Procter & Gamble gets transparent about beauty ingredients

Procter & Gamble is embracing the cultural shift towards transparency within the beauty industry by pledging to share all its fragrance ingredients with the general public.

The beauty giant, which counts Olay, Aussie, Herbal Essences and SK-II as part of its brand portfolio, has announced that it will share "all fragrance ingredients down to 0.01 percent" across its product portfolio in the US and Canada by the end of 2019. In addition to releasing ingredients for more than 2000 fragranced products, the company will also provide information about their source, citing whether they are derived from fruits, food items, or other products.

"Our goal is to give people information that is clear, reliable and accessible," said Kathy Fish, Chief Technology Officer at Procter & Gamble, in a statement. "This is another step in our sustainability journey toward enabling consumers to make informed choices."

Although Procter & Gamble already shares its full fragrance palette and a list of ingredients not used in fragrances, it hopes this new level of transparency will help consumers better understand the choices they are making, boosting customer confidence. The company also acknowledged that the move was "in recognition of consumers' growing interest in knowing what ingredients are in the products they use."

An increase in consumer awareness regarding the scientific processes and ingredients behind the cosmetics industry has led to a rise in popularity for natural, organic, vegan or cruelty-free options over the past few years. Brands such as Beauty Blender, Burt's Bees, Lush, Tarte and Kat Von D are just a handful of those that have incorporated an ethical stance into their product strategies, becoming household brand names in the process.