The European cosmeceutical market—predicted by Datamonitor to be worth more than US$4.4 billion in 2009, up 5 percent from 2008—is fast-evolving, with new actives for various cosmeceutical indications showing up with scientific proof of efficacy almost daily. As consumers are becoming more skeptical toward exaggerated claims, manufacturers are increasingly obliged to substantiate their claims. At the same time, there is a decided preference for natural ingredients on the part of the consumers, which offers many opportunities for known botanicals as well as newly discovered natural ingredients, resulting in a synergistic growth effect for herbal cosmeceuticals.
Among the many cosmetic indications offered in the marketplace, the anti-aging segment remains among the most popular, fuelling research into the biology of skin aging in an effort to seek ways to counteract these effects. Among the latest discoveries in that area, presented at the 9th Asian Scientific Conference of the Asian Societies of Cosmetic Scientists in Yohohama, Japan, in March 2009, is an age-related enzyme, arNOX, linked to skin damage typical for old age, such as discoloration or decreased elasticity. This enzyme, discovered by a team of Purdue University scientists in collaboration with U.S. company NuSkin, seems to generate free radicals, and its activity increases as the body ages. Discoveries such as these are expected to trigger future developments, resulting in new cosmeceutical applications.
At the same time, however, a surplus of scientific claims and proofs seems to be off-putting for beauty consumers in Europe. According to a survey commissioned by Procter & Gamble, women mistrust scientific claims, specifically claims made on anti-aging products, and are confused about the effectiveness of cosmeceuticals in general. Too many scientific buzzwords in the marketing of cosmetics seem to result in the fact that the respondents reported being confused about what works and what doesn’t. It appears the scientific proof used to back up claims is lost in the plethora of untrustworthy claims still being made, leading consumers to think no claim is to be trusted on principle. Meanwhile, consumers are turning to trusted brands and expensive products in their confusion.
But even as consumers suspect some products may not work as well as advertised, there are those inverse cases where products marketed as cosmetics or cosmeceuticals work a little too well. One such example, the product Ethos Rejuvion™ by Norwegian manufacturer Ethos World, is a topical anti-aging formulation containing ignotine (INCI name: carnosine). The ingredient is claimed to rejuvenate cells and extend their life cycle, has strong antioxidant properties and helps to keep collagen from cross-linking. According to Norwegian Health Authorities, ignotine does all this so effectively that Ethos Rejuvion should be classified as a pregascription drug rather than as a cosmetic and, as a result, the product is likely to be banned from the European market.