Orally administered nutricosmetic products that confer health benefits from the inside out continue to star within the broader beauty and personal care marketplace. As consumers recognize the link between nutrition and appearance, demand for natural and clean label products that deliver tangible results for hair, skin, nails, and more stand on strong footing.
 
Meanwhile, cosmeceuticals, or topical cosmetic products with science-backed bioactive ingredients are well positioned to meet the needs of evolving consumer needs and preferences. The synergy of these oral and topical product types equates to a sizeable market ripe with opportunities.
 
“The demand for herbal and natural cosmeceuticals have increased in the last two years in products like skin serum, day cream, safe sunscreen, home peels, ‘maskne’ breakout treatment products, and hair care products,” said Shaheen Majeed, president worldwide, Sabinsa. “We’re also seeing demand grow for microbiome-friendly products for skin and hair. In addition, the younger generation is becoming more conscious about nutrition and phytoactive benefits, and are looking for specific ingredients that are beneficial for their skin, hair, and gut in their cosmetic products.”
 
“Consumers have come to understand that supplementing with oral nutricosmetics along with their topical regimens provides synergistic benefits,” said Tim Hammond, vice president of sales and marketing for Bergstrom Nutrition. “A vibrant and healthy appearance is a priority, and many recognize that inside-out self-care enables them to look and feel their best.”
 
Market analysts expect a period of healthy growth and development in the years ahead. According to Nutrition Business Journal, sales of supplements in the “hair/skin/nails” category—currently the fourth-largest condition-specific market—increased 7.2% from 2019 to 2020. NBJ projected growth to increase to 9.9% in 2021.
 
While sales for makeup may have declined during the pandemic as businesses closed and people stayed home, skin care regimens changed, but they remained a priority for people. Approximately one third of consumers participating in a study by istyle Japan said they increased their spending on skin care, said Tomoyo Takamatsu, of Kewpie Corporation’s Fine Chemical Division. 
 
As consumers adapted their skin care regimens to their personal circumstances, they did research about what they could do and achieve at home, said Sébastien Bornet, vice president of global sales and marketing, Horphag Research. “Many of them explored new products and ingredients that could give them the benefits to at least maintain the investment they’ve made in their skin. Many of these consumers discovered Pycnogenol or increased their participation in products containing Pycnogenol. The science was a significant draw. Numerous studies have shown Pycnogenol French maritime pine bark helps promote a healthy glow and reduce over-pigmentation, such as brown spots, for a more even complexion.”
 


Consumer Entry Points

Younger consumers focused on a more proactive approach to maintaining a youthful appearance have been drawn into the beauty inside and out market, according to experts.
 
Generally, many consumers choose ingestible nutricosmetic products to supplement their topical treatments, said Oliver Wolf, global marketing head of B2B communications for Gelita. “Cosmeceuticals and nutricosmetics could perfectly complement each other for a maximum performance as they combine quick and long-lasting results.”
 
The marked uptick in demand for products which reduce visible signs of skin aging can be attributable to a few connected factors, according to Liz Clarke, CFS, technical marketing manager for Nitta Gelatin. For example, the aging of the U.S. population is a reliable source of increased demand.
 
“More subtly though, recent changes in priorities and routines, as a result of COVID-19, have refocused consumers on health and well-being,” she said, “and looking your best goes hand in hand with feeling your best. Instead of turning toward cosmetics to change how we look from the outside, consumers are turning toward a holistic, longer-term approach of adding ingestible nutraceuticals, such as collagen peptides, to their daily routines for more lasting changes from the inside out.”
 
Amanda Jepsen, senior director of marketing and international sales for Biova, also noted greater interest in anti-aging topical products among younger consumers. “At the same time, younger consumers have embraced the fact that good skin is a product of what you put in your body, which opens the beauty from within category to more than just older consumers.”
 
By 2026, the global anti-aging cosmetics market is expected to reach $60.26 billion, according to Takamatsu. “Anti-aging is not only a concern for the older generation, but also to youth as well. In a survey conducted by NPD Group, while in 2012 only 20% of 18-24 year old females were taking care of wrinkles, this increased to 50% by 2018. That is what Kewpie has put a focus on.”
 
Since 2020, Kewpie has conducted clinical research affirming that its hyaluronic acid (HA) ingredient Hyabest can increase collagen production and its low molecular weight ingredient HAbooster can promote collagen cycling on the outer layer of the dermis.
 
