Though extreme weather events and natural disasters make the headlines, it is the more mundane long-term changes in humidity, precipitation, temperature and pollution that are impacting people’s daily lives and purchasing decisions.
According to a report by Innova Market Insights on global climate change in beauty and personal care, 2024 saw an increase in customer awareness of how weather extremes are connected to climate change. Additionally, the report detailed that customers are increasingly expecting brands to address the climate change impacts related to ingredient sourcing, production, packaging and shipping of products.
For a problem so large, Innova highlights that brands who are able to build a story around the ways they are tackling climate change challenges have opportunities to connect with consumers and set themselves apart from competitors.
Personal Care Insights sat down with Innova co-founder Lu Ann Williams to discuss the opportunities companies and brands have to embrace this storytelling aspect and address concerns about changing environmental factors while simultaneously staying committed to a core mission.
Combined with Innova’s overview of top 2024 personal care trends, companies and brands in the personal care market can see how 2025 will be about aligning market strategies with climate change solutions.
Precision in Performance
As local environments change, personal care needs are going to change as well. For example, regions experiencing increased humidity, as compared to a decade ago, might mean people are going to be looking for hair care that addresses frizz, explains Williams.
“You are going to notice if your hair is frizzy six months out of the year versus two months out of the year. If someone makes a new conditioner that helps you address these changes, you are interested.”
The same is true for concerns regarding increases in exposure to air pollution, wildfire smoke, and changes in rainfall — whether that means a drier or more humid environment — which are impacts climate change has had on beauty needs, says Williams.
Companies that rise to meet the challenge and offer solutions for environmental extremes could have a leg up. This is already playing out in Innova’s top personal care trend, “Precision in Performance.” This trend reflects how consumers want products with precise performance capabilities.
Innovative formulations that effectively target cosmetic issues and solve problems are going to be in high demand. According to Innova, 49% of consumers globally say that new ingredients and technologies make personal care products more effective, highlighting that consumers want new product development and science-backed innovations.
This, combined with a climate-solution innovation, could further entice customers. Univar Solutions is an example of a company using upcycled ingredients to produce precision solutions. It partnered with Dow to produce MaizeCare Clarity Polymer, a hair styling ingredient to control frizz that is derived from corn waste. The polymer exhibits humidity resistance up to 24 hours after treatment.
Besides offering a sustainable ingredient, Univar Solutions’ Eric Perlorca told us that consumer transparency about real upcycled ingredients was a key aspect of developing the product.
“Many manufacturers seeking to define upcycling for consumer goods often fail to answer these crucial questions comprehensively. This lack of clarity underscores the significant ambiguity surrounding the use of the term ‘upcycled,’” says Perlorca, who is the global head of marketing, beauty and personal care for Univar Solutions.
“Addressing these key points will help clarify the term ‘upcycled’ and contribute to greater transparency and understanding in the consumer goods industry.”
Restore and Repair
For those living in urban environments or places with increasing wildfire smoke exposure, airborne pollutants can be a skin care issue. A study published in the Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology reported that the clinical effects of pollutants — from car exhaust, fossil fuel combustion and road dust, to name a few — had many adverse effects on skin health. Even pollution from indoor cooking or heating could cause airborne pollution. The effects of pollution include skin ageing, exacerbating chronic inflammatory skin diseases and a decrease in naturally occurring skin microbiota.
Boosting the skin microbiome is of increasing interest to skin care enthusiasts as a healthy microbiota is connected to a healthy skin barrier. The skin barrier is an important line of defense for the body, protecting it against external threats like allergens and infectious agents. A healthy skin barrier also reduces water loss and keeps the body and skin hydrated.
Innova notes that personal care trends that “Restore and Repair” skin and scalp barriers are an increasing trend. Companies that use barrier-boosting active ingredients like probiotics and ferments can promote a healthy environment for the skin microbiome, which helps protect against the impacts of harmful pollutants.
Earlier this year, chemicals company Syensqo launched Cerafy, a line of biomimetic natural ceramides for skin and hair care. The line mimics the natural ceramide that skin produces, which compliments the skin’s natural environment, Syensqo told Personal Care Insights.
The first product of the ingredient line is Cerafy Pure NPo, which is produced by extracting ceramide precursor (phytosphingosine) through yeast fermentation. This is followed by acylation with a fatty acid, said Syensqo. When used on the skin, the ingredient acts as a supplement to key lipids and replenishes the gaps between cells, helping boost the protective barrier.
Sustainable solutions
Customers are also increasingly interested in brands that actively invest in minimizing carbon footprints and formulating environmentally-friendly products.
“If we are talking about the future, we also need to think about Gen Z consumers because they are going to be looking for formulations that contribute less to the climate change problem,” says Williams at Innova. 
Global survey results of thousands of Gen Z university students showed that climate change is one of the top societal concerns for this cohort, with 60% being “very concerned” or “concerned.”
However, older generations are also concerned by climate change. Another global public opinion survey conducted in 2024 by the United Nations Development Programme showed that 56% of the 73,000 survey participants said they think about climate change daily or weekly.
This forethought may play into consumer purchasing trends. Innova personal care data shows that 48% of consumers find it important that a product displays its carbon footprint, plus measures the company is taking to offset the carbon footprint. Consumers are also looking for labeling that highlights personal care products as microplastic-free and with ocean-safe formulations.
According to Williams, transparent product labels that highlight an environmentally friendly approach could be the critical tie-breaker that makes consumers choose one brand over a competitor.
There are consumers primarily driven by sustainable products but most consumers who are shopping are going to look to brand labeling and communication to help guide decision-making, she explains. For example, when comparing two sunscreens, a consumer could be swayed by the product that is labeled as “reef-safe.”
“If your customer feels like they can make a direct impact with your product, that can be the tie-breaker,” Williams says.
Responsible packaging
One direction beauty brands are taking to reduce carbon footprint and waste production is to offer refillable systems or containers. Personal Care Insights recently covered packaging innovation insights from Constantia Flexibles.
“Refill concepts are gaining traction, with innovations like soap pouches to refill rigid containers or refill systems for glass jars using plastic cups with peelable lidding,” says Peter Kerkhofs, a market product manager for Constantia Flexibles.
Additionally, consumers are willing to pay more for products that boast sustainable packaging, he says. “Markets with higher environmental awareness, such as Europe, are particularly viable, as consumers in these regions prioritize more eco-friendly solutions and appreciate the long-term benefits of recyclable materials.”
Company values
Ultimately, a personal care brand that chooses to address ethical ingredient sourcing, eco-friendly packaging or other environmental concerns that intersect with personal care must ensure the climate change solution aligns with the company values, or the story may fall flat.
“You have to ask who are you going to serve? What is your consumer group, and what do they care about? What does your brand stand for?” says Williams.
“There are so many opportunities to approach this, and there is no one way to do it, but you do have to pick how you are going to approach it.”
