| In addition, concerns have been raised about | | | | market their products as being natural and actually |
| some of the potentially harmful ingredients being | | | | do include natural ingredients or at least naturally |
| applied to our skin and thus absorbed into our | | | | derived concentrates together with other |
| bodies, with potentially harmful effects on our | | | | ingredients. They will promote these products as |
| health. | | | | being natural and will attract buyers who are |
| These reports have led to a 'natural' skin care | | | | concerned about what they are putting on their |
| ingredient boom right across the skin care | | | | skin and subsequently into their body. |
| industry and increasingly we see advertisements | | | | This category contains another type of |
| promoting natural skin care products. | | | | manufacturer, I call it the Psydo-Natural |
| Toward the end of 2005 however, buyers have | | | | manufacturer. This type uses only natural |
| been realising that natural skin care products may | | | | ingredients, but does not use these ingredients in |
| not necessarily be all-natural skin care products | | | | their natural state. That is, they will not always |
| and are starting to doubt the validity of | | | | use traditionally made herbal extracts, but will use |
| advertisements promoting their skin care products | | | | isolated, active ingredients from herbs or essential |
| as being natural. | | | | oils in their products. |
| Further, the men's skin care market has been | | | | The problem with this type of product is that the |
| more strongly targeted with many well-known | | | | ingredients are no longer complete, they are 'out |
| brands creating and promoting a skin care range | | | | of balance' and as a result could cause potential |
| specific for men. | | | | health concerns. This has been explained in |
| So what can we expect in 2006? | | | | another article called 'Natural, All Natural, |
| I believe, that the above trends will continue | | | | Holistically-Natural or Pseudo-natural - that is the |
| during this year and will intensify in certain areas. | | | | question'. |
| These areas include: | | | | 3. The third type of manufacturer of skin care |
| - An increased focus on Men's skin care | | | | products are manufacturers that have resolved |
| - More anti-aging 'miracle' products | | | | to provide purely natural skin care products to |
| - Increased focus on promoting so called 'natural' | | | | their clients and are dedicated to use holistically, |
| skin care products | | | | natural ingredients to produce truly natural skin |
| - An increased 'buyer be ware' attitude from | | | | care products. They use pure essential oils, |
| consumers about just how natural the promoted | | | | traditionally made herbal extracts, and follow the |
| skin care products are, and | | | | philosophies of natural medical practices such as |
| - An increase of scepticism toward the promotion | | | | herbal medicine and naturopathy. |
| of natural in respect to skin care products by | | | | The next 12 months or so will see consumers |
| manufacturers. | | | | becoming more and more aware of what is truly |
| I see the manufacturing of skin care products to | | | | natural and what is not. The Internet is a great |
| be divided into three types of manufacturers: | | | | source for gathering such information and women |
| | | | especially will start to research skin care products |
| 1. Traditional Skin Care Manufacturers that | | | | in ever increasing detail to find the type of |
| produce skin care products that will provide good | | | | products they prefer. |
| results, but these products are not advertised to | | | | Men will start to become more aware of their |
| be natural, organic or anything other than skin | | | | skin's needs and will increasingly start to follow |
| care products. Their products include emulsifiers, | | | | similar skin care regimes as women. However, I |
| preservatives and possibly potentially harmful | | | | think it will take men a little longer to start thinking |
| ingredients, but they do work and customers do | | | | about the purity of their skin care. They will |
| get results. | | | | probably leave it up to their spouses to select |
| 2. Jump on the Bandwagon Manufacturers that | | | | their skin care range for them. |