), but the values shared by the brands as well as the growing importance of supporting local beauty for consumers. 

When it comes to halal beauty, one should of course consider the different implications of the religion in everyday life, and how it impacts the beauty routine. Key insights to keep in mind are: prayers 5 times a day implicating ritual ablutions and the impact on makeup (removing or staying ?), wearing of the hijab for most Muslim women in the region (and impact on haircare), the importance of Ramadan both in terms of change in beauty habits and seasonal gifting moment, just to name a few…

However, Halal beauty trends, or to use a broader term « Muslimah beauty », should not be understood only in the regards of religious practice, but more largely as the tendencies adopted by these consumers and brands in the region and their evolution in terms of concerns, routines and gestures.

 A case in point to illustrate this is the boom of sun care in Southeast Asia, with a vast array of formats and benefits. This segment will take into consideration the local climate which is very hot and humid, hence adopting light and cooling textures, but also the importance of format to be easily reapplied especially after prayers (stick, mists), as well as the large spectrum of skin tones and the mandatory « no white cast » formula. Most UV protection category is not only halal-certified but dermatology-tested and non-comedogenic as acne is a major concern for SEA consumers. 

Our presentation will be a structured analysis on Halal Beauty Trends and their evolution in S.E.A; with key insights illustrated by the most interesting product launches and futures directions for the market. 

Starting by introducing the halal beauty requirements, the presentation will then be a deep dive into 3 directions: the shift from makeup to skincare addiction with the new healthy skin obsession and the renewed concerns of acne, skin barrier and brightening, the rise of climate-adapted beauty from locked-in makeup to new benefits and formats; and last the different aspects of religious compliance / Muslim-friendly cosmetics from makeup to haircare. In our conclusion we will be sharing the next key directions for halal beauty in South East Asia in the coming years. 

If you wish to attend please register at Cosmoprof Asia and sign up for the seminar: 

https://www.cosmoprof-asia.com/cosmotalks-halal-beauty-trends-evolution-in-s-e-a/