The Future of Biotech in Beauty: Redefining 'Natural'

While biotechnology (shortened: biotech) is often seen as high-tech or artificial, it actually plays a pivotal role in developing sustainable and innovative beauty products, potentially challenging traditional ideas of what is "natural"

But first: What is biotech? The Cambridge Dictionary defines biotechnology as "the use of living things, especially cells and bacteria, in industrial processes". In other words: technology based on biology. This field leverages cellular and biomolecular processes to create products that enhance our lives and benefit the health of our planet. For the beauty industry, this can mean formulating with techniques like fermentation, tissue culture, GMOs, cell cultures, and artificial intelligence. Biotech can be used for lab-grown natural ingredients (e.g., cultured stem cells from plants), or used to create sustainable alternatives, like algae-derived compounds or bioengineered peptides. Biotech can offer new possibilities for safe, effective, and sustainable beauty products.

👉 Lets have a closer look at fermented ingredients. This process involves the natural transformation of a substance through the action of bacteria, fungi, plant cell cultures, or enzymes. Fermentation is a staple in biotechnology, celebrated for its simplicity and the fact that humanity has harnessed this technique for centuries — think wine, bread, and cheese. Since it relies on microorganisms to create these products, it can be viewed as a natural method. It uses existing biological systems without altering their fundamental genetic structure in a lab.

A prime example from the personal care industry is hyaluronic acid: while it can be sourced from animal tissue (rooster combs in particular), obtaining it through microbial fermentation is generally considered more sustainable^1.

Biotech's unique position between natural and synthetic

The first question we need to address is what consumers perceive as "natural" when it comes to beauty and personal care products. Unfortunately, there is no official, standardized definition for natural cosmetics. In the EU, terms like "natural", "natural origin", and "organic" are treated as marketing claims rather than regulated categories. While these claims are subject to the Cosmetic Regulation's general rules — ensuring they are verifiable and not misleading — there are no specific, harmonized criteria or labels that define what makes a cosmetic product "natural" or "organic". However, certifications like NATRUE, ISO 16128, and COSMOS offer their own criteria for what qualifies as natural, providing guidance for both brands and consumers.

Generally speaking, it is expected that natural products consist of ingredients that are minimally processed and directly derived from nature. Ingredients with a natural origin, that is to say, ingredients that are derived from natural sources but may have undergone processing (e.g., plant-based ingredients altered for stability or performance), are usually still considered "natural".

"Synthetic" ingredients receive more skepticism: often regarded as less than their natural counterparts, these have the reputation of being harmful to both our health and the environment. These ingredients are completely lab-created that may mimic natural compounds, but still in their essence are "unnatural".

Doubt and skepticism often lead to misconceptions. This also applies to natural ingredients; just because something is natural, doesn't mean that it is superior or safer than synthetic options. Additionally, natural ingredients aren't always the most effective or ethical choice.

Biotechnology is able to occupy a unique space between natural and synthetic. It can be considered natural, because it utilizes biological processes; yet also as synthetic, as it is often created in laboratories using advanced technologies.

👉 Covalo Watch Tip: Together with Essencia, we delved into the harmony of natural and synthetic scents. Is "natural" always synonymous with sustainability? Should we really be avoiding "synthetic" ingredients? Click here to find out!

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Does biotech fit the "natural" trend?

While the increase in interest for natural products seems like it's fueling a more sustainable approach, it can also strain the environment. It is not realistic to think that natural resources are everlasting — for example, the production of essential oils is quite resource-intensive. It takes roughly 10.000 roses to produce one 15ml bottle of rose essential oil. In addition, some of the species harvested for the creation of essential oils are listed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species — like sandalwood, rosewood, and cederwood, to name a few.²

Another example is palm oil: even though it is a versatile and inexpensive vegetable oil found in various personal care and cosmetic products, its production has led to widespread deforestation, habitat destruction, and increased greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to climate change.³

While natural ingredients are often marketed as sustainable, many have hidden environmental and ethical costs. Sourcing, farming practices, and demand can make even these ingredients unsustainable if not managed properly. Sustainability in beauty products depends not only on the ingredient's origin, but also on how it's sourced, harvested, and processed. Biotech ingredients can reduce these environmental impacts. But biotech even takes it a step further by allowing for precision and control, creating ingredients that are often purer, safer, and more stable than their natural counterparts.

The future of biotech in the personal care industry

You could say that biotech is creating nature in the lab. Imagine this: ingredients that are identical to nature, or even enhancing natural ingredients' performances. What's not to love here?

But, as mentioned above, consumers still perceive lab-grown ingredients as unsafe, harming their health and the planet. On the other hand, "natural" formulations have gained the trust of consumers, because they come with the promise of a greener future. The beauty industry will need to shift consumer perceptions, positioning biotech as a sustainable, ethical, and even "more natural" way of producing beauty ingredients. This means that biotech does come with challenges for brands: bridging the communication gap between technical innovations and consumer expectations around natural beauty.

The key is to keep educating consumers: the importance of transparency comes into play here, as well as clear labeling to help consumers understand the role of biotech in natural and sustainable beauty.

Biotech is set to both complement and challenge the "natural" trend, offering sustainable solutions without sacrificing innovation. As biotech continues to evolve, the lines between natural, natural origin, and synthetic ingredients will blur, potentially leading to a new era in beauty where "natural" means more than just "directly-derived-from-nature".

👉 Did you know? You can search for trends on Covalo, including the biotech trend! Explore biotech ingredients here

This article is part of our Biotech campaign. Check out our other Biotech content on our landing page! 

References:

1. "Low cost and sustainable hyaluronic acid production in a manufacturing platform based on Bacillus subtilis 3NA strain", Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology. Available online. Accessed 27 September 2024.
2. "The Environmental Impact of Essential Oils", Earth Island Journal. Available online. Accessed 25 September 2024.
3. "Formulation Challenges: The Challenge of a Palm-Free Facial Cream", Covalo. Available online. Accessed 25 September 2024.

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