The quest for cleaner labels with fewer, easier-to-understand ingredients is a big draw among consumers in the ingestible and topical beauty market. Still, nutricosmetics offer consumers a way to benefit their health and appearance at a level that topicals don’t. “The skin is one of the first organs to show signs of poor nutrition,” said Elyse Lovett, vice president of marketing, Nutrition21. “Because topical beauty products only address 20% of the skin, it makes sense for consumers to pursue another way to address skin health in a deeper and perhaps more effective way.”
 
The Knowledge Gap
Awareness of nutricosmetics, and what best-in-class products can offer compared to conventional cosmetics, still has room to grow. “It’s all about the science,” Bornet said. “Smart consumers want proof points to support their investment. Research boosts the profile of products and ingredients. With 40 years of research, 160 clinical trials, and more than 450 scientific publications, Pycnogenol French maritime pine bark extract is considered one of the most researched and safest natural ingredients in the world.”
 
John Tobin, president and CEO of AMH Pharma Development Group and NutraFood Science Delivery System, who has co-developed several nutraceutical/pharmaceutical companies, agreed that consumers have been seeking out more ingestible beauty products. “One in three Chinese consumers are greatly interested in food and beverages to support their physical appearance,” he said. “In a crowded market with a diverse range of ingredients, beauty-from-within formulated products stand out among competitors through their marketing, advertising, and social media process, as well as celebrity involvement in those processes.”
 
However, limitations on what information can be conveyed through conventional marketing can prove a challenge for products that are complex to explain, Lovett said. “Ingestible beauty products require a bit more education on their benefits and mechanisms of action.” But, efforts to educate consumers over the better part of the past decade are paying dividends, Lovett added.
 
“Beauty from within is not an anti-aging miracle; don’t expect wrinkles to magically disappear in a few months,” said Sam Michini, vice president of marketing and strategy at Deerland Probiotics & Enzymes. “A healthy, attractive complexion reflects skin that is working optimally to protect against free radical damage, and this is a long-term activity.”
 
“A variety of delivery routes are common challenges for the natural beauty category,” said Marianne McDonagh, vice president of sales for Bioenergy Life Science (BLS). “Even as consumers become more aware of beauty from within, very few companies are focusing on oral administration within this space.”
 
In terms of products that will have standout appeal, those that are clinically validated will obviously be highly sought after, said Wolf. “There is also a recognized global trend of consumers turning to more natural products that contain top-quality, proven ingredients, such as Gelita’s collagen peptides. Consumers crave convenience too, and are therefore demanding products that can be quickly and easily consumed on the go.”


Targeted Protection & Benefits
There are plenty of key product differentiators which can help brands stay competitive in the crowded and dynamic beauty-from-within marketplace.
 
“The broad-category products such as sun protection, anti-aging, anti-acne, and skin lightening are more general instead of pinpointing their particular area of action,” said Majeed. Targeted products, meanwhile, may offer benefits like anti-wrinkle, collagen buildup, cell renewal, dark spot correction, anti-pigmentation, exfoliation, and more.
 
When it comes to hair, common issues may include hair loss, dandruff, breakage and tensile strength, thickness, volume, smoothness, oil absorption, and more, Majeed said.
 
“Ultimately, the best way to stand out is to use ingredients that are proven to work,” said Zev Ziegler, head of global brand & marketing, health at Lycored, pointing to a clinical trial which linked Lycoderm, a carotenoid-rich complex of tomato phytonutrients and rosemary leaf, to increased radiance as well as a 5.6% reduction in wrinkle severity. The vast majority of subjects also reported that their skin felt smoother.
 
Beyond efficacy, formulating with an ingredient that combines multiple benefits and can deliver results within a few weeks can be important to compete with topicals, said Steve Fink, vice president of marketing for PLT Health Solutions. “A robust research program supports ceratiq (phytoceramides), including five in vitro and ex vivo studies supporting the safety, efficacy, and mechanism of action and five human clinical studies. A 4-week time frame to efficacy is of critical importance in the supplement category as it looks to compete with topical products which tend to be more experimental even as they may not offer as promising longer-term benefits.”
 
Convenience is king when it comes to delivery, noted Jepsen. “We see a lot of delivery format options in this category, including powders, gummies, chews, and the traditional capsules or softgels. Additionally, choosing ingredients that have been clinically proven and provide unique claims within the broader claims of hair and skin support can provide a unique selling proposition.”
 
