Natural ingredients are set to be one of the driving forces in the ever-evolving beauty industry next year.

According to new research by the leading market intelligence agency Mintel, natural beauty products are set to become a major trend in 2018, with brands capitalizing on the movement by encompassing local approaches and developments in biotechnology with a more organic approach to ingredients.

“With evolving consumer demands and climatic changes around the world, the beauty and personal care industry’s approach to natural and sustainable ingredients must adapt,” said Vivienne Rudd, director of Global Innovation and Insight, Beauty & Personal Care at Mintel, in a press statement. “In the coming year, the possibilities for creating safe, allergen-free, pure, and efficacious ingredients through science could replace the harvesting of natural ingredients.”

“Local sourcing and production of ingredients will become essential in the years ahead, strengthening the idea of local pride, not just with brands and manufacturers, but with consumers too,” she added.

Sustainability has become a hot topic within the beauty industry over the past few years, but 2017 has seen several brands make huge strides towards adopting a more environmentally and ethically conscientious approach towards cosmetics. Earlier this week, the collaborative sustainable platform EcoVadis announced a new charter founded by Clarins, Coty, L’Oréal and Groupe Rocher, titled the “Responsible Beauty Initiative” that will see the cosmetics giants work together to improve ethical, social and environmental performance and progress throughout the beauty supply chain.

Meanwhile the once-niche world of natural beauty brands has grown to include household names such as Lush, Neal’s Yard and Tarte Cosmetics. There has also been a rise in popularity of vegan and cruelty-free beauty brands eschewing ingredients that come from or are tested on animals, with headline brands such as Kat Von D, Too Faced and Fenty Beauty by Rihanna leading the way. JB