A large number of global and local manufacturers from the nutraceutical, nutritional & dietary supplement, and pharmaceutical fields are making cosmeceutical and nutricosmetic products to leverage the overlaps in concepts and technologies.
The intersection of nutritionals and pharmaceuticals brings about nutraceuticals, while the overlap of cosmetics with pharmaceuticals yields cosmeceuticals. Nutritionals when juxtaposed with cosmetics generates nutricosmetics.
Ingredients for natural self-care products – nutraceuticals, cosmeceuticals and nutricosmetics – are often the same or similar. These products may be formulated from one or more or the following ingredients or ingredient categories: omega-3 fatty acids, carotenoids (e.g. lycopene, beta carotene; astaxanthin), vitamins (retinoids, ascorbic acid, and tocopherols), collagen-peptide, CoQ10, green tea extracts, phytosterols, and fruit extracts.
The first stage in the value chain comprises of suppliers who provide nutraceutical, cosmeceutical and nutricosmetic ingredients i.e. the raw materials (proteins, peptides, retinoids, botanicals, etc) for cosmetic and nutraceutical manufacturers to make the end products. The suppliers could sometimes be manufacturers/ brand owners or even independent research laboratories.
The manufacturers/ brand owners formulate and manufacture the finished products (tablets, capsules, syrups, liquids, creams, lotions etc.)containing nutraceutical, cosmeceutical and nutricosmetic ingredients. This stage could also include independent formulators and contract manufacturing organizations (CMO). In addition to manufacturing the end product, they also complete the secondary attractive packaging and tertiary packaging ready for distribution.
Wholesale pharma and nutraceutical distributors (wholesalers) purchase finished and packaged finished products directly from manufacturers. They may deal with several companies at a time, and stock the full range of a company’s products or a few e.g. only nutraceuticals or botanicals. They sell these products for a margin to retailers (pharmacies, super-markets, natural and health & wellness stores, spas, online stores, beauty salons etc.) as per orders from them.
Ingredient distributors act as marketing intermediaries in addition to being distributors of raw materials for contract manufacturers and manufacturers that own the brands also. In some cases, ingredient manufacturers are established in certain countries or regions, and rely on regional distributors to support their marketing and sales activities for market penetration.
The semi-final stage of the value chain involves the stocking on retail shelves, and selling the cosmeceutical and nutricosmetic finished products to consumers. The retailers are pharmacies, super-markets, natural and health & wellness stores, spas, online stores, beauty salons etc. Today, online websites dedicated to health products and other general online ordering e.g. Amazon, or the manufacturer websites are also commonly used by consumers.
End-users/ Consumers buy and/or use nutraceutical, cosmeceutical and nutricosmetic products through one of the range of channels (pharmacies, super-markets, natural and health & wellness stores, spas, online stores, beauty salons etc.), or even online websites dedicated to health products and other general online ordering e.g. Amazon, or the manufacturer websites
Around 16% of the topical or skin-care products (creams, lotions etc.) introductions in the last five years are claimed to be multi-functional.
Examples include
Multi-purpose delivery systems are being developed to help leverage the multi-functionality trend in the skin care segment.
Nano- and micro- systems (carriers, films and emulsions) are now being developed apart from the more established systems such as liposomes, emulsions and lipid carriers.