California-based Blue Diamond Almonds provides a number of ingredient products for the food and beverage industries, but is also noted as a supplier of Sweet Almond Oil to the beauty and and personal care industry.
The oil can be used as an emulsifier for a range of products, while it is also known for a number of therapeutic skin care properties that contribute to skin health.
Added to the fact that it is a 100% natural ingredient that consumers can easily identify with, it has become a preferred ingredient for many indie beauty brands, many of which are focusing on natural based formulations.
Cosmetics Design spoke with Jeff Smith, director of marketing, and Sam Greenberg, R&D and development consultant for the company, to find out about about their approach to supporting the formulation requirements of indie beauty businesses.
What are the most common requirements that you come across when you deal with indie beauty companies?
Sam Greenberg: Indie beauty companies are being driven by the consumers to provide providence and transparency for their ingredients.
Jeff Smith: As the world’s largest almond cooperative, Blue Diamond’s 3,000 member + grower owner community is the foundation for the premium California almonds that are used to make Blue Diamond products. In fact, if you live in Central California you might only have to go as far as your neighbor’s ranch to see the Blue Diamond quality firsthand.
How small a batch is the company willing to deal in?
Jeff Smith: California produces over 80 percent of the world’s almonds, and our growers make up over half the states growers. We are a large producer committed to serving the global marketplace. We have a network of distribution partners who can assist companies who want to buy as little as one pound.
What kind of formulation support can you offer these type of companies?
Sam Greenberg: We can provide excellent insight about almond oil and its characteristics. While we don’t work on formulations, we have a network of resources available to help our customers.
In addition, Blue Diamond conducts sterol testing to ensure that we’re delivering our customers 100 percent pure almond oil. Purity standards are increasingly important based on consumers’ interest in product integrity, plant-based ingredients, non-GMO and clean label products.
What kinds of products is your almond oil best suited to?
Sam Greenberg: Blue Diamond’s sweet almond oil is extremely versatile—from being the preferred choice of massage professionals in its neat form to the backbone of an emulsification in a formulation. It is a great option for a body/massage oil, a face serum or a general usage oil dispersion.
It has terrific moisturizing properties and offers a unique balance that combines the stability of high monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) with enough polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) to absorb quickly. Whether applying it to the face or body, its therapeutic qualities leave skin feeling hydrated and nourished. It has great durability and will resist rancidity much better than other oils, like grapeseed oil.
Why are indie beauty brands using almond oil?
Jeff Smith: Almond oil is one of the most versatile, well-trusted plant oils and we believe it is used in many indie beauty products on the market today.
What is your experience in dealing with indie beauty companies? Are you seeing a rise in this type of business?
Sam Greenberg: We regularly receive inquiries from indie beauty brands and companies – we love working with them. We often speak to the founders of these companies and it’s always great to learn their stories and see how Blue Diamond can help them reach their vision.
The beauty industry has been heavily focused on the growth of indie brands and they will certainly continue to drive innovation in the market.