Innovations in biotech beauty are upending the world of natural beauty, creating a new landscape for both brands and consumers – and freeing both clinical and natural beauty brands to target consumers all along the natural spectrum.
With its origins in pharma, the term biotech can sound harsh and sharp, at odds with the world of beauty. At Fletcher Knight, we wanted to coin a term more fitting of the beauty world while still reflecting the groundbreaking advances within it.
Welcome to Biotelligent Beauty SM, an unlock to the age-old dichotomy of nature vs science. By replicating the wisdom of nature with the precision and safety of science, beauty brands are creating products that can appeal to both the scientifically minded and the nature-inspired. Through techniques such as DNA editing, scientists are recreating naturally occurring molecules in a lab, giving brands a unique opportunity to optimize the benefits of both science and nature.
How can your brand harness the shifts in natural beauty? Through scores of interviews and consumer research, Fletcher Knight has created a natural beauty segmentation that illuminates the impact of Biotelligent Beauty across all consumers. With a deep understanding of these segments’ needs and collaborative working partnerships, we position cutting edge science to very powerfully resonate with a broad range of consumer targets.
Traditionally, natural and clinical brands have been relegated to their respective sides of the spectrum – but no longer. Integrating Biotelligent Beauty in their product development enables natural brands to credibly appeal to demanding, results-focused consumers on the right hand-side of the spectrum. Similarly, clinical brands can use Biotelligent Beauty as a legitimate way to play in the natural space to the left.
Of the 6 segments, the Eco-Conscious Controllers, Choiceful Minimalists, Sensitivity Protectors, and Performance Pioneers are inherently receptive to Biotelligent Beauty and present the biggest opportunity for brands to expand their consumer base. Biotelligent Beauty can attract sustainability-minded Eco-Conscious Controllers by protecting natural ecosystems and minimizing waste.
STARTUP BRAND
One Ocean Beauty grows a lab-based marine ingredient that replicates specific properties of a microorganism found exclusively in Antarctica – and the only living organism able to thrive under a glacier, avoiding ocean harvesting and preserving biodiversity.
LEGACY BRAND
Shiseido is the first company to create a bio-hyaluronic acid, a biosynthetic, hyaluronic acid created through in-lab fermentation versus extracting from plant and animal origins.
For efficacy-motivated Performance Pioneers, Biotelligent Beauty delivers advanced results by recreating natural molecules with enhanced clinical potency.
STARTUP BRAND
Heraux skincare uses a proprietary anti-aging ingredient, HX-1, built similarly to natural lipids but with the ability to regulate cell regeneration and thus help prevent fine lines & wrinkles
LEGACY BRAND
L’Oréal has partnered with Micreos, a Dutch biotech company, to harness its proprietary protein endolysin in developing revolutionary microbiome skincare that only targets bad bacteria on skin.
Biotelligent Beauty can drive appeal for the safety-minded Sensitivity Protectors by recreating natural molecules that optimize the benefits of nature while eliminating potential irritants. This precise process and selectivity of ingredients can be appealing to the simplicity-minded Choiceful Minimalist as well. One up & coming example is fermentation in skincare – an adaptation from food science. Natural molecules are broken down into smaller molecules for easy absorption, potency, purity, and optimal bioavailability.
STARTUP BRAND
Ferver skincare uses fermentation to create more precise and pure ingredients – free of undesirable byproducts. Their Fermented Hyaluronic Acid Serum has fermented HA that is ten times more penetrable than standard HA, leaving skin with superior hydration & bounce.
LEGACY BRAND
If you would like to learn more about FK’s work in segmentation, the natural space, in beauty, food or other categories, please drop us a note at info@fletcherknight.com.
