Hi, I’m Natasha Spencer-Jolliffe, and I love words.

Listening to them, learning new ones, putting the perfect ones down on page to make that sentence just right, and whizzing them around again until they’re just so.

And of course, nattering words to chat, relate, put the world to rights, ask questions, and generally find out more about the world and us in it.

On this site you will find my latest published articles, if you want to know more, please check out my blog here

Natasha Spencer-Jolliffe

Here are my latest published articles

cosmeticsdesign.com •

EDF calls for action on ‘toxic equity problem’ in personal care products

Research shows that beauty and personal care products are one of the sources contributing to women of color being disproportionately exposed to toxic chemicals. For example, a 2021 paper from scientists at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that hair products commonly used by women or color showed hormonal activity. Another study, published in 2018 by scientists from the Silent Spring Institute, found that 72% of the hair products for women of color contained parabens and dieth
foodmanufacture.co.uk •

PureCircle and Synergy collaborate to update Skinny Drinks with Starleaf Reb M extract

The newly-formulated range will be released as part of The Skinny Drinks Group’s tonic collection. The collaboration has seen the replacement the traditionally-used Reb A stevia extract, which can create flavour limitations, with the Starleaf Reb M stevia extract. By formulating with the new ingredient, the three companies aim to offer the most sugar-like taste available on the market. All the tonic, without the sugar ​ “Consumer demand for reduced and zero-sugar beverages has been on the rise
foodmanufacture.co.uk •

Reformulate: Fooditive's upcycled plant-based sweetener

We speak to the brand’s founder and chief executive officer Moayad Abushokhedim about its plant-based sugar substitute solution and its wider plans to tackle global sugar intake. Sugar substitutes are not often synonymous with being healthy and natural, but that's the focus of Dutch plant-based ingredient and sweetener innovator Fooditive. Launching in 2018 with its plant-based and chemical-free sweetener, Fooditive centres its efforts on improving the health status of products that use sugar r
foodmanufacture.co.uk •

Emerging Science: fresh produce and light manipulation

Food Manufacture speaks to Jen Bromley, PhD and head of plant research and development at London-based vertical farming innovator Vertical Future, to find out more. Food liking is a key driver that repeatedly brings consumers back to the same food choices. When it comes to product development, taste is paramount. In 2020, 88% of consumers confirmed that taste is the primary reason for buying a food item, the International Food Information Council Foundation’s survey found.​ Taste ranked above

ChemDirect marketplace seeks to transform chemical buying

7 Sep 2021 --- Described as the “new and smarter way to purchase and sell chemicals”, ChemDirect aims to connect the chemical world through its digital B2B marketplace, purpose built for the chemical industry. The platform caters to those who need to shop for on-demand chemical supplies with direct shipment. It aims to connect brands, customers and suppliers throughout the BPC industry to enable them to compare and purchase chemicals sold directly from manufacturers. Launching the platform in A

Perfect Corp AI revisits Clueless to tap into ‘shopper-tainment’

7 Sep 2021 --- “Nostalgia is a huge trend at the moment and this has been further accelerated by the pandemic,” highlights Adam Gam, Chief Marketing Officer at Perfect Corp. “Consumers have been seeking comfort and stability by rewatching their favorite movies and using nostalgia as a form of escapism during the challenging period. It makes sense to translate this trend into beauty.” Perfect Corp has teamed up with the historic film and television production and distribution company, Paramount

Beauty brands redefine marketing in an inclusive age

9 Sep 2021 --- Striving for perfection in a beauty space that fails to cater to everyone is no longer acceptable in the beauty and personal care (BPC) industry. Authenticity, embracing flaws and creating a true inclusivity is changing the face of the sector. Ehrin Ziccardi and Neil Petrocelli, co-founders of online curator and incubator of innovative brands, UNDRGRND Beauty, tell us how the industry is shifting in the age of conscious beauty. Click to Enlarge“The beauty industry has been slow t

Indie beauty conversation with Alchimie Forever

9 Sep 2021 --- Prevention is better than cure as the famous saying goes. One long-standing indie brand, Alchimie Forever, recognizes that teaching good preventative skin care habits is a key opportunity. We caught up with the brand’s co-founder, Ada Polla, to talk about its skin care vision, its latest launch, and the future of dermatology in the post-Covid era. What was the inspiration behind Alchimie Forever’s launch? The genesis or beginning of Alchimie Forever stems from crying children. T

Beraca ‘a perfect fit’ for new owner Clariant

2 Sep 2021 --- The Swiss multinational speciality chemicals company Clariant recently announced it would be taking full operational ownership of Beraca’s portfolio of natural ingredients in a bid to strengthen its personal care business. More specifically, Clariant also hopes that its acquisition of the company will meet growing customer demand for sustainable and ethically sourced materials. “For Clariant, the acquisition of Beraca is an important step in strengthening the sustainable developm

UK safety accreditation implementation period extended

02 Sep 2021 --- The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) has announced that it is adding an extra year to the transition period for the adoption of the UK Conformity Assessed (UKCA) mark. As a result, cosmetic and personal care companies will now have until 1 January 2023 to apply the mark which will become mandatory on that date. Click to EnlargeSource: UK Goverment.The UKCA mark is a symbol that certifies a specific product has been assessed for conformity according to UK safety sta

Indie beauty conversation with Amouage

31 Aug 2021 --- As the Oman-based premium fragrance house Amouage moves into the niche perfumery market in the US and China, we sat down virtually with CEO Marco Parsiegla to talk about the company, its bold expansion plans and the biggest challenges behind achieving them. Can you tell me about your inspiration behind launching Amouage? Click to EnlargeMarco Parsiegla is targeting the US and China as Amouage seeks to grow the brand from its homeland in Oman. Source: Amouage.Amouage is an indep

Smart data propels new wave of digital activity

31 Aug 2021 --- Globally, on average, over half of consumers typically bought their BPC products in-store, the Innova Beauty and Personal Care 2020 survey revealed. Less than a quarter opted for online methods to purchase their BPC buys, and a quarter revealed they shopped in both the digital and physical spaces or had no preference. Yet, as global lockdowns have continued to play out well into 2021, and concerns over the safety and hygiene of in-store samples reshape our shopping habits, digita

Brandefy: ‘David in a world of beauty Goliaths’

26 Aug 2021 --- The idea for Brandefy came to founder and CEO Meg Pryde after working in consumer packaged goods and at a technology start-up. “I realized that people wanted an easier way to find products they loved and that technology could simplify the process,” Pryde recalls. “I saw there was a massive lack of transparency for consumers, particularly in the beauty space,” notes Pryde. “I started thinking there was a way to use community and technology to allow consumers to create transparenc

Brands urged to join Sustainable Beauty Coalition

26 Aug 2021 --- The Sustainable Beauty Coalition (SBC) is on a mission “to accelerate sustainability in the industry.” The not-for-profit British Beauty Council set up the alliance to spur sustainability throughout the UK beauty sector. The organization will do this by informing brands of best practices and encouraging them to perform these, along with engaging in collaboration with other names in the skin care, hair care, cosmetics and fragrance sectors. Highlighting the importance of a beauty

How blockchain and cryptocurrency are shaping scent

19 Aug 2021 --- After being part of the blockchain community and monitoring the technology for the past five years, Look Labs’ founder Jordan Katzarov set about harnessing its potential. Blockchain technology, which has risen to prominence in finance and investment in recent years, is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as “a system in which a record of transactions made in bitcoin or another cryptocurrency are maintained across several computers that are linked in a peer-to-peer network.” Marrying

SEEN Again recycling scheme for brands and influencers

19 Aug 2021 --- The beauty agency SEEN group has released its new recycling scheme, SEEN Again, for other businesses including media professionals and influencers. SEEN’s initiative is designed to give these businesses the ability to easily and responsibly recycle their beauty packaging, which includes skin care, cosmetics and fragrance products. Click to EnlargeSource: SEEN Group.Through the scheme, every time SEEN Group sends samples or gifted products to media professionals and influencers t

Indie beauty conversation with Everist

24 Aug 2021 --- Introducing the first patent-pending shampoo and conditioner concentrates, and with their sights set on patent-pending body care, Everist co-founders, CEO Jessica Stevenson and Chief Brand Officer Jayme Jenkins, talk to us about the motivation behind the brand’s waterless hair care solutions, the process of making their vision a reality, and how they hope to contribute to removing single-use plastic from consumers’ beauty routines. What was your inspiration behind launching Ever

How oral care impacts our overall health

24 Aug 2021 --- A survey by multinational pharmaceutical company GSK Consumer Healthcare and market research firm Ipsos reveals that public awareness of the wider benefits of good oral health is low. We spoke to Dr. Stephen Mason, Medical Lead at GSK Consumer Healthcare Oral Health, to find out more about the recent research and what it means for our understanding of the impact oral personal care can have on beyond our teeth. Prior to your research, what was the current understanding of the rel
cosmeticsdesign.com •

Quantitative to qualitative: ‘Smart data’ the future of beauty sampling

Sampling is a way for brands to entice, engage and enable beauty buyers to enjoy products pre-purchase. And with the pandemic shutting stores, brands needed a way to reach consumers. The answer? Online​. But as brick-and-mortar stores reopen, it is not only the physical retail landscape