Top Cosmetic Ingredients in 2021
——Which Will Be Up for Grabs for Brands?

Yang Yuxi

China Information Center of Daily Chemical Industry,China

As more people become particular about cosmetic ingredients and/or raw materials,they know more about them.Consumers can find out more about the “secrets” of a product from the ingredients list and use the rules of the ingredient list to deduce the approximate amount of ingredients added,so that they can choose the right cosmetic product by themselves.

Gradually,Consumers are no longer being led by concepts,and it is cosmetics with effective ingredients that they will pursue.The year 2021 will also see the Ingredient Party 2.0 upgrade and evolve as China’s cosmetic regulations undergo a seismic change,with the Regulations on the Supervision and Administration of Cosmetics coming into effect on 1 January,which will have a profound impact on the domestic cosmetics industry.For the ingredient party in particular,it is a great opportunity for its own evolution.Both the additional information revealed by the ingredient list sorting rules and the disclosure of claimed supporting information create more favourable conditions for the ingredient pursuers to analyse,compare and research products.

2020 has seen cosmetic ingredients such as hyoscyamine,fruit acids,Centella asiatica extracts,ceramides and retinol become the most popular ingredients among ingredient pursuers.As the“ingredient race” in the cosmetics industry intensifies,what are the ingredients that will be in the spotlight in 2021?

Bifida ferment lysate

Bifida ferment lysate is a bacterium that has been cultured,inactivated and decomposed to produce metabolites,cytoplasmic fragments,cell wall fractions and polysaccharide complexes.Some of its structures are similar to those of creatures.This means that bifidobacterium contains cell-nourishing vitamins,minerals and amino acids,making it an excellent “medicine” for skin.

What matters most,Bifida ferment lysate is perfectly fit for most types of skin.As a product that is obtained through fermentation and has a structure similar to biological structures,it does not contain any ingredients that irritate the skin.Externally,it protects against aggressions,strengthens the metabolism of the stratum corneum and inhibits lipid peroxidation.Internally,it acts as a “master repairer”and “cleanser”,empowering cells and replenishing lost skin nutrients.Besides,the substance has a strong anti-immunosuppressive activity and promotes DNA repair,making it a favourite among many brands.

The importance is evident of BIFIDA FERMENT in the ingredient lists of international brands such as Estee Lauder,Lanc?me,Aquamarine and L'Oréal.One thing that many of the most popular products from international brands have in common is that they use bifida ferment.Estee Lauder and Lanc?me have even made this ingredient a core component of their star products.In addition to this,many local brands have also captured the bifida ferment market.Aphrodisiac Whitening Concentrated Spot Essence Cream,Baichang Sangsheng Bingqing Glowing White Skin Brightening Water,Perrier Beautiful White Core Skin Crystal Eye Cream,Nature Hall Yeast Base Repairing Ampoule Mask and many other brands have a layout.

According to Netvoices,BIFIDA FERMENT FILTRATE was found to be the No.1 on the repair list with a growth rate of 285% in the restorative efficacy ingredient record.It is believed that bifida,as the“master of restoration”,will top the list of the hottest ingredients in 2021.

Urtica dioica extract-CBD

After the trauma of the Opium War,the nation has a deep hatred of drugs.In the past,the mention of cannabis was frowned upon,and its inappropriate use for recreational purposes gave it a “black mark”,and industrial hemp was “misunderstood” for many years.In recent years,the cannabis trend has been gaining momentum in the cosmetics industry,and now the medicinal benefits of industrial hemp are being amplified,making it the new darling of the capital world.In cosmetics,in particular,it has become a hot topic in the skincare industry.

CBD is restorative,soothing,anti-inflammatory and sleep-aiding,repairing the deeper layers of the skin and providing anti-inflammatory and soothing benefits for acne-prone,oily acne-prone skin.For sensitive,dry skin,it is a great repairing and soothing agent.

In recent years,many well-known brands have also started to enter into CBD skincare,with Sephora’s official website listing skincare products containing CBD such as HighBeauty and LordJones,and domestic brands such as Simpcare,One Leaf and Renhe Pharmacy also launching CBD products.As the first domestic brand to launch a full range of hemp extract CBD skincare,Simpcare has completed its B round of funding and is considered the perfect diary for the skincare industry,which also shows the market potential of CBD for skincare.

CBD experimental data has been obtained from 179 global clinical trials,which involve 50+ diseases,6 skin-related clinical trials.According to Netvoices,CBD tops the active ingredient list with a growth rate of 407% and 2021 will be a booming year for the CBD skin care industry.As industrial hemp moves further away from legalization in the international community,it may drive the creation of standards for the application of hemp extracts in China,including cannabidiol,among other things.

Natural,herbal cosmetics are already a major market trend,and CBD,as a green ingredient with added efficacy,will be favoured by brands in 2021 as it is easy to attract and satisfy the market’s curiosity of “seeking differences and newness”.

Sodium hyaluronate

Sodium hyaluronate,commonly known as small molecule hyaluronic acid,has a small molecular weight and is able to carry water to the epidermis and dermis quickly,with bioactive functions such as deep hydration,scavenging free radicals,repairing damaged cells,increasing cell activity,soothing allergies and anti-inflammation,and regulating the skin’s immune function.

In this day,due to the many miraculous effects of hyaluronic acid nano,products containing hyaluronic acid nano have become a huge industrial chain,and hyaluronic acid nano products are recognized as “the fourth generation of bionic beauty products”,which are highly respected and have become the mainstream products in the international cosmetic and cosmetic skin care industry.

