Beauty trends shifting in order to cater to the conscious consumer By Deep Lalvani, Founder, Sublime Life

With an increase in the awareness of consumers, there has been a drastic change in people’s buying behavior for skincare products. Skincare routine has shifted to a routine where ‘clean beauty’, 'organically sourced’, ‘eco-friendly’, ‘sustainable’, ‘cruelty-free’ and ‘vegan’ are the new buzzwords.

Increasingly brands too are promoting their products with words like eco-friendly packaging, environmentally friendly source, and zero waste to reflect sustainability. This is giving rise to an important topic of discussion in the beauty industry where we need to do our bit as brands not just to offer clean beauty to our consumers but also to help the environment.

Sustainability is a journey with a wide and complicated route, given that it affects every step of the business be it supply chain, packaging, sourcing, suppliers, partners, or even consumers. However, consumers are more focused on health and well-being when it comes to the products they use and this is making brands more curious to find out what influences the consumer purchase decision when it comes to sustainability.

Consumers are more interested in knowing how the product is made than what the product is. Consumers are ready to pay more for sustainable beauty brands as they are increasingly considering it an individual responsibility. However, what is causing this shift in decision making is something that most brands are trying to crack.

Top skincare brands are constantly being challenged to meet ever-changing perceptions of clean ingredients, create products that are more diverse and inclusive, and inculcate authenticity. We are now seeing a gradual shift in beauty trends from the “glam look” to the “healthy look.”

The beauty industry is dominated by the same large brands for years and the skincare industry has an adverse impact on the environment and generates significant waste.  Never before has it been more important to address the age-old ways of the beauty industry, and to take collective responsibility to clean up and redefine beauty standards.

The concept of clean beauty is picking up in India. Consumer awareness about product formulations and ingredients has increased tremendously in the past five years. People are now reading labels and therefore brands are increasingly realising the importance of being transparent about the ingredients they use, and the measures they take to be sustainable. 

While Indian brands are actively focusing on recycling and using toxin-free formulas relying on the affinity towards natural products, other key aspects of clean and sustainable beauty such as sourcing the raw materials sustainably, and using ingredients that are biodegradable are avenues yet to be explored.

The shift to clean beauty is a way of improving the quality of ingredients in beauty products and the sustainability of the packaging used. This includes being aware of and using ethically sourced raw materials wherever possible, raising the standards by which products are certified for sale, ensuring that brands are more transparent about the ingredients used in their products, and being more responsible for the claims brands make about their products and packaging.

At Sublime Life, as an initiative towards the betterment of our earth, the brand only partners with the best Clean and Green beauty brands offering complete honesty and transparency. Starting with the packaging boxes, the wrapping materials, the tape, and the sleeves, the brand only uses recycled materials that can be further recycled too. In an attempt to make our Earth green, every Sublime Life order comes with a unique card that is embedded with seeds that the user can grow at home. The team believes that the smaller efforts may seem insignificant but it makes a remarkable difference to the bigger picture.

Sublime Life has also launched an initiative called the “#SublimeRecycles” program and it encourages all users to send in their old plastic empties for upcycling or recycling. This is an attempt from the brand at reducing waste, reusing more and save the planet for a better future.

Given the increase in conscious consumers, brands are now being held accountable for their claims while also making an effort to cater to the shifting demand for clean beauty products. And this trend gives the power back to the consumers along with the brand to build a more sustainable environment.