Many ingredients once reserved for ingestible products are now finding a second home in topical applications, said Mayumi Honma, manager, sales and international for Vitamin C60 BioResearch Corporation.
 
Additionally, ingredient developers can analyze breakthrough cosmetic effects which haven’t been targeted heavily in the past, such as skin glycation (excess glucose in skin fibers) and dullness, Honma said. Benefits can often be best communicated through a combination of clinical data and photographic evidence of before and after interventions.
 
Above all else, Majeed said, it’s important to focus on the fundamentals: efficacious and safe formulations; easy to use and attractive packaging; regulatory compliance and well-known certifications; authentic and relevant health claims; and a unique and competitive retail strategy. “A company can stand out among competitors and earn consumer trust by focusing on the above five aspects of product success, as well as diversification and upgrades in product formulations and packaging,” he said.
 
Clarke concurred, noting that consumers are savvy to which studies adhere to adequate standards as peer-reviewed, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled human clinical trials. “As they say, the ‘proof is in the pudding,’ which to us means putting our beauty-from-within collagen ingredients to test using the best research practices and quantifiable metrics for efficacy. Beauty-from-within ingredients that differentiate themselves with proven technologies and statistically significant results are poised for longevity in the market.”
 
Brands should also opt for ingredients consumers are familiar with, Hammond said. And as in other nutraceutical categories, quality research can help elevate one brand over another.
 
“For example, research has confirmed OptiMSM’s sulfur donation,” Hammond said. “Sulfur has long been a valued ingredient in dermatology and contributes to the cross-linking of proteoglycans and collagen.” Additionally, the ingredient can serve as a building block for keratin, a structural component of hair and nails, making it one of few ingredients with a mechanism of action involving the extracellular matrix.
 
“More consumers are becoming cautious of what to buy,” said Takamatsu. “They look at the labels or the brand. That is where our Hyabest (S)LF-P comes in for the sweep. Kewpie has strong clinical evidence which we acquired with over 30 years of research and reliance from the consumers. We have eight published academic papers with high impact factor regarding the effect on skin through oral intake. We are also the only company that has put focus not only on the results but the mechanism of how hyaluronic acid works in the body inside and out.”
 
Clinical studies showing superior bioavailability, for example, can also vault certain ingredient complexes over the competition, Lovett said. For example, Nutrition21 launched Lustriva, a bonded arginine silicate and magnesium biotinate clinically demonstrated to be 40-times more bioavailable than standard formulations of the hair- and skin-boosting ingredient biotin. “Lustriva takes the established reputation of biotin as a hair and skin nutrient to a new innovative level with attractive health benefits,” Lovett said.
 
While the domain of well-established ingredients is still growing, other developers find it just as fruitful to venture into uncharted waters. “Concentrate on that one benefit that the product has science-supporting claims for. Own that niche,” Michini said. “In addition, using a novel ingredient, with science supporting it, of course, is also a way to generate excitement. Our Solarplast [an extract of organic spinach enzymatically enhanced by a proprietary manufacturing process] is an ingredient that provides brand marketers with a unique ingredient and mechanism of action story.” The ingredient is linked to cellular restoration and repair through a pathway which recycles antioxidants by supplying energy molecules, molecular chaperones, and other compounds. “Each of these components plays a role in healthy aging by repairing the damage occurring from modern lifestyles,” Michini said.
 
Ingredients like vitamins/minerals, herbs/botanicals, and other bioactive compounds can often deliver multiple benefits, offering brands opportunities to branch out and crossover into other categories.
 
For example, demand for immune health products has been at an all-time high. Gelita’s Immupept collagen peptides have been studied not just for cellulite and brittle nails, but for immune-modulating effects as well. “While all three issues may appear unrelated, they have a common solution,” Wolf said. “While collagen has a long history in beauty applications, the fact that collagen peptides also contribute to immune function is a fairly new discovery.”
 

The Stress Test
The toll that environmental and psychological stress can take on health and wellness is becoming clearer, and this holds true for areas of health that affect appearance; inflammatory immune responses, elevated cortisol levels, and reductions in cellular turnover can have a notable impact on appearance.
 
“Environmental factors such as UV exposure or stress can add to uneven skin tone and texture,” said Clarke. “Products proven to effectively address these multiple unwanted signs of skin aging are the ‘holy grail’ of nutraceuticals, and we’re seeing more and more customers adopting these ingestible products for the first time.”
 
