Waterless Cosmetic Market

Market Overview

Rise of clean beauty has resulted in the desire for healthier, more sustainable alternatives to be asked for in the cosmetics industry. Water-filled products levy a high impact on the environment, which is why going water-free is the eco-friendly change that is needed.

Water is often used as a solvent or as a means of improving product consistency and spreadability. For a fact, water is one of the most common ingredients found in beauty products; be it cleansers, serums, gels or fragrances.

While water seems to be a hydrating ingredient, water-based products dry out skin and hair as it evaporates taking along skin’s healthy and natural oils along. Moreover, skin might react to the synthetic emulsifiers, fragrances and colorants after the water evaporates, resulting in breakouts and inflamed, irritated skin.

A waterless cosmetic implies products which are made free of water, treating botanical ingredients or nourishing oils as the substitutes. As a result it leads to more potent solutions, while thinning the need for preservatives and other unnecessary fillers.

This trend has seeped into the mainstream consumers’ consciousness, and mass-market and luxury brands are on it, too. Waterless cosmetics can come in a variety of forms, including cleansing balms, powders, solids, concentrated oils, body butters, masks and pressed serums, and can be incorporated within skincare, haircare and makeup.

Global Waterless Cosmetic Market: Market Dynamics

Drivers for Waterless Cosmetic Market

The personal care industry is implementing water-saving efforts and incorporating the environmentally-savvy and eco-friendly messaging within its brand narrative. Waterless formulations, such as dry mask and dry shampoo, focus on innovation and provide an exponential beauty experience, driving the global waterless cosmetic market.

The use of dry shampoo allows consumers to skip a day or two of hair washing and help to refresh their style. Dry shampoos are typically packaged as powders or aerosol sprays, which are shaken, sprayed into hair and brushed to distribute.

The powders should be mixed with a ribbon blender or any other suitable equipment to create a homogenous blend. However, in case of aerosols, the powders are typically dispersed in ethanol prior to filling.

Trends for Waterless Cosmetic Market

Mounting concerns over the state of Earth’s environment have showed the way for many opportunities to formulate water-free products by taking heed from the historical techniques and also incorporating modern technologies. From cleansing balms to solid foundation sticks, the number of anhydrous products on the waterless cosmetic market continues to grow, as does the opportunity for innovation.

The appeal for waterless cosmetics and personal care products is gaining prominence amongst the younger age groups. Clensta is a waterless personal hygiene company that has taken up to make cleanliness easily accessible for anyone, at any time, even if water is inaccessible.

It has created a patent-pending cleansing Waterless Shampoo which acts towards removing odors, sharing antimicrobial properties and protecting the body from a number of diseases. Clensta also created a Waterless Body Bath as an alternate bathing solution which boasts a formula that's alcohol-free, gluten, parabens and SLS.

Opportunities for Waterless Cosmetic Market

Covid-19 has changed the way we purchase and use products and created lasting awareness about damage to our world because of all of this waste. There is a growing mindfulness around sustainability that is inspiring meaningful permanent change in the way we produce and purchase the products we all use every day. Waterless beauty is not a trend or fad, but will increasingly take the guise of an everyday necessity.

With water reserves running low, consumers are making incremental lifestyle changes that posit planet positivity. Going waterless will mean swapping convenience for conservation, and that is a good thing.

Challenges for Waterless Cosmetic Market

It’s worth noting that waterless products can be more expensive because they are more concentrated; they are also considered to be higher quality as they contain more ethically sourced ingredients. The technology needed to produce them and the cost of the ingredients tends to be higher, which means they usually carry a higher price tag; thus abstaining the demand for waterless cosmetics market.

Water is involved in all stages of a product’s lifecycle, from the harvesting and processing of raw materials, to formulation, finishing, packaging, transport and consumer use. Using water as a filler costs low for corporations, for instance, a waterless brand Loli, finds it more expensive to opt for high concentrations of potent organic ingredients.

Global Waterless Cosmetic Market: Key Players

Over the few years, big-name beauty companies including Unilever, L’Oreal and Procter & Gamble have taken up to significantly decrease water consumption, in order to preserve this endangered and vital natural resource.

The major beauty corporations are trying to reduce their carbon footprint by decreasing water consumption, other, smaller brands are boycotting water use altogether by creating completely waterless formulas.

Makeup is also going waterless, with a number of nascent and established brands launching water-free products. For example, Pinch of Colour offers a product range from matte lip colour in 12 shades to face tint in six skin tones.

Also, Vapour has formulated 97 per cent of its products without water while 100 per cent of its lip and cheek products are fully water free. 

Waterless Cosmetic Market: Regional Outlook

The waterless cosmetic trend is rooted in the K-beauty industry and has subsequently been embraced by cosmetics brands and consumers worldwide. Asia-Pacific multinationals and domestic companies are emphasizing their sustainability initiatives towards water conservation, collaborating with authoritative bodies and exploring and launching waterless formulations.

Japanese cosmetics company Kao has teamed up with the Centre for Environmental Education and Communications (CEEC) with China’s Ministry of Environmental Protection to release its ‘Nationwide Cleanliness and Water Saving Initiatives’.

Indian brand,  Azafran Innovacion's use of plant-based, biodegradable and eco-friendly ingredients, for example, are helping to promote water as a luxury, rather than a commodity. ? O’ Right, a Taiwanese natural hair care name, supports the move towards carbon neutral businesses and has committed to lowering its water usage.