This article originally ran in the April 2011 issue of Perfumer & Flavorist magazine.
In a January 2009 issue article, The F&F Horizon: 2009 and Beyond, I predicted “the convergence of health care and nutrition with personal care products and cosmetics is the future. Lines will blur as ingestible products that promote beauty from within enter the market. Consumers are searching for functional products that deliver nutritional, pharmaceutical and beauty benefits.” Two years later, health and wellness continue to be popular buzzwords on consumers’ lips. Now there are a plethora of market products that address consumers’ needs for functional products that promote overall health, wellness and beauty from within. Functional beverages and supplements are the most accepted applications for nutraceuticals, while topical treatments are the preferred delivery method for cosmeceuticals.
Drink To Your Health
There has been a multitude of activity in functional beverage introductions that are marketed based on the benefit they plan to provide consumers. In addition to energy drinks, which is a market of its own, there are a variety of themes, including beauty from within, overall health and well-being, and sleep.
Beauty From Within
In 2005, Scott-Vincent Borba launched Borba Nutraceuticals with products such as Skin Balance Water and Aqua-less Crystalline Drink Mix, which pioneered the commercialization of nutraceutical beverages in the United States. In 2007, Borba joined forces with Anheuser-Busch to distribute and market these nutraceuticals, which were repackaged and relaunched. Jusuru Life Blend launched last year and uses “BioCell Collagen II, a multi-patented joint and skin health nutraceutical that contains a naturally occurring matrix of hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulfate, and hydrolyzed collagen type II.” In 2010, Noah’s Naturals Anti-Aging Beauty Elixir launched as a mass-market competitor sold at food, drug and mass retailers. It is “a daily powder drink that nourishes the skin from the inside out” with a formula that “boasts a new antiwrinkle ingredient called Collactive (a marine-based ingredient composed of marine collagen and elastin peptides found naturally in the skin), as well antioxidant superstars like acai berry, goji berry and pomegranate.” To address the skin’s outer needs, in 2007, Borba created a Cosmeceuticals line, which uses “fiber-knit technology, [that] literally surrounds skin with nutrient-infused ingredients and cosmeceutical-grade fibers.” The increased interest and demand for inside-and-out beauty has led to this year’s Walgreens-exclusive Inside Out Beauty Solutions collection by Borba. It is a lower-priced version of Borba’s topical and ingestible products made affordable for the mass market.
Health and Well-being
Based in California, Neuro Drinks are “made with natural ingredients and recyclable packaging, Neuro is formulated by nutritionists to promote health and well-being.” Last year, Neuro Drinks partnered with Pepsi Cola to distribute the brand on the East Coast. Available in eight variants, each is focused on a benefit, such as Gasm “designed to promote better sexual health;” Sun “to provide all the benefits of Vitamin D without the harmful UV rays of the sun;” and Trim “to promote weight loss.” Tahitian Noni Bioactive Beverages feature vitamins, minerals, electrolytes and iridoids (a class of secondary metabolites), its key bioactive. According to the company, “these iridoids have been linked to over two dozen real health benefits.” The KeepWell beverage was released in the first quarter of 2011 and according to Thilde Peterson, executive vice president, “We are dedicated to helping people maintain the highest level of wellness by combining the incredible resources of Mother Nature with today’s scientific innovations.” Ti Tonics, a New Zealand-based company, recently released a line of beverages based on wine and tea extracts that are “a unique collection of functional infusions— technically advanced beverages that incorporate natural plant extracts to provide you with both fiber and polyphenols, nature’s most powerful antioxidants.”
Sleep Tight
Drinks that promote rest and sleep are a popular theme among ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages, with introductions such as Neuro Sleep “to promote restful sleep and improve overall sleep quality;” BeautySleep, which “combines anti-aging compounds, cell-protecting antioxidants and sleep-enhancing ingredients;” Dream Water, which contains a “proprietary formula [that] includes a blend of natural ingredients: GABA (to help relax), Melatonin (to help induce sleep) and 5-htp Tryptophan (to help improve the quality of sleep);” reBloom, “a simple and guilt-free way to get the natural sleep that you so desperately deserve;” and iChill Relaxation Shots that “helps you relax, reduce stress, [and] sleep better.”
The Doctor Is In
The trend towards physician-formulated skin care has led to supplements that compliment a brand’s topical products. Two in-vogue doctors are Howard Murad, who created “the first line of doctor- branded skin care,” and Nicholas Perricone, “the father of the inflammation theory of aging.” Murad offers Murad Internal Skincare supplements that “help repair, fortify and protect from the inside out,” while Perricone features Perricone MD supplements as part of his “three-tiered philosophy of healthy aging and beautiful skin. They work with diet and topicals to deliver optimal and visible results.”
Both doctors also recently added new skin care collections to their lines. Super by Dr. Nicholas Perricone is based on superfoods and was “inspired by a passion to feed hungry skin,” and Clean Scene by Murad is “a fresh and fun approach to effective skin care” based on the yumberry fruit. A recent example of this medical approach is In&Out Different Beauty, a Swiss company, with a Madison Avenue boutique in New York City. The company’s philosophy is a “customized and privileged treatment program to treat specific skin issues.” They offer five topical treatment lines (“out” products) and nine formulas of supplements (“in” products), which is the source of their name.
What to Watch For
Consumers are concerned about maintaining their overall health and well-being. However, nutraceuticals and cosmeceuticals have not yet reached their market potential in the United States. Consumers are slowly embracing the trend as they try to distinguish the hype from the reality and determine if the products deliver what they promise. Niche and high-end brands are the drivers of this trend and are influencing the mass market. This is evidenced by the large consumer packaged goods partnerships and interest to distribute these functional products to the masses, making them more accessible. It is only a matter of time before nutraceuticals and cosmeceuticals make their way into the public’s vernacular and become a lifestyle. Watch as existing brands establish themselves and new players enter the market, creating opportunities for fragrance and flavor suppliers.
Amy Marks-McGee, Trendincite LLC; [email protected]; 1-888-561-1229.
