| Résumé : |
One of the major current trends in the cosmetics industry, based on both scientific and “marketing” criteria, is the pronounced aspiration to use an increasing number of plant extracts or natural molecules not used in cosmetic formulations before.
This change involves sourcing issues of plant starting materials and is, by definition, very different from that of synthetic substances. Although access to information of exotic plants from various regions of the world is relatively uncomplicated, this highly diversified sourcing nevertheless must be integrated into a relatively complex, global policy. The path generally followed involves the identification of active molecules and associated mechanisms of action, and requires costly studies to demonstrate efficacy and a lack of toxicity that in some instances do not provide the expected results. The necessity of marketing “renewal” is such that the lifetime of a cosmetic active substance is very short compared to therapeutic or dietetic plant products. This requires making the right choices to ensure a return on investment. This does not include the fact that, before setting up a supply chain for the production of plant starting materials, several criteria must be fulfilled, or at least taken into account and evaluated. This is because commitments to development programmes not fully controlled generally lead to failure that could help discourage future attempts. This contribution to sourcing policy will first address important “upstream” aspects of the industry’s search and selection process for natural ingredients with cosmetic potential. This will be followed by requirements related to agriculture and/or collection practices, providing a number of guarantees required for the quality and traceability of the material. The last point involves placing the accent on social and environmental responsibility. |
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The botanical approach to sourcing requirements in PERSONAL CARE EUROPE, Vol. 4, N° 3 (09/2011)
