The emerging economies of China and India in particular are contributing to the rising demand for the ingredient in cosmetics and skin care products.
The ingredient is used in cosmetics for its antioxidant properties, and offers a natural alternative to other synthetic antioxidants.
“The curcumin market is expected to grow significantly in the near future owing to its increasing demand in cosmetics, food, and pharmaceutical industry,” the report’s analysts have stated.
Protective properties
Curcumin's rising profile comes off the back of various sources finding that it offers significant skin care benefits, including reduction of inflammation.
Research funded by BBSRC and Unilever, first published in The FASEB Journal last year, found that curcumin offered 16% protection against oxidative stress, and 8% against UVA damage within skin cells.
Other researchers have found the ingredient to have a skin-lightening affect too. T. Nguyen and A Friedman recently published an article with the NCBI, describing curcumin's restoring properties for the skin and, noting that it can help tackle “cosmetic ailments, such as dyspigmentation”.
“In addition,” the researchers note, “curcumin may have a protective role against various pollutants and cytotoxic agents.”
Lucrative export
The rising sales in the region are not solely due to domestic demand; beauty products developed with curcumin within Asia are increasingly in demand in the West too.
In fact, the rising curcumin demand “will be dominated by cosmetics and skin care manufacturers who are primarily engaged in exporting their herbal products to Europe and North America,” the report's analysts have stated.
Often used in 'herbal' products due to its plant-based nature, curcumin participates in the wider ongoing trend for naturals within cosmetics, the Transparency Market Research report highlights.