The waterless trend in the personal care industry is nothing new; but educated consumers demanding proof throughout the supply chain is. In today’s information age, it is easier than ever to calculate the environmental impact of everyday products and services. Websites such as Water Footprint Calculator and Carbon Footprint illustrate how our individual choices and habits contribute to ecological and climate harm.
 
As awareness of water scarcity and water pollution grows, both consumers and brands are working to reduce water use and conserve this important resource.


Consumers Lead the Change

MINTEL’s 2025 Beauty and Personal Care Trends report highlights the shift in personal behavior driving brands to innovate. According to the report, 27% of consumers in the UK are already taking actions to reduce water use, whether by taking shorter showers, investing in water-saving fixtures, or reusing water where possible. Another study by the IBM Institute for Business Value found that 57% of consumers (surveyed in 28 countries) are willing to change their purchasing behaviors in order to be more eco-friendly. 
 
It’s no surprise to learn that younger consumers, particularly those aged 16 to 24, are at the forefront of the waterless trend. The MINTEL report states that 25% of this demographic in the UK, and 28% in France, regularly seek-out products such as dry use soap, shower, and bath products. As this generation reins-in their water usage, they expect companies to do the same.

Great Opportunity, Greater Responsibility

Waterless formulation innovations offer an exciting opportunity for beauty and personal care brands. Removing water altogether requires shifting product formats. Shampoo bars, oil-based serums, toothpaste powders, and cleansing balms are gaining popularity. Along with saving water, these product formats tend to require less packaging or allow for packaging materials beyond plastic bottles. The combination of sustainable packaging with waterless or water-wise products is a win-win for brand sustainability messaging. 
 
Of course, reducing or removing water from the ingredient list alone is no longer enough. Savvy buyers are now demanding transparency regarding ingredients, packaging choices, supply chain impacts, and more. Brands that can present evidence of sustainability through the entire product lifecycle are better positioned to meet the shifting demand. 

Water-Wise Natural Emollients

Many waterless formulations rely on plant oils and extracts, yet agriculture is the single largest water-usage industry. Crops are often grown in arid climates and require extensive irrigation throughout the growing season. Thankfully, there are some excellent natural alternatives to synthetic emollients that don’t compromise on being water-wise.

Meadowfoam Seed Oil XPR™ from Natural Plant Products (NPP) is grown in the verdant Willamette Valley of Western Oregon. Meadowfoam is planted in the fall, the start of Oregon’s very long and very wet rainy season and lies dormant through the winter. A sea of tiny white flowers bloom in early May before the dry season begins, with little-to-no irrigation required.

Meadowfoam cultivated by NPP’s grower-members is also no-till farmed. No-till farming means the soil is never plowed or tilled. The soil is only barely disturbed, which leads to more fertile and resilient soils with higher water-retaining capacity. Greater water retention means even less irrigation required. 

Thanks to NPP’s structure as a farmer-owned cooperative, transparency is possible throughout the ingredient supply chain. NPP’s grower-members also follow bee- and soil-friendly farming practices, adding to the sustainable ingredient story. 
 
Visit www.meadowfoam.com to learn more about the benefits of formulating with natural, water-wise Meadowfoam Seed Oil XPR™, and to view our library of waterless and water-wise guide formulations to help kick-start your development.