Have you heard of the waterless beauty trend? What does waterless beauty even mean? When you check your skincare and makeup products, you’re likely to see aqua or water as one of the top ingredients. That’s because water aids in the hydration as well as the application of the product. It also helps dissolve water-soluble ingredients like vitamin C for better skin absorption. And given that water is typically an inexpensive ingredient, it’s long been seen as the economical thing to do for cosmetic brands to use it in their products.
But as water scarcity and other related environmental problems loom ahead, the demand for sustainable ingredients and formulations for beauty products is growing. Consumers are becoming more eco-conscious and aware of their environmental footprint, prompting brands to come up with new formulation strategies like that of the waterless beauty trend. The “waterless beauty” approach refers to formulating beauty products without water among their ingredients. At the same time, waterless products offer effective and sustainable alternatives to their water-based counterparts.
What does waterless beauty entail, and why is it worth exploring for your beauty and wellness brand? Here is some more information.
Waterless Beauty: A Briefer
Originating in South Korea, waterless beauty refers to cosmetic products formulated without water. Instead, they’re made using waxes, botanical oils, or various butters as ingredients. Waterless beauty products are typically more concentrated than water-based ones. This is due to the higher levels of ingredients that have not been diluted.
Many water-free products are now available from both local and global skincare, haircare, and cosmetics brands. It isn’t hard to find waterless shampoos, conditioners, face and body cleansers, and makeup from big retailers as well as small businesses. These items can also come in different forms, such as powders, oils, and solid balms. A number of these products can be used as is, but some need to be activated with water that the customer has on hand, like shampoo powders and solid conditioners.
The Benefits of Using Waterless Beauty Products
Consumers can enjoy various benefits from using waterless beauty products. First off, waterless products typically have a longer shelf life than their water-based counterparts. When water is used in skincare or grooming products, it supports bacteria growth, which is also the reason water-based formulations contain chemical preservatives. These preservatives prevent bacteria from evolving, lengthening the products’ shelf life.
Those who use waterless beauty products, however, don’t have to worry about chemical preservatives due to the lack of water. Their products are less likely to cause irritation due to the presence of chemical preservatives.
Second, since the ingredients in waterless beauty products aren’t diluted by water, they’re often more concentrated and more potent than water-based products. This means that users won’t have to apply a lot of the product to see its effects. The less they have to apply, the less often they’ll have to buy, which helps them shear down both their spending and their environmental footprint.
Third, waterless beauty products are ideal for traveling. Compared to water-based products, waterless ones are more compact because there’s less total volume. By leaving water out from hair and skin care products, manufacturers can produce effective cosmetics without the bulk and weight. This makes them easier for customers to pack in their suitcases, and freer from messes like spills.
Waterless Beauty Products as Sustainable Options
As the negative effects of overconsumption of natural resources become more evident, waterless beauty products have emerged as sustainable alternatives for everyone. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than half of the world’s population may face water stress by 2025. In recent years, places in California, USA and Cape Town, South Africa had already needed to implement water rationing due to water shortages. Climate change is also worsening, causing a threat to groundwater depletion. The waterless approach may help reduce these effects and curb the beauty industry’s impact on the environment.
By virtue of their compactness as well as their non-reliance on water, waterless skincare products are the more sustainable choice. The lack of water in their formulations results in smaller packaging, therefore requiring fewer materials and demanding less shipping weight and space. As a result, packing and transporting waterless beauty products helps manufacturers work with a smaller carbon footprint.
Will Water Be Totally Phased Out of Beauty Product Manufacturing?
Although waterless beauty has recently been discovered to have various benefits, most beauty products are still formulated with water. In fact, the average beauty product constitutes between 60 percent and 85 percent water. In hair care products, shower gels, and other rinse-off products, the formula can comprise up to 95 percent water. Manufacturers may still seek out water as a main ingredient because of its texture, emulsifying properties, and suspension properties.
In addition, a number of consumers may still prefer to use water-based formulations due to skin concerns. Since water doesn’t irritate the skin like certain oils do, water-based formulations may still be the first choice for people with sensitive skin.
Still, there’s a viable future for waterless alternatives, especially those that use mild and natural ingredient bases like coconut. The more research, testing, and market study is put into waterless products, the better their prospects will be in the ever-evolving beauty industry.
Conclusion
The rise of the waterless beauty trend offers a great alternative for eco-conscious beauty fans. It’s definitely worth exploring due to its potential benefits, both aesthetic and environmental.
If you want to champion sustainable efforts on behalf of your brand, look beyond using water-based formulations. Source ingredients and choose manufacturing practices that will allow you to produce the next big waterless skincare items.