Fink noted what may be a new but enduring trend in dietary supplements, which is to incorporate stress management solutions across categories. “We had our biggest sales year ever for our Zembrin Sceletium tortuosum ingredient in 2020 and our Rhodiolife Rhodiola rosea adaptogen ingredient saw significant growth as well. Another interesting feature is the adoption of these ingredients in products outside the cognitive health aisle in the supplement store. We are seeing companies that want to provide cognitive support in sports nutrition, weight management, and personal care products as well.”
 
This could also mean that beauty brands will lean into cognitive support, sleep, and mood ingredients in formulations that tackle stress in simultaneous pursuit of cosmetic improvements. Another strategy could be to target the gut-brain axis with pre-, pro-, and postbiotic ingredients. Ultimately, stress reduction could translate to more resilient skin, experts suggested.
 
“The consumers wellness boom presents strong opportunities for beauty companies to target mood and well-being via functional products, as well as skin care,” Wolf said. “After all, it’s well-documented that continued and intense periods of stress can result in premature signs of skin aging, along with pigmentation and dullness. While the power of a good night’s sleep should never be underestimated when it comes to physical and mental rejuvenation, it also allows the skin time to repair itself. Yet consumers are also becoming better-educated on active ingredients, and are therefore seeking out products with scientifically-backed credentials and clinical efficacy.”
 
“One sure way to ease the impact [of stress] is through continued natural beauty product innovation,” said Tobin. “This can be seen globally with new product launches with a number of natural ingredients and appealing user-friendly packaging. You will note that a number of CBD/hemp products have been introduced to support anxiety, calmness, and adequate sleep to help support our skin, the largest organ in the human body. Clinical trials are seeking out responses to environmental stressors, such as UV light, air, sound, and water pollution, etc.”
 
Kewpie has made specific formulations of hyaluronic acid in order to keep the skin resilient against both air pollution and UV light, with its combination of Hyaloveil-P, an adhesive hyaluronic acid which prevents pollutants from entering the surface of the skin, and Hyalo-Oligo, a low-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid which provides an added, deeper layer of protection. “Within a few years, anti-pollution will be a key factor in sun care products, along with anti-UV,” said Takamatsu.
 
This paradigm shift is in response to consumers’ overall preferences for wide-ranging health solutions, said Ziegler. “In recent years, we’ve seen a major shift toward more holistic views of beauty and skin health. Two thirds (64%) of consumers now believe a healthy glow is most likely to come from a balance of ‘from-within’ and ‘external’ factors. They know there are no quick fixes from a bottle, and recognize the value of lifestyle factors like sleep, diet, and exercise, as well as emotional and mental well-being.”
 
Skin irritation is one clear sign of stress, due to a stress-induced lack of growth hormones which disturbs skin cell turnover, Takamatsu said. “Approximately 70% of the total growth hormones are secreted during sleep. It shows how essential sleeping is to retain healthy skin […] in order for skin cell turnover to occur effectively during sleep, accelerating the collagen cycle is crucial.” For these reasons, many beauty nutrition formulators are combining the collagen-boosting ingredient Hyabest with GABA and melatonin, in a “sleeping beauty” concept combination.
 
Majeed mentioned a host of stress-related consequences, including: dry, blotchy, wrinkly skin; pigmentation; under-eye dark circles and puffiness; tired eyes; dry lips; hair loss; greying hair; acne; dry and aged hands; hirsutism; dermatitis and psoriasis; and dandruff.
 
“Everyone everywhere is under higher levels of stress,” he said. “In addition to the fact that stress undermines immune function, it also manifests in appearance. The dermato-cosmeceutical products with antioxidant activities and targeted benefits appeal to consumers who want simple, easy, economical, efficient, less-wasteful, and environmentally-friendly products.”
 
“At Horphag Research, we know how large of an impact environmental stressors can have on the skin,” said Bornet. “Your skin is your first line of defense against the daily rigors of life, and we have continued to place importance on increased research in this realm of skin health. A new study (Skin Pharmacology Physiology, 2021) found that daily supplementation with Pycnogenol French maritime pine bark extract may help to significantly retain skin hydration, increase skin elasticity, and reinforce skin barrier function for those exposed to urban environmental pollution, as well as seasonal temperature and humidity variations. In addition, the study found Pycnogenol to increase skin lightening during seasonal changes when dark spots can emerge.”