Sustainability has become a buzzword in the beauty industry, and for good reason. The skincare sector, in particular, has a monumental impact on our environment due to various factors, like the extraction of raw materials and notoriously wasteful packaging. The good news is that consumers have become more conscious of their carbon footprint and brands are beginning to adopt more eco-responsible business practices in response. Thanks to modern technology, which has been instrumental in propelling this movement forward, the beauty industry has made impressive strides to become more sustainable over the last several years. From waterless formulas to in-store recycling programs and refillable packaging, the collective effort to change the shape of the industry for the better continues to evolve.
One of the most significant challenges facing the skincare industry is the sustainable sourcing of ingredients. Many products rely on plant-based materials, which can require large amounts of land, water, and energy to cultivate. Conventional farming practices can have severe environmental consequences, including soil degradation, water pollution, and the loss of biodiversity. To combat these issues, personal care companies have started to reconsider their procurement process, opting for raw materials that are sourced more mindfully.
Twincraft’s latest collection of innovation concepts showcases two different approaches to sustainable formulation: biotechnology and upcycling. The former refers to the process of growing cultures of plant cells or other living matter, which are identical in biological composition to their natural counterpart to create a synthetic version that doesn't rely on traditional harvesting methods. Although Biotech Beauty has been trending as of late, synthesizing ingredients in a lab rather than sourcing them naturally isn’t necessarily new to the industry. In fact, many ingredients that we know and love, like Niacinamide, Vitamin C, Hyaluronic Acid, Peptides, and Panthenol (just to name a few) fall within this category. Upcycled beauty refers to the practice of repurposing ingredients or utilizing manufacturing byproducts to create a more circular supply chain in order to reduce waste and promote new uses for materials that might otherwise be discarded. These methodologies are part of a larger framework of sustainable practices that a company might use to improve their environmental influence.
Our Product Innovation Team has developed five skincare products that feature both safe synthetics and upcycled actives. The first is our Reset Cleanser, which uses a fermented surfactant to gently dissolve dirt, oil, and debris without stripping your skin. This mild cleanser also functions as a prebiotic to support the health of the microbiome. Get Even Solid Toner offers a unique user experience, providing all of the benefits of a hydrating and balancing toner in a solid format for easy, swipeable application. This product showcases popular biotech ingredients such as Niacinamide, Panthenol, and Squalane sourced from sugarcane. Safeguard yourself from UV damage, pollution, and other environmental stressors with Save the Day Moisturizer, a lightweight lotion that uses upcycled olives and hydroponically grown kale sprouts to preserve and protect the health of your skin. Nightly Nourish is a rich, reparative cream that pairs firming peptides with a lab-grown extract of the Butterfly Lavender plant to plump skin. Finally, we round things out with Wide Awake, a silky eye gel that hydrates and brightens using an extract from the Provins Rose, sustainably grown on a family-owned farm in France.
Connect with a member of our Sales team to learn more about Twincraft's sustainability initiatives and discover the rest of our Spring collection!
