Although wellness is broadly defined, research firm McKinsey found six categories that most interest consumers: better health, better fitness, better nutrition, better appearance, better sleep and better mindfulness. In the better appearance category, consumers seek natural/clean products in skin care, cosmetics, multivitamins, subscription food services and sleep enhancers.
 
Consumers overwhelmingly indicate a preference for natural/clean products, particularly in Brazil and China. In the case of dietary supplements, consumers around the world said, by 41% to 21%, that if they had to choose between more natural supplements and more effective ones, they would choose the more natural option. Many indie beauty brands are striving to meet these needs with a variety of launches in the supplement and wellness marketplace.

For example, leading wellness brand Moon Juice recently launched two sustainability initiatives. The indie wellness brand now offers a one-month refill supply of vitamins in 100% biodegradable packaging for its supplements SuperYou, SuperHair and SuperBeauty, and, coming later this year, SuperPower. The refillable bags’ outer layer is kraft paper and the lining is made of PLA, which is a plant-based plastic alternative derived from non-GMO corn. The refill packs can be placed into green waste bins or a backyard composting system. 

Further, Moon Juice’s “Supers” glass bottles will transition to Beyond Green lids this year. Instead of virgin plastic, the lids are made from a corn-based resin (PLA) that fully break down in an industrial compost after six months, or one’s backyard compost after one year, according to the company.

Moon Juice has seen success in the past year with SuperYou—a clinical strength blend of four potent adaptogenic herbs that work together to address the effects of stress on the mind and body. By helping to normalize cortisol levels, SuperYou helps reduce stress, while enhancing energy, mood and focus. For evenings, the indie beauty brand offers Magnesi-OM, a berry “unstressing” drink that contains three essential magnesiums to help restore balance on a cellular level, plus nootropic L-theanine for added calmness. L-theanine supports alpha-wave activity in the brain to reduce stress, said the company.

Amanda Chantal Bacon, founder of Moon Juice, Los Angeles, said, “Our exterior is a print out of what’s happening on a cellular level. Mentally, physically, nutritionally, hormonally and emotionally. Hydrated skin, strong hair and healthy aging all start within. People are beginning to understand that addressing their beauty concerns from the inside leads to the best results.”

Female founded Element Apothec is a new purpose-driven, phytocannabinoid-infused clean beauty and wellness brand. The Los Angeles-based indie startup rolled out its collection this year complete with a line of lotions, balms, serums and tinctures. According to the company, products are composed of only clean and natural ingredients, and responsibly sourced hemp-derived phytocannabinoids. All products will meet GFSI standards and are being manufactured following Food & Drug Administration’s GMP guidelines.

“We founded Element Apothec with the goal of helping people live better, healthier lives through cleaner, naturally-derived wellness products they can trust,” said Davina Kaonohi, CEO of Element Apothec. “We want to bring focus to the need for transparency and reshape consumer expectations for products containing CBD and other phytocannabinoids. I truly believe that consumers of CBD products deserve to know what they’re putting in and on their body. Element Apothec delivers on this, creating a new level of consumer trust through unrivaled transparency into its ingredients and supply chain.”

Each Element Apothec product harnesses the power of hemp-derived phytocannabinoids that are carefully produced using advanced chromatography to deliver true, broad-spectrum CBD, CBN and CBG, without THC. True to the brand’s “Never, Ever Promise,” every product is free of harmful or toxic substances including pesticides, heavy metals and more, and is never tested on animals.

Through its partnership with TagOne, Element Apothec takes this promise to another level by offering total transparency on its ingredients as well as the source of its ingredients. By scanning the QR code on every Element Apothec product package, customers are immersed in the product’s story, showing a traceability map that outlines the “seed to sale” path for all of its natural ingredients.

Products include a Calm Cool Collected Tincture, a CBD and CBG blend for on-the-go lifestyles that provides calming relief wherever and whenever it’s needed. A Relief Balm provides soothing comfort and supports pain relief with a unique formulation of CBD, CBG and CBN, according to the company.

 
An Inside Job
Experts agree that better skin and hair start with a healthy microbiome. As a result, plant-based superfood and protein mix brand Your Super launched  Gut Feeling. Just one serving of this prebiotic superfood contains 20% of the daily fiber intake and naturally digestive enzymes to reduce constipation, gas and bloating, while supporting overall digestive health, according to the indie beauty company based in Venice Beach, CA. Gut Feeling contains six plant-sourced ingredients including: celery powder, Jerusalem artichoke, lemon balm, lemon, ginger and apple. The company is also seeing success with its Forever Beautiful powder mix of berries like acai, acerola, maqui and blueberry.



Nature Made expands its supplement offerings with Nurish by Nature Made pre-bundled vitamin lifestyle packs. This monthly vitamin and supplement subscription includes a 30-day supply of grab-and-go supplements. Consumers can take a personalized quiz online for a fully customized routine. The latest development from this novel wellness brand is The Everyday Glam Pack to help support beauty from the inside out with biotin for hair, skin and nails as well as astaxanthin for skin.

NuStrips, a brand that says it wants to revolutionize the way we think about nutrition and vitamin technology, rolled out compact packs to make it easy to take daily vitamins by ditching clunky, plastic bottles. NuStrips are engineered to dissolve quickly on the tongue and drive faster absorption, enhanced bioavailability, peak performance and pack the same active nutrients as two or three pills or gummies, said the indie wellness company.
The brand currently boasts five SKUs: Sleep, Immunity, Energy, Beauty and MultiVitamin. Each package has 30 strips and is priced at $36.50. Formulas are non-GMO, allergen-free and gluten-free and adhere to the strictest manufacturing standards (USFDA, Health Canada & WHO-GMP), according to the company.



Chill Out
With all the stress of the past year, the number of people seeking professional help to manage their anxiety has skyrocketed. A new wellness brand, Virtue Supplements, entered the “beauty inside out” arena  to offer a solution. Its new Anxiety + Stress Relief supplement utilizes an innovative new capsule to release both powder and liquid ingredients at the optimal time for maximum absorption, allowing for a combination of natural ingredients such as lavender oil, lemon balm and flaxseed. PharamGABA interacts with the nervous system by interacting with GABA receptors in a similar, but less disruptive way as benzodiazepine and diazepam-based pharmaceuticals, said the company.

Rather than numbing away feelings of anxiety, Virtue’s Anxiety + Stress Relief supplement works with our body’s natural rhythms to create the sense of relaxation that offers a glow from within, noted the brand, which was founded by Dr. Jaclyn Bauer, a clinical psychologist with more than 15 years of experience specializing in anxiety, depression and mood disorders.

Other innovations in mood boosters include Lifted Made Delta 8 gummies and Sunday Scaries’ Big Spoon CBD & CBN Sleep Oil. Both are touted as relaxation agents that improve sleep quality for better body health.

Also new is Mojo, the world’s first legal microdosing soft chew, powered by Gwella Mushrooms, designed to enhance presentness and immersion in everyday life. Formulated with naturally derived ingredients such as functional mushrooms and botanicals to mimic the neurological experience of a psychedelic microdose, Mojo is designed to uplift mood, increase ease of focus and mental sharpness, and provide a balanced energy

With the variety of novel products with a common goal to bring beauty from the inside out to the consumer by way of an improved appearance as well as better sleep and mood, it’s no surprise that consumers are stocking up now for a favorable post-pandemic 2021 and beyond.