Cosmetic revolution at click

Freshly Cosmetics

Fast and clear regulation progress.Natural cosmetics in Spain already represents 11% of the sector with a business volume of about 780 million euros.They are figures of 2019, the last available according to the National Association of Perfumery and Cosmetics (Stanpa), and that are still 10% below markets such as British, French or German.

However, companies in the sector, many of them with exclusively online sales channel, have benefited from the impulse that pandemic has given to internet purchases, causing increases in sales of up to 800%.And despite being digital native, and of concentrating and trusting the bulk of its business volume to the network, they begin to launch themselves to the opening of physical stores in large commercial axes to be able to offer "new experiences" to their customers.

An increasingly important market for consumers around the world but, in Spain, lacks official regulations.Brands must demonstrate what makes them unique and consumers learn to distinguish between natural, ecological, sustainable, organic products, etc..Virtually all companies in this industry subsegment agree that a clear regulation would facilitate the way;But from the Spanish Medicine Agency, on which the cosmetics sector depends, they have declined to pronounce on the matter.

62% of natural cosmetics consumers ensure that you buy these products by consciousness with the environment while 46% use the simplicity of their compositions, according to data provided by Stanpa.Only 36% claim to be able to distinguish which cosmetics are natural and which do not and in more than half of the cases they do it through the label information.Around 15% do it because they observe a seal or certificate.In addition, there are 19% of consumers who directly transfer their eating habits to cosmetics even affirming that nothing would be put on "in the body that could not be eaten".

From a class in class to a store in London

A soap pill in a faculty class gave the exit gun to Freshly Cosmetics.Miquel Antolín's mother, Civil Mercè, made natural soaps and the day her son appeared with one of them in class, her companions and friends, Mireia Trepat and Joan Miralles, decided to investigate the market of natural cosmetics."In 2015 it was a sector that practically did not exist, which was limited to herbalists. Cuando buscábamos laboratorios, muchos nos decían que estábamos locos, que la cosmética natural no tenía futuro", recuerda Salva Marsal, Communications & Corporate Press Manager de Freshly.

In his opinion, the business model made no sense if it was not online because it allowed to start with less costs.Today, six years later, they are about to reach one million customers.Of these, more than 90% are women between 20 and 45 years.

In 2019, they opened their first store in Barcelona.That year they invoiced 12 million euros.In 2020, when the pandemic losing the fear of online purchases, the business volume stood at 30 million.And this year, forecasts indicate sales close to 50 million euros.

They already have another store in Madrid, on October 1 they opened one in Valencia and, since Friday, November 19, they have their first international ‘store’ at 44 Carnaby Street, London.The company's expansion plan includes new openings throughout the Spanish territory.And the order will be decided by the number of clients and the possibility of finding a premises in the ‘prime’ area of the city.They count customers in Italy, France, Portugal and the United Kingdom, and are clear that to continue growing they must "start looking out" but want to do it, as until now, "with a head"."The dream," explains Marsal, "is to revolutionize cosmetics, demonstrate that things can be done differently and that natural products are functional".

Open in New York

Sara Werner, CEO and co-founder of the Cocunat company, is convinced that what is being experienced in the natural cosmetics sector is not a fashion.It is a turn in consumption habits and industry.

Cocunat began in 2013 as ‘Market Place’, and in 2018 they launched the market as a brand "100% natural and sustainable cosmetics"."We were born as digital natives and the natural to grow was to maintain that DNA but it is also that it allows us to reach many more people directly," he argues.

In the absence of specific regulations, in the company they have coined the concept 'toxic free', "an inspiring movement to respond to what the consumer seeks who, following the ecological wave in food, claims products that do not carry ingredientsharmful to the environment or for people ".

@shoyosaya wait idk how to explain but i think it's a linking verb.It doesn't have an exact translation in Eng.It ... https: // t.CO/RUGGDL6SBF

— 🫐 Tue Jul 06 07:18:31 +0000 2021

In this way, "we can use both natural and synthetic ingredients but that are sustainable and that are respectful of our health and life in general -the planet, animals, people -that do not harm".

The year of Pandemia has meant 800% increase the cocunat business volume.In 2019, with a squad of 15 people, they billed 4 million euros.In 2020, they closed with 32 million euros and 30 workers.And in this exercise they concentrate on strengthening everything achieved to start 2022 with a new growth map.

On November 11 they opened their first store, in Barcelona, as "a new experience for the consumer beyond the purchase itself".Its second market is the North American, so the next opening "is expected in New York".

According to Werner, in Pandemia, buying online became a need and that has helped modify purchase habits.In addition, "2020 has opened our eyes: we are stressing too much the ways of consumption and energy, and the planet is notifying us.We decided more consciously what products to acquire.This is no longer the one to stop it.We have to serve to make a better, more sustainable and more respectful industry ".

"Digital brands are opening a path that marks how the new cosmetics has to be.We are like a great laboratory for great firms, which do not understand the new consumer.They copy us. Estamos instaurando una nueva forma de comunicar, de crear productos, de filosofía propia… ", sentencia.

Sara Werner, founder of Cocunat, with some of her products

A lifestyle

The skin of Sonia Bernal, founder and creative director of Salad Code, flushed very easily by using conventional cosmetics products and as, in addition, she had always led a healthy lifestyle, she wanted to create a brand of skin care products with the skin care with thesame ingredients that were part of their diet.Between 2016 and 2017 Salad Code was born.

They have a consumer "very concerned about their well -being, with a healthy lifestyle, interested in organic and proximity products, informed and worried about the environment".And that is why it is also absolutely convinced that it is not a fashion: "It is a decision that encompasses health and health is something untouchable".During the pandemic they did not stop service at any time, "we made many new customers who today continue with us and are faithful to the brand".

Salad Code, based in Elche, has 6 workers, about 30.000 clients and a turnover of 1.5 million euros in their fourth year of life.Sell exclusively through the digital channel has allowed them to communicate "better with customers, very closely and generating confidence, although it seems a contradiction at first".

They do not rule out in the near future to make the leap to the offline channel and open their own stores, "both in Spain and in the main cities of the world reinforce communication with customers"."In 10 years, I would love to be a reference in the sector but not only as a brand that sells skin products but also encourages a healthy lifestyle, for me it is fundamental, they go hand in hand," Bernal.

International seal

Weleda was founded in 1921 as a pharmaceutical laboratory, with a complete 100% natural medicines vademécum.A few years later, products for hygiene, nutrition and skin protection began to be developed, giving rise to the cosmetic product line, 100% certified by Natrue.

"The International, Global and Recognized Natrue Seal is the certification with the most transparent and demanding standards for natural and organic cosmetics, offering security and guarantee to consumers.The seal requires the absence of use of preservatives, dyes or synthetic perfumes and non -testing in animals, "says Miguel Herdin, general director of the company.

According to Herdin, the natural cosmetics industry "is advancing very fast, finding new ingredients and ways of producing, which, maintaining respect for the naturalness of the product, are an exponent of the rapid evolution of the market and in this sense, the legislationIt is always difficult to change at the same pace.This is an inconvenience to consumers because there is a lotBuy a real 100% natural product when it really isn't.There is no European regulation that defines what can be called natural cosmetics ".

In his opinion, confinement "has allowed people to reflect more about their purchasing habits, with the result that these have been made more responsible".In addition, "there is more and more interest on the part of large distribution chains in having organic and natural, effective and quality products".

In Weleda they do not consider opening our own stores, although "in Centro Europa we are tantling a boutique-spa model that is very successful".