Botanical Actives Outpace Other Specialty Actives in Personal Care

Kline & Company has reported that botanical actives are outpacing other specialty actives in growth in the United States and Europe. According to Specialty Actives and Active Delivery Systems for Personal Care 2008: U.S. and Europe, while botanical consumption grew nearly 8%, other specialty actives grew only 5.4%. The reason behind the growth—an aging population and a move to more natural ingredients.

The use of botanicals in personal care formulations is strengthened by the natural trend. The move from synthetic ingredients to more natural ingredients has increased and should now be regarded as an established growth driver, which has benefited botanicals above all. If a synthetic product and a botanical are offering the same functionality and efficiency, the botanical active will be the formulator’s first choice, according to the report.

Changing demographics, with an aging population in the United States and Europe, will also promote growth in botanical consumption in the antiaging segment. Botanical suppliers, in order to compete with existing formulations, are promoting their products as more effective at lower levels, when compared to for example vitamins, making the botanical actives comparable in price on a cost-performance basis.

More in Natural/Sustainable