US policy regarding the cultivation of cannabis as well as industrial innovation have begun to move the hemp market forward.
All the rage
Estée Lauder’s acquisition of Rodin olio lusso this past November ensured that natural oils will be an important personal care category for quite some time, reported Cosmetics Design on “the trend for natural hair and skin oils [that] has been making waves for the past couple of years.”
Infused and essential oils from botanicals including chia seeds, tomato seeds, neroli, rosehips, calendula flower, juniper, grape seeds, and argan are increasingly popular as personal care ingredients. “As part of the trend for these oils, there has been a move toward increasingly unusual oils, many of which have never before been seen in commercially produced cosmetic lines,” noted Simon Pitman, senior editor of Cosmetics Design.
The business of hemp
The Algae International Group got its start in biodiesel and announced the launch of its subsidiary the American Seed & Oil Company late last summer.
“The Cannabis market opportunity today is largely misunderstood by would be consumers, government regulators and a host of market participants that will be necessary to facilitate the production and distribution of any future Cannabis products,” said the company in a media release about the launch.
All the same, the company sees the potential for hemp as an “unstoppable juggernaught,” and the personal care industry as just one of many markets to serve.
Up and coming
As personal care ingredients, hemp and hemp derivatives are more available today than in the past. Last month Axim Biotechnologies, a company that develops hemp products, announced its own Cosmetics Division. That division will make at least a dozen products ranging from anti-aging face creams to deodorant and from nail cream to body wash.
The US has lifted some restrictions on growing cannabis that previously limited cultivation of the plant for industrial use. Yet even before those changes, there was a market for hemp ingredients and beauty products. For instance, the biotech company Medical Marijuana created an anti-aging skin care line formulated with hemp in 2013.
Resourcefulness
The Hippie Butter product portfolio includes a fair number of personal care items: shampoo, conditioner, soaps, creams, lotions and more.
The company’s arrangement with Algae International Group means that “American Seed & Oil will supply organically certified hemp, to include hemp seeds, hemp oil and CBD oil for use in the Hippie Butter line of consumer products,” according to the media release.
The online grocer believes that the naturals segment is ready for hemp: “The ugly truth is that many natural skin care products feel strange,” according to a January blog post on the company’s site. Hippie Butter anticipates that products formulated with hemp will appeal to mainstream consumers, because “hemp seed oil… goes on light and moisturizes without leaving that greasy feeling.”