If the 20th century was the century of chemistry, then the 21st century will be that of biology. As we continue to make strides across medicine and synthetic biology, we’ll see these advances make major impacts in the cosmetics and personal care industry. They will be many and far-reaching, from sustainability efforts to increasing ingredient performance and specificity.
 
The changes we’re seeing are unprecedented. Traditionally, we’ve had little access to diversity or specificity in ingredients like collagen, which were created with a one size fits all model. There are 28 different kinds of collagen in the human body alone, but until recently, we’ve only had access to collagen derived from the skin and bones of farm-raised animals like pigs for cosmetic use.
 
However, new technologies have opened the door to the entirety of nature’s biomaterial catalogue through biodesign. Beyond better ingredients for manufacturers and consumers, it’s also created a new efficient and sustainable process for creating ingredients. At Geltor we’ve been able to leverage fermentation to create large batches of designer ingredients with no animal inputs, in a fraction of the time. It’s better for the consumer, the companies and the planet at large.
 
As biology continues to reinvent the cosmetic industry, these are the trends to watch:
 
●      Collagen is King: Collagen broke through to the mainstream as a superingredient in 2018 and the trend will only continue in 2019 and beyond. As consumers become more aware of the benefits of collagen, they will also be drawn to novel collagen advancements, like designer collagen that’s designed for increased performance.

●      Biology Optimizes Ingredients: Traditionally, cosmetic ingredients like collagen have been sourced blindly from animal remains with a one size fits all model - giving us products that are “good enough”, not optimal. Through advances in synthetic biology, ingredient manufacturers will be able to identify and source the appropriate protein for a specific type of product based on its functionality in nature, enabling unprecedented levels of performance.

●      The Future is Sustainable: Like many other popular proteins today, collagen is still traditionally derived from animals.  As demand grows, this practice will become less sustainable in the long term. Ingredient manufacturers that choose to put sustainability first by embracing new technologies will benefit from a better bottom line, thanks to advanced products and a more secure supply.

●      Cruelty-Free is the New Green: Manufacturers are moving away from using animal inputs and testing of their product, due to consumer demands. New methods of production like fermentation of designer proteins will empower cosmetics brands to give users the animal-free ingredients they want, with even better results.

●      Traceability Takes DC:As Democrats take the House in 2019, ingredient traceability will be top of mind in D.C. as legislative priorities shift. New technologies have allowed for a greater level of sophistication in sourcing and tracing ingredients. With consumer advocates like Kourtney Kardashian pushing for greater transparency and traceability, corporations will need to prepare for regulatory changes.
 
 
About the expert:
Alex Lorestani, CEO and co-founder of Geltor, leads a team that’s on a mission to improve billions of lives through bio-design. He collaborates with commercial partners to create biology-enabled solutions that are better for their consumers, businesses and the planet.
 
Lorestani became interested in transforming the global protein supply chain as an MD/ Ph.D. student working to solve antibiotic resistance. He studied Medicine at Rutgers University, earned a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from Princeton University, and holds a BS in Biology from Boston College.
 
 
More info: http://www.geltor.com/