Discover How Novi Connect is Transforming Beauty with Ingredient Transparency — E.680
Skincare Anarchy: Unveiling Ingredient Transparency and Sustainability with Yashi Shrestha from Novi Connect
In this insightful episode of Skincare Anarchy, host Dr. Ekta Yadav dives deep into the complex world of sustainability, ingredient transparency, and green chemistry with Yashi Shrestha, co-founder and Head of Chemistry and Sustainability at Novi Connect. Together, they explore the intricacies behind understanding the ingredients we use every day, the hidden challenges within the beauty industry, and how Novi Connect is helping brands and consumers make informed, eco-friendly choices.
The Journey to Green Chemistry and Sustainability
Yashi’s journey to becoming a leader in sustainable beauty began in Nepal, where she was born and raised. She came to the U.S. for college and majored in chemistry with a focus on environmental science. Her research into the antioxidant capacity of skincare products sparked her passion for the beauty industry. However, it was an environmental policy class that opened her eyes to the outdated regulations governing chemicals in personal care products. This realization set her on a path of advocating for transparency and sustainability in beauty.
After college, Yashi worked on reformulating products to make them more sustainable by using greener chemicals and safer ingredient alternatives. While she enjoyed the innovation of product development, her passion for research and green chemistry principles grew stronger. She eventually joined a clean beauty brand, where she worked on pushing the boundaries of sustainability in the beauty space. This experience exposed her to the lack of transparency and the gaps in data within the industry — a pivotal moment that led to the creation of NoviConnect.
Introducing Novi Connect: Empowering Transparency and Data Accessibility
Novi Connect was founded to bring transparency and accessibility to the beauty industry. The platform enables brands and consumers to access clear, actionable data to make informed decisions about the products they create or purchase. Yashi explains that sustainability is not just about swapping out ingredients; it requires a holistic approach that evaluates every aspect of a product’s lifecycle — from sourcing raw materials to minimizing its environmental impact.
At the heart of Novi Connect is the belief that transparency is key to driving sustainability. By providing comprehensive data, Novi helps brands and consumers choose products that align with their values. Yashi emphasizes that sustainability touches multiple dimensions, from human health and environmental safety to ethical sourcing and waste reduction. Novi’s goal is to support continuous improvement within the industry by providing data and information that help brands make informed, responsible decisions.
Moving Beyond “Free-Of” Labels: Educating Consumers on Ingredients
One of the major themes of this episode is the shift away from “free-of” labels and fear-mongering around certain ingredients. Yashi and Ekta discuss how the beauty industry has relied heavily on marketing products as “free from” certain ingredients like parabens, but without providing consumers with clear explanations about why certain ingredients are used or avoided. This leads to confusion and polarization among consumers, with some being overly cautious while others don’t care at all.
Yashi advocates for a more educated approach to ingredient transparency. She explains that the focus should not only be on what is left out of products but also on what is included and why. For example, if a brand claims its product is free of parabens, it should also explain the alternative preservative it uses and why it is a safer, more sustainable choice. This level of education will empower consumers to make more informed decisions.
The Importance of Ingredient Transparency in Sustainability
Transparency is not just about listing ingredients — it’s about understanding where those ingredients come from and how they are sourced. Ekta shares her concerns as a consumer, pointing out that many people have no idea where common ingredients, like hyaluronic acid, are sourced from or how they are manufactured. Yashi agrees and stresses that brands need to take responsibility for going down the supply chain to verify the origin and quality of their ingredients.
Novi Connect plays a crucial role in helping brands verify their ingredients and back up their product claims with data. The platform works with retailers like Sephora, Ulta, and Credo, ensuring that brands can substantiate their claims with verified data. This helps create a level of trust between the brand and the consumer, enabling consumers to feel confident that the products they buy align with their values.
Creating Product Standards: A Holistic Approach
Ekta and Yashi also explore what it takes to develop meaningful product standards in the beauty industry. Yashi believes that product standards should be value-based and holistic, incorporating everything from ingredient sourcing to packaging decisions. Brands should clearly define their product standards and substantiate them with testing, certifications, or other proof points. Yashi also emphasizes the importance of educating consumers so that they understand the standards and how they align with their values.
The Challenge of Proprietary Ingredients
Ekta brings up an issue that has long troubled her — proprietary ingredients. Many brands tout proprietary blends or ingredients but don’t provide any transparency about what they are. Yashi explains that while brands may want to protect their competitive advantage, proprietary ingredients can be concerning if they withhold crucial information from consumers. She believes that transparency should be a non-negotiable aspect of product formulation, and brands should disclose exactly what is in their products, especially if they are making strong claims about their efficacy.
The Future of Sustainability in Beauty
As the conversation wraps up, Yashi expresses optimism about the future of sustainability in the beauty industry. She believes that consumers are increasingly voting with their wallets, choosing to support brands that prioritize transparency and sustainability. This consumer demand is pushing the industry to be more transparent and to innovate in ways that align with environmental and ethical values.
Novi Connect is at the forefront of this movement, helping brands navigate the complexities of sustainability and providing them with the tools they need to be transparent with their consumers. Yashi encourages both brands and consumers to work together to create a more sustainable, transparent beauty industry.
Conclusion: Building Trust Through Transparency
This episode sheds light on the importance of ingredient transparency and sustainability in the beauty industry. Yashi Shrestha and Novi Connect are leading the charge in helping brands and consumers make more informed, eco-friendly choices. By focusing on data accessibility and comprehensive transparency, Novi is helping the beauty industry move toward a future where sustainability is the norm, not the exception.
For consumers and brands alike, this episode is a reminder that the future of beauty lies in transparency, education, and accountability. As Yashi and Ekta both emphasize, the more informed we are, the better decisions we can make for our health, our environment, and the brands we choose to support.
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