In the global market,the market for cosmeticgrade hyaluronic acid end-products has grown at a CAGR of 4.9% from 2016 to 2019,and the global cosmetic-grade hyaluronic acid products market reached US$74.5 billion in 2019,up 3.19% year-onyear,and is expected to exceed US$100 billion in 2024,reaching US$101.5 billion.

On 24 January 2021,BLOOMAGE BIOTECHNOLOGY announced that the company submitted an application to the National Health and Wellness Commission for an administrative license to expand the scope of use of sodium hyaluronate,which was reviewed and approved by the National Health and Wellness Commission.As an important oral beauty ingredient alongside collagen,sodium hyaluronate will undoubtedly inject a new force into China's functional food industry.

With the formal approval of sodium hyaluronate as a new food ingredient by the Health and Welfare Commission,another wave of hyaluronic acid is bound to be ushered in by the cosmetic industry in 2021.

Fullerene

Fullerenes are used in skin care products for sun protection,wrinkle removal and most recognized for their protective effect against ultraviolet (UV)rays.However,fullerenes actually only officially entered the beauty industry in China in 2018,and in just a few years have become a new brand favourite having to be said to be excellent in their own right.

As a highly effective antioxidant ingredient,fullerenes are mainly added to eye creams.Data shows that the number of filings of fullerene in the eye cream category grew at a rate of 168% YoY,topping the eye cream list.Fullerenes are known as the “king of anti-ageing” because of their amazing performance in prolonging life.In addition,fullerene is also the “beauty diamond ingredient” that has become popular in the past two years,with many big skincare brands scrambling to launch products that focus on fullerene,and two of the most popular“product demons”,Via and Li Jiaqi,also calling for it.

How hot is fullerene? A quick search on Baidu shows “Nobel Prize ingredient”,“nano prince”,“diamond grade ingredient”,“free radical killer”,“King of Anti-Aging” ...These are the titles and accolades fullerenes have received in the cosmetic industry.With the increasing maturity of domestic fullerene technology,many national brands have joined the fullerene army,Utilis,HKH,Nature Hall and others have launched fullerene products.

However,fullerenes have one “fatal” drawback,which is that they are expensive.As a raw material for skin care products,fullerenes used to be monopolised by foreign companies,and the high price deterred many cosmetic companies.However,as the technology for fullerene production continues to mature,the country is paying more and more attention to new nano-materials,including fullerenes in the “12th Five-Year Plan” key product catalogue of the new materials industry,and in the “13th Five-Year Plan” into the new nano-carbon materials and devices As a result,enterprises capable of mass production of fullerenes have emerged in China.

With the commissioning of domestic tonnescale fullerene production lines and the large-scale promotion of domestic fullerenes,the supply of fullerene raw materials has broken the monopoly of international companies and competition has become increasingly fierce.As a result,the price of fullerene,the star ingredient,has been gradually adjusted downwards,seemingly falling from grace,but with its outstanding efficacy and more affordable price,it is believed that fullerene will shine in 2021.

Polypeptide

In the industry of skincare,polypeptides have always been a hidden sword,standing silently at the back while niacinamide,vitamin A and vitamin C were fighting.

It is only in recent years that various pharmaceutical brands have been booming,offering their own “big guns”,and the peptides that have been born for more than 20 years are finally able to stand out in front of people.

There are four main peptides in skin care products.Carrier peptides deliver trace minerals to the skin to boost collagen production; enzyme inhibitor peptides slow down the natural breakdown of collagen and elastin in the skin; signal peptides send messages to different parts of the skin to boost the formation and production of collagen,elastin and other proteins; and neurotransmitter peptides block the release of chemicals that cause muscle contraction in the expression line.They are much weaker than botulinum toxin,but act similarly to botulinum toxin to weaken the movement of facial muscles,thereby improving and preventing the expression system.

Peptides are found in many products such as Olay’s Big Red Bottle,SK-II Big Red Bottle,Estee Lauder's “Line Sculpting Serum”,AHC’s Total Eye Cream and Clarins and Helena's Star Serum.

“Anti-ageing” continues to be a hot topic and a selling contribution in the skincare industry,with consumers and brands alike searching for the “real life ingredient” in mind to change and combat the nightmare of skin ageing.The fear of ageing is growing and peptides are set to become even more popular in 2021.

Lucid ganoderma

As the role of beauty in health becomes more compelling,lucid ganoderma will become even more important.Scientific studies have shown that lucid ganoderma is rich in pharmacological components,the useful ingredients of which can be divided into ten categories containing ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides,ganoderma lucidum polypeptides,triterpenoids,16 amino acids (including seven essential amino acids),proteins,steroids,mannitol,coumarin,alkaloids and organic acids.Its extract has good moisturising properties and when added to skin care products,it not only keeps the skin moisturised,but also has a good whitening and spot-removing effect.

And the WGSN report “2021 Key Ingredients:The Importance of Conditioners”states that lucid ganoderma is an antioxidant-rich conditioner with skin care benefits.From relieving inflammation and irritation,to providing deep hydration,this“superfood” is set to become a mainstream beauty ingredient.As consumers become more health conscious,lucid ganoderma will become even more important to infuse into serums and creams.

At present,there are already many beauty brands using Reishi as an ingredient in their products,such as Estee Lauder’s Reishi Essence Water products,L’Oreal Group’s Yuxi’s Reishi series,Pientzehuang’s Reishi Perfect Nourishment Gift Box and Dr.Botanical’s Purple Reishi Multi-Active Face Series,all of which have gained good reputation and sales.

With the deepening of people’s awareness of the overall concept of skin care,the demand for multi-effect products in the market is also getting stronger and stronger.Lingzhi has a variety of active ingredients,which can nourish skin care from multiple angles and is green and safe,with a promising prospect in 2021.