LEADING THE CLEAN COSMETICS BRIGADE

US-based Inolex is planting its roots in India after having captured the market for sustainable ingredients for beauty and personal care.Puja Agarwal, APAC Head,Inloex, discusses with Kanishka Ramchandani the importance of clean and green ingredients in making the Indian beauty market more eco-conscious.

Inolex, a 150 -year-old company from Philadelphia, USA, designs sustainable beauty ingredients, which are beneficial to the health, beauty and wellness sectors. The company, which recently established a base in India, has been catering to the Indian market for long, has a global presence in China, Brazil, France, Germany, Belgium, UK and Korea. How venturing into India is a new dimension and strategic approach for the company and how it will impact the local beauty industry are some of the things that Puja Agarwal, APAC Head, Inolex, brings to light in an exclusive interview.

Formulation processes

“Inolex stands for innovation, technology and excellence We believe in formulating our products without compromising on their performance. We design the chemistries based on 12 green chemistry principles. We ensure a 360-degree lifecycle thinking.

We are certified with RSPO and Halal and our ingredients are 100 per cent vegan and clean.”

Beauty and personal care

“We are deep into the philosophy of a safe planet and safe human beings. The dynamics of the beauty and personal care segment are quite different than the food and pharmaceutical industries. However, we ensure that the chemistry we design comes with all the relevant checks such as toxicity and sensitivity. Our entire senior leadership is focused on the safety of the ingredients. We are not here in the game of selling traditional commodities or chemistries, for the sake of profit margins.”

Eco-friendly ingredients

“We have an ingredient design philosophy wherein we do not swim with the current, we create the current. We balance conscious science with nature and artistry. Our imaginative approaches become the building blocks for exceptional products that care for people and the planet. Our fundamentals include:

-Preservation

-Biodegradable film formers as 98 per cent of the portfolio ingredients are biodegradable

-Standard or silicon alternatives”

Foray in the Indian market

“Earlier we had representation in India only through a channel partner. Since 98 per cent of our castor supply came from India, and not even 1 per cent of that was sustainable, we decided to set base in India and start a 360-degree approach. We have joined the hands with Pragati Association, a non-profit organisation that focuses on sustainable and small-scale farming, and the Global Castor Association for Sustainable Sourcing. With these associations, we empower the farmer community to send their children to schools and get better remuneration.

Once a specific chemistry is in place, firstly we ensure all the regulatory checkpoints are ticked; secondly, all the data studies have been done; and thirdly, the performance has been measured in our application lab. We are transparent company and our customers have access to technical data, data sheets and formulation strategies.”

Path-breaking ingredients

“We have an award-winning amino lipid technology for hair and skincare. We received a bronze award for it in 2019 by NHPCI for innovation. Recently, we launched an advanced version of it -AminoSensyl™ Ultra MB. It is a COSMOS-approved, non-quat complete conditioning system with cationic amino lipid technology. It creates luxury textures and provides deep moisturisation. It is ideal for soft, weightless conditioning that smooths, defines and strengthens hair.”

Sustainability in India

“Indian brands, irrespective of their size, have sustainability in their heart. They need a push in the right direction to bring out this aspect. They need to understand that while there are costs involved, sustainability has it own merits that cannot be denied. Once the brand owners realise this important aspect about sustainability, they will definitely recognise and appreciate our presence here.” PBHJ