Q: Consumers are also demanding ethical products – can silicones be delivered here?
A: In fact, silicone raw materials have become a key factor in the natural, clean and ethical product category. Between 1998 and June 2018, a search in Mintel’s Global New Products Database revealed that silicone elastomers were included in the ingredient labels of 12,856 skin care and cosmetics consumer products in the “natural” category. Furthermore, the findings show that products containing silicone elastomers experienced significant growth in terms of their “ethical and environmental” market position between 2012 and 2017. These findings are of great interest considering the mineral origin, safety and reliability of silicone materials.
Q: Disclaimers play a role in negative publicity. Is this likely to continue?
A: You will soon see fewer and fewer silicone-free seals. The EU’s cosmetics regulations regulate cosmetics without requirements, as described in the “Technical Document on Requirements for Cosmetics”. “Cosmetic-free” must not be claimed on the label unless the ingredient is proven to have a negative health effect.
Q: What are your predictions for the future of personal care silicones?
A: Today, the future of silicones is still growing. Safe and effective are all attributes that silicones possess. If you look at the ongoing trends today, you may have noticed that consumers are embracing the concept of “clean beauty” more. In a nutshell, this only promotes safe and effective ingredients in products. Origin will also be a big need for the industry going forward, and research shows that silicones are derived from quartz (commonly known as sand), making silicon inherently sustainable. Since they are never derived from animals, they are vegan and cruelty-free by default. Although there are many competitors who will try to disparage the silicone name, the silicone industry will prevail on being versatile, safe, clean, effective, and great on the senses.
