Looking for alternatives: ingredient lists and labels are facing more and more scrutiny as consumers, unwilling to accept cosmetics and toiletries at face value, seek purer, more natural alternative formulations, leading to significant growth in alternative ingredients in new launches.(Alternative Ingredients)

Global Cosmetic Industry, March, 2008 by Matthews, Imogen

Many consumers look to avoid artificial additives in the food they eat, and believe the same criteria should apply when choosing cosmetics and toiletries. Media scare stories have fueled consumer concerns, and many people now try to avoid parabens, for example, even if they do not fully understand their safety profile or purpose in a cosmetics formulation. Some brands are picking up on consumer ignorance, and incorporate "free from" messages on their product labeling, knowing that this is an attractive selling point.

The "Free From" Trend

The "free from" trend means that brands are looking to offer an alternative, although this may not always be straightforward. "We are seeing more natural preservatives, emulsifiers, etc. However, the challenge is to...