5 things you need to know about the conscious consumer takeover.
TL;DR: Your products need to be sustainable to sell.
My customers, they’re changing!
Whether you have a bricks and mortar shop, online store, market stall or craft fair, your customers are changing. They’re starting to act differently. Call it what you like: Green, Ethical, Vegan, Sustainable.
There is a new set of standards when it comes to the modern consumer, they’re conscious! Wait, what? By ‘conscious consumers’, I mean people who care about what they’re buying, beyond price and curb appeal. They’re more likely to clock if your products negatively impact the planet.
Your average conscious consumer wants to make a well informed decision before committing and handing over the money.
Think these people are in the minority? Nope. Conscious consumers are growing in numbers, and making a right noise about it. They’re loud advocates for eco-friendly products online and highly influential on social media.
Overall, they are encouraging other people to turn their backs on unethical retailers. This is a sure-fire warning if you are about to add new products to your range!
A golden opportunity
Let’s be upbeat. Rather than an obstacle, this is an opportunity for businesses like you to take advantage of a huge amount of consumers who would openly pay more for sustainable products. Hooray!
Seriously, your hard work will not go unrewarded. At the same time, your business can evolve to be a brand that helps change the world for the better. It’s a win, win.
5 Eco must-haves
So, what do you need to know? Let’s take a look at the top 5 values sought after by conscious consumers:
- Veganism
- Palm Oil
- Packaging
- Simplicity & Quality
- Socially responsible business
1. Veganism
Not just for vegans…
Officially, there’s only a tiny percentage of the UK who say they are actually Vegan. Despite this, an amazing 1 in 3 people in have reduced or stopped meat consumption.
This exploding lifestyle choice applies not just to food items, but across everything from cosmetics, alcohol and clothing. Animal welfare is a hot topic for conscious consumers, many who aren’t ultimately vegan, but just searching for that cruelty free option.
Think this doesn’t apply to you? Yeah, you might not have bacon or sausages in your product, but I’m looking at those ingredients lost in the small print. Here are just a few:
- Beeswax,
- Lanolin (from sheep),
- Collagen (from cows and pigs),
- Cochineal insects (used in lipsticks).
These animal derivatives are a big turn-off, as consumers learn how they make their sad way into the products.
Don’t believe us? Take a look at Superdrug’s new ‘vegan skincare’ range, which saw a flabbergasting 750% rise in sales! Wanna be in for a slice of that? Try out our Wholesale 100% vegan body range, or grab a free sample.
With the UK vegan population quadrupling, and with the estimate that 50% of the population will at least be flexitarian by 2025, it’s clear that the future is plant-based.
2. Palm Oil
A burning issue
The world is on fire from its suicidal addiction to palm oil. I’m not being dramatic. Shockingly, we each consume on average around 8kg of the stuff each per year!
We live in a time when the Amazon rainforests are burning at a catastrophic rate. You don’t have to say much more about Palm oil to understand why conscious consumers are taking a tough stance against it.
Palm Oil plantations are the leading cause of rainforest destruction, and those forests are home to some of the most threatened species in the world. Not cool.
Dirt Cheap
You’ll find palm oil in everything, because it’s one of the cheapest available. Yep, it all comes down to the bottom line.
So most of the processed food items you could think of, cosmetics and cleaning liquids, are all feeling the hit because of their guilty ingredients. Is it possible to give it up? It’s just so, flipping, cheap!
Well, consumers who are going green aren’t just judging products by price anymore. Especially our conscious consumers. Global awareness is growing, and businesses are finally reacting to the rapidly changing customer demand.
Even large companies such as Selfridges and Iceland are removing palm oil from some of their ranges. At the same time other businesses such as Unilever are consistent targets of boycotting, as they refuse to shift on their hunger for cheap palm oil.
Not a drop in sight
When it comes to cosmetics, it ain’t easy finding palm oil free products. White Label Botanist is here to make a change, so rest assured, you’ll never find any palm oil in our eco-friendly hand made products. Put your logo on, and you can have your own guilt-free range, instantly!
The time is finally coming to an end, we hope, for businesses who think ‘profit over planet’. Thank goodness!
3. Packaging
Life is Plastic
You could divide the response to plastic packaging between the time ‘before’ the Blue Planet documentary, and ‘after’.
Almost overnight, BBC’s beloved nature documentary series made the anti-plastic revolution mainstream. You can understand why when, picture this, there is more plastic in the ocean than sea life.
Apparently, there’s six pieces of plastic to each animal in the sea. The tides have turned, and consumers are now willing to pay more for eco-friendly recyclable products. They don’t want to leave a legacy of plastic waste behind them.
Why go plastic free?
Here at White Label Botanist, we don’t either, and it’s why we’re 100% plastic free. Interestingly, it’s been found that plastic packaging creates a powerfully negative impression for the potential buyer, especially conscious consumers. And, they’d pay less for plastic wrapped goods.
This change in buying pattern has seen the rise of ‘naked’ items where liquid is removed and a condensed product is created in a dry solid form. For example, our solid Body lotion bars, wrapped in wax paper.
They replace your standard liquid lotion, and the plastic rubbish that goes with them. Removing the need for plastic is infinitely better than recycling unwanted plastic.
4. Simplicity & Quality
Are you a skintellectual?
The image of the picky customer, peering through a magnifying glass at the ingredients label is no longer a rarity.
Say hello to the millienials, who are leading the way in scrutinising the ingredients they are actually using, eating or applying to their skin. There is a term for this when it comes to cosmetics, and it’s ‘skintellectual’.
Consumers now want to know what those long-worded ingredients are. They are asking why in some products, synthetic industrial ingredients can be found. Instead, these buyers are demanding products to be compiled from only essential ingredients, with less fillers, water and cheap additives.
To win these powerful customers’ loyalty, businesses are striving for transparency in their product recipes. Unpalatable ingredients such as synthetic fragrances, or cheap petroleum derivatives in skin care do not get past these canny shoppers.
Thanks to Google, they aren’t bamboozled by INCI names either! Products that carry a ‘free from’ label, (such as ‘free from synthetic ingredients’, or ‘SLS free’), are increasingly more sought after.
If it was up to me, I’d say that businesses should only sell products that they would happily use themselves, and on their friends and family. Because, well, that’s what we do!
5. Socially Responsible business
The only way is Eco
How is this made? Is it made in the UK? Was it made by hand? Does the business give back to any organisation?
Get used to these questions, and more like them. In the last decade of increasing eco-awareness, consumers are more than ever wanting to know how a product is made, and about who made it. Think about how there is a growing war on fast-fashion. What are these consumers looking for?
Well for a start, products that are made by hand, in smaller or ‘micro-batches’, and that aren’t imported. These kinds of items all enjoy a higher perceived value by the end consumer, and that consumer is willing to pay more!
Eco = Awesome
Over half of people said in a recent poll they would pay more for an eco-friendly product. Conscious ethical consumers readily support businesses that re-invest, or have ‘give back’ campaigns. You don’t need to be a charity to make the world a better place.
Just take a look at 1% for the planet, where businesses donate 1% of sales to environmental non-profits to “create a healthier planet”. Or, organisations such as One Tree Planted work with businesses to plant trees, sometimes one tree for each product sold.
Here at White Label Botanist, our wholesale products are all made in micro-batches, by hand. Even our workshop is powered on 100% renewable energy. In our spare time, you can find us planting trees in an effort to reforest a disused field, with our two rescue sheep. (Although admittedly they don’t do a lot of planting themselves).
For business, the only way forward is eco-friendly.
The take home
Environmental concern is no longer a taboo subject of the early 90’s, it’s everywhere you look, and it’s getting bigger. Consumers understand that each purchase choice they make, is a vote.
Businesses that want to survive are choosing to evolve with these conscious consumers. It’s time to work with the planet, not against. Conscious consumers sound like a pretty nice bunch of people to us.
Top 4 Skincare trends 2022
Selling skincare?
Yeah. You need to know this 😝
FIRSTLY… Hi! How is it February already?!
Ok let’s get stuck in.
You know that we’re not one for following fashion or trends. BUT as a business, it is kinda helpful to know what people are getting excited about this season. Right?
Luckily for you, we’re here do the legwork! It’ll take just 5 mins to read, so no excuse!
Grab a cuppa, and let us guide you through our top 4 trends this year.
1) SKINIMALISM … Minimal Skincare
Who needs 14 different products, when one will suffice. (Who has that much space in their bathroom cabinet too!?).
Sometimes less is more. We also reckon that’s a very eco approach. Less packaging, less waste. And that’s what people are thinking this year.
Who needs 14 different products, when one will suffice. (Who has that much space in their bathroom cabinet too!?). 😜
Stuck for ideas? Checkout these:
First aid in a tin!
With the power of Calendula and Chamomile, this superhero salve is a winner. Use literally, ALL OVER!
Shampoo, Conditioner AND Body wash in one!
Minimal showercare? Sorted! These solid bars are gentle enough to be used as a luxurious body wash, whilst also cleansing and conditioning hair.
2) Healthy Beauty
Yep, it took a pandemic for people to finally realise that it’s not just the look of your skin that matters, it’s the health.
Rather than going for how a product changes the way your skin appears, consumers are now more invested in meaningful HERO ingredients that actually protect the skin, reduce inflammation, and overall be chock full of useful stuff.
Rather than glitter.
(No offence to glitter, it has its place…at Christmas). 🤣🥳
Our top picks for healthy skin:
Ultra Pro Facial Cream
Hero Ingredient: Vegan Squalane!
Supplements the skin’s natural squalane levels, which reduce as we age. Essential for keeping skin supple.
Hand & Body Regen Polishing Scrub
Hero Ingredient: Sea Buckthorn Oil!
This wonder berry brings an array of micronutrients, minerals and omega fatty acids, boosting skin regeneration and improving overall skin health.
3) Spa at Home
Last year was a biggie for this one.
Wearing face masks, using antibacterial gel, washing more. It has taken its toll on all of us. I mean, we’re not complaining. But man are we ready to give our skin a little bit of love back! A little bit of luxury at home.
2022 looks like more of us are wanting a rejuvenating experience at home, whilst it’s still tricky getting out to the spa. It’s not just good for your skin, it’s good for your mental health too.
Our suggestions? Our two bestsellers from last year: 👇
Charcoal Detox Face Mask
With activated charcoal, for a super effective skin detox. This premium face mask is a luxury spa in an eco-jar!
Each face mask contains approximately six servings, making it an irresistible pampering gift experience.
Royal 24k Gold Facial Elixir
With authentic 24 carat gold, for pure opulence.
Packed with highly prized oils for the ultimate facial skincare routine. Featuring Precious Argan, Rosehip, and skin healing Castor oil.
4) Earth Friendly Beauty
Come on.
You know we are beyond excited to hear this! Finally, after being a growing trend for the last 5 years, 2022 is set to be the most popular time yet for eco-friendly beauty and skincare.
Palm oil, plastic and animal-derived ingredients have had their day.
Move aside, and welcome in natural, vegan products. Wahey!
We could suggest our ENTIRE range for this one, but here are our top two suggestions for businesses who champion eco-friendly beauty:
Facial Coffee Scrub Bar
With authentic 24 It’s a moisturising bar, scrub, and facial cleanser in one.
With exfoliating Fairtrade coffee, silky scrubby oats, nourishing hemp and refreshing peppermint. It’s a wakeup like no other.
Superfood Spirulina Body Scrub
The ultimate nourishing body buff for the eco-conscious customer.
With Blue Spirulina: naturally packed with skin nourishing vitamins. Wrapped in fully compostable, plant-based wax paper.
That’s our round up! Enjoy these 4 trends, we kind of hope they stay forever though 🙃🌿
Thank you for all your orders, we have been so incredibly busy this year already! Sending love and good vibes from us all here at White Label Botanist.
And don’t forget…dream big 🥰🌱
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From your personal team of cosmetic makers, here at White Label Botanist
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