Fad or Here to Stay? The Farm-to-Face Movement
February 12, 2020
“As the natural beauty movement gains momentum, more and more skincare companies are eschewing the lab for the farm,” states Vogue. “In an era of increased focus on farm-to-table food, it’s hardly surprising we’re starting to see a blossoming of farm-to-face skincare brands offering an equivalent level of traceability and transparency.”
To date, the three biggest drivers behind the growing popularity of the farm-to-face movement are an increased desire for transparency, a focus on the clean claim, and formulations that highlight interesting natural ingredients.
Transparency, driven by consumers
The push for farm-to-face products is driven first and foremost by consumers. As consumers seek out more eco-friendly products that fulfill certain niche claims (vegan, cruelty-free, and so on), the traceability of ingredients is now of peak importance to the conscientious consumer.
“Consumers no longer want to know just what effect a formula will have on their skin, but also exactly where ingredients come from, their quality, and how they’ve been treated in laboratories,” explains Georgia Murray. “As in-the-know beauty enthusiasts demand greater transparency from their favorite brands, the process products go through before landing on our bathroom shelves is being laid bare.”
Farm-to-face personal care products can deliver on this desire for heightened transparency by providing a wealth of information to consumers, beyond a list of ingredients. Farm-to-face products can feature information like the location of an ingredient farm, the farmers or growers’ names, types of organic growing methods used, details of hand harvesting, or any other time-honored, naturalistic seeming traditions.
In today’s beauty landscape, consumers increasingly want all of the details on their personal care products, and farm-to-face formulations can deliver that information, and then some.
A focus on the clean claim
Farm-to-face personal care is also having a moment in the spotlight, thanks to the movement’s focus on “clean” ingredients.
“Consumers are paying more attention to what they eat and drink; they also want to know what’s in the products they use every day,” Mark Veeder, co-founder of Farmacy, said. “There is an understanding from consumers that all of these things impact the end result of what they put on their faces and in their bodies.”
As consumers become more and more concerned about the chemicals within their skincare and beauty products, farm-to-face options often appear to be the “cleanest” and safest options to purchase.
Plus, with over 50% of U.S. women using online research methods to delve into the ingredients incorporated into their personal care products, it’s clear that the “clean” claim isn’t just a fad – but a lasting movement within the skincare industry.
A few farm-to-face ingredients?
Finally, consumers are embracing the farm-to-face movement as a way to explore new, interesting natural ingredients that are produced with minimal impact to the environment.
A few of the trendiest farm-to-face ingredients include:
- Grass-fed beef tallow – Containing a high content of vitamin E and fat-soluble vitamins A, D, and K, this anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial ingredient is now being used in
everything from facial oils to baby powder. A true “nose-to-tail” approach. - Lavender – A longtime favorite ingredient for personal care formulations, soothing lavender is back in the skincare spotlight for its ability to tame redness, uneven skin tone, and scarring.
- Heirloom seeds – Open-diversity seeds are growing in prestige for cosmetic products, as heirloom seed oils like camelina, sunflower, jojoba, safflower add moisturizing and hydrating qualities to green formulations.
everything from facial oils to baby powder. A true “nose-to-tail” approach.Farm-to-face is moving forward
By offering formulations that are “good enough to eat,” farm-to-face products highlight the naturally beneficial ingredients provided by the planet, and capitalize on offering the most eco-friendly options to improve consumers personal appearance.
As the demand for more eco-friendly personal care products reaches even higher levels, farm-to-face formulations can provide the perfect avenue to capture green, clean-claim-concerned consumers who want to know exactly what’s in their next purchase.
