S3D Solid’hair x Patchoul’Up

S3D Solid’hair shampoo bar concept / Source: Givaudan

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5 MINUTE READ

Nadine Smith

WHAT WE SAY:

Just in case the trend has passed you by, solid bar formulas are back, and in a big way. No longer confined to a sad cracked soap in a public bathroom, these new formulations are promising all the qualities of your bottled shampoo, conditioner and body wash with none of the plastic.

The latest drop (pun intended) from Givaudan is the S3D Solid’hair shampoo, a concept product that demonstrates the compatibility of its upcycled Patchoul’Up ingredient with the solid-care movement – a two-in-one waste and plastic reduction solution to be inspired by.

KEY FACTS:

Fragrance, flavour and active component producer Givaudan has launched a conceptual solid bar formula shampoo called S3D Solid’hair, made with its upcycled Patchoul’Up ingredient.
Formulated using Givaudan’s proprietary ingredients, S3D Solid’hair is a packaging-free alternative to plastic-bottled shampoo and demonstrates the usability of the company’s nature-backed ingredients for waterless beauty solutions. It also reduces our reliance on dwindling fresh water supplies for the beauty industry.
The hero ingredient is Patchoul’Up, an active hair care ingredient that’s said to rebalance sebum production, reduce dry flakes and support the scalp’s microbiome. The company extracts it from the patchouli leaves it uses to create fragrance, ensuring the natural ingredient doesn’t go to waste, and demonstrating its improved management of natural resources through maximising potential applications.
The S3D Solid’hair prototype comes against a backdrop of Givaudan’s rebrand to emphasise its ‘human by nature’ ethos and ambition to align with a sustainable future.

Patchoul’Up ingredient / Source: Givaudan

The patchouli plant / Source: Givaudan

DIVE DEEPER:

Bottled shampoo is an often overlooked cause of plastic waste, but research has shown that the UK alone throws away 520 million shampoo bottles every year. Heading for landfill or incineration, these bottles have a significant environmental impact.
One alternative to bottled shampoo products is to switch to a solid bar alternative such as the Givaudan S3D Solid’hair product. This prototype product removes the need for plastic packaging, and can be packaged in cardboard or Aluminium – as demonstrated by Ethique, P&G and Lush.
The S3D Solid’hair prototype was developed by Givaudan’s Active Beauty subsidiary. Active Beauty uses six technologies to achieve high-performing molecules and functional agents. These are blue biotechnology, green fractionation, green biotechnology, white biotechnology, applied microbiomics and visual carriers. Green fractionation is the process used for the manufacture of the Patchoul’Up ingredient in S3D Solid’hair.
The sourcing of patchouli for Patchoul’Up aligns with Givaudan’s Sourcing4Good programme, an ambition to ensure protection of people and planet through material sourcing by 2030.
Other ingredients in the S3D Solid’hair bar include ResistHyal and BisaboLife (of chemical origin) and Naturein Wheat Peptides (of natural origin) as a substitute to cationic guar.
The S3D Solid’hair shampoo bar is certified as 100% natural origin content under ISO 16128. Additionally, it is Ecocert COSMOS approved, vegan, halal and kosher. However, by Givaudan’s statement on animal testing it is assumed some testing would be required for integration in certain markets, namely China.
S3D Solid’hair is one of Givaudan’s prototype marketing concepts to demonstrate the functionality of their branded materials innovations. Other examples in the S3D range include S3D ColourBack, a conceptual prototype which won the Spotlight on Formulation award at In-Cos Asia (2018).

"For us, upcycling is not just a trend but a true path to success on our journey as a sustainable business."

Fabrice Lefevre – Innovation & Marketing Director Active Beauty, Givaudan

Key Design Considerations:

Create packaging in line with the waterless ethos

This prototype does not require packaging as it is not being shipped, stored or placed at the point of sale, but packaging will be required when creating solid bars for sale. Ensure you consider both the shipping and in-use packaging of the product, while retaining the integrity of waterless and plastic-free design. Cardboard, aluminium, Cork, Tin, Steel and Glass could all be used to house the bar and transport it, while in-use storage solutions such as a diatomite soap dish to keep the bar clean and hygienic will be imperative.

Be aware of market saturation and diversify your offering

Many global brands already offer recognisable solid bar shampoo formulations. New launches must offer something innovative or reach new audiences. The Gen Z and Millennial generations are further along the adoption curve of solid beauty than Gen X and Boomers. Consider how you can be one of the first to reintroduce these generations to the benefits of solid formulas. Haircare is also not the only beauty category that solid formulas are suitable for. The solid skincare market is gaining traction and has the potential to boom in coming years.

Go local

The Solid’hair ingredients are sourced globally (such as French wheat, Indonesian patchouli). Local sourcing is an imperative step for reducing GHG emissions and protecting the world’s biodiversity. Consider how creating a product local to your targeted consumer group can not only benefit the environment, but help connect a brand to the customer in a more personal way too. Locally sourced food has become increasingly important to consumers in recent years – and where food goes, beauty follows.

Tell the upcycling story

The benefits of this conceptual product go beyond that of plastic and water reduction. The harvesting and processing of natural and organic beauty is having its own detrimental impact on the environment – with land, water and other resources being used to grow plants for products. It takes 10,000 pounds of rose petals to create just one pound of rose essential oil, for example. While re-creating these natural ingredients in the lab through biotechnology should be the first port of call, the upcycling and reuse of the natural plant for multiple products, not just one, helps make the most of resources.