Personal Care Products
Special Report
Outlook for Personal Care Industry: An Indian Perspective
T
he Indian personal care industry has taken rapid strides in the last few years, moving towards premium products incorporating specialty ingredients in their formulation. However, a comparison with per capita consumption in China reflects the largely untapped nature of the Indian market. Favorable demographic factors and increasing beauty consciousness indicate high future demand for personal care products and specifically for active ingredients. Industry participants need to build greater awareness and distribution reach and develop products tailored for the Indian market. Key trends, including nanotechnology and green chemistry besides others, will influence their strategies. The eventual winners would be those who ensure better value offerings to meet the needs of the Indian consumer. Chemicals & personal care From soaps and shampoos in the morning to the overnight repair face creams, from the sunscreen products in summers to moisturising lotions in winters; personal care products literally touch our daily lives. The personal care products we use are in some measure the signature of our lifestyles and standards of living. . The awareness
about ubiquitous personal care products is perhaps matched only by the total ignorance or misinformation about the chemicals that make these products what they are. From the metallic salts of fatty acids used to make the common bath soaps, to the highend cosmeceuticals that combine the beauty related properties of cosmetics with the functional benefits of pharmaceuticals, chemicals (whether derived from natural or synthetic sources) are an integral part of personal care products. Specialty chemicals are widely used in personal care products as active ingredients in the form of emollients, foaming agents and stabilizers. Their performance characteristics like thickening, foaming, imparting smoothness and conditioning are the key functionalities
Outlook for Personal Care Industry: An Indian Perspective
T
he Indian personal care industry has taken rapid strides in the last few years, moving towards premium products incorporating specialty ingredients in their formulation. However, a comparison with per capita consumption in China reflects the largely untapped nature of the Indian market. Favorable demographic factors and increasing beauty consciousness indicate high future demand for personal care products and specifically for active ingredients. Industry participants need to build greater awareness and distribution reach and develop products tailored for the Indian market. Key trends, including nanotechnology and green chemistry besides others, will influence their strategies. The eventual winners would be those who ensure better value offerings to meet the needs of the Indian consumer. Chemicals & personal care From soaps and shampoos in the morning to the overnight repair face creams, from the sunscreen products in summers to moisturising lotions in winters; personal care products literally touch our daily lives. The personal care products we use are in some measure the signature of our lifestyles and standards of living. . The awareness
about ubiquitous personal care products is perhaps matched only by the total ignorance or misinformation about the chemicals that make these products what they are. From the metallic salts of fatty acids used to make the common bath soaps, to the highend cosmeceuticals that combine the beauty related properties of cosmetics with the functional benefits of pharmaceuticals, chemicals (whether derived from natural or synthetic sources) are an integral part of personal care products. Specialty chemicals are widely used in personal care products as active ingredients in the form of emollients, foaming agents and stabilizers. Their performance characteristics like thickening, foaming, imparting smoothness and conditioning are the key functionalities