Natural ingredients: how Coptis Lab helps meet consumer expectations

However, developing natural cosmetics is far from simple. Formulators must identify suitable raw materials, navigate complex regulations specific to each territory where the products will be commercialized, and ensure high-quality standards—all while staying within financial constraints. 

Thankfully, there are solutions to ease the process. Coptis Lab is a comprehensive software solution designed specifically for cosmetics laboratories. Its wide range of features enables teams to collaborate more efficiently in managing raw material sourcing, formulation, packaging, testing, and regulatory compliance. Every aspect is designed to help meet market demands while optimizing both quality and time. 

The figures prove it: natural cosmetics are growing fast. The global market is estimated at $17 billion in 2018 and is expected to reach over $23 billion by 2028. Consumers want cleaner compositions, free from suspicious substances. They are turning to products with natural origin ingredients and certified organic.  

• For further information, see also: Clean Beauty: what is it and how to develop “green” cosmetics 

The first step is raw material sourcing: How do you find the best quality ingredients? Do they meet local requirements? Which supplier should we turn to if we run out of stock? These questions must be anticipated to build a solid foundation for the development process. Key sourcing issues to consider include: 

• Managing the origin of natural raw materials, whether plant-based, mineral, or derived. 

• Overseeing ingredient composition in compliance with COSMOS or ISO 16128 standards. 

• The ability to manage blacklists of ingredients, whether to meet internal standards or align with specific certifications. 

• Creating customized lists based on retailers’ policies restricting substances of concern, petrochemicals, or ingredients that don’t meet their criteria. Leading brands and organizations (such as Sephora, EWG, Credo…) enforce their own guidelines, and manufacturers must easily incorporate these requirements. 

Then, it’s time to create the product, ensuring its stability and, of course, its effectiveness. Some ingredients may not react well when combined, while others may not withhold long-term storage. To avoid these problems, laboratories must multiply tests and closely monitor their evolution. They ensure the formula remains intact and effective after several months under different conditions. While this process can be long and rigorous, it’s essential to guarantee product reliability.  

Before marketing, the product must also be validated from a regulatory point of view. Each country has its own standards and constraints to respect. For example, an ingredient accepted in Europe may be banned in the United States.  

• Read also: Cosmetics: How can we better understand ever-changing international regulations? 

Formulating a cosmetics product starts with efficient ingredient sourcing. With Coptis Lab, laboratories have access to a centralized database where each raw material is referenced according to all its characteristics (origin, supplier, certifications, restrictions according to certain geographical zones, etc.). The solution also enables complex, multi-criteria searches to be carried out to source the ideal raw material. 

Gone are the days of spreadsheets and scattered files! Everything is just a few clicks away and updated in real time.  

Coptis Lab makes every effort to ensure compliance with current standards right from the formula design stage. This is thanks to 

• Access to international regulatory databases covering over 100 countries and regular updates.  

• An automatic alert system if an ingredient does not comply with local regulations.  

Formulators can better anticipate and reduce risks when they are better equipped.  

Naturalness shouldn’t be an obstacle to innovation – quite the contrary! However, developing new cosmetics is often long and tedious without the right tools.  

With Coptis Lab, teams can manage their projects efficiently and save time at every stage, thanks to :  

• A database of ingredients to find out all their characteristics (origin, organic and Cosmos certifications, etc.). 

• Regulatory analyses and alerts right from the start of the process 

• Managing formula costs to reconcile naturalness and profitability 

• Monitoring tests (stability, challenge tests, etc.) to guarantee the efficacy of natural products 

• Data centralization is needed for greater synergy between marketing, R&D, quality control, and regulatory validation. 

• Automating specific tasks, such as drafting certain documents (list of ingredients, PIF, etc.)  

Coptis Lab reduces the need for costly round trips by centralizing data management and simplifying department communication. It means that natural, compliant, and innovative products can be launched more quickly.

Consumers want to know exactly what goes into the products they apply to their skin daily. Percentage of natural ingredients, respect for the environment, absence of harmful substances… transparency has become a fundamental argument.  

Coptis Lab enables brands to always rely on relevant and traceable data: origin of ingredients, supplier management, complete formulation history with modification tracking, and simplified access for audits… everything is brought together so that companies can communicate transparently and win consumers’ trust.  

Natural products have conquered the market but developing them requires a strict and meticulous approach at every stage. That’s where Coptis Lab comes in! It provides brands with a practical methodological framework and accelerates innovation: it optimizes, secures, and simplifies every phase from development to product launch.  

Thanks to its unique expertise in IT and cosmetics, Coptis has been a leading provider of software solutions dedicated explicitly to cosmetics laboratories for over 25 years.  

Operating in France, the United States, and Singapore, the company constantly improves its software to meet industry needs and consumer expectations. These improvements, integrated as standard, guarantee that users will have a solution in step with the latest technological advances.  

Would you like to find out more about Coptis Lab? Contact our teams or request a demo.