AsiaSpa — November-December 2017

SpaBeauty

56 AsiaSpa November/December 2017

True beauty means ingredient awareness

Clean Sweep

Writer Emily McCabe

HANDMADE COSMETICS SET WITH HAZELNUT AND MINT;/THINKSTOCK

Knowledge is empowering.

Especially for the sceptic sifting through

the latest beauty must-haves, it can be

challenging to decide which products

to invest in. With inviting colours, shiny

palettes, perfect pigments, beautiful

packaging and savvy marketing with

promises to enhance or solve your skin

issues, it can be a daunting case of

information overload.

No longer news that the cosmetic

industry operates in a complex, sometimes

grey area when it comes to ingredient

regulations, some companies find ways to

include potentially harmful ingredients, or

withhold information entirely, leaving the

consumer feeling confused and duped.

42.7 per cent at the 2017 WWD Beauty

Summit. This reflects a change in consumer

ideals, which businesses increasingly need

to address. Particularly with the influence

of social media, the shift towards natural,

chemical-free products is more evident than

ever before.

Edible Beauty Founder and Naturopath

Anna Mitsios says, “People are becoming

more receptive to hearing about the health

impact of their personal care products.

Over the past five years, people have

become more open to learning about

toxins. Companies can use whatever

adjectives they like when ‘green-washing’

their products. Legally the words ‘pure’

and ‘natural’ are unregulated. For instance,

Though a task in itself to navigate through,

it’s worthwhile better understanding what

we are truly using on a daily basis.

In a recent Forbes article, Marc Rey,

president & CEO of Shiseido Americas,

revealed that traditional make-up was at a

1.3 per cent loss in 2016, while independent

brands saw a consumption increase of

“The average woman

uses 12 products a day

containing up to 168

different chemicals”

~ Katherine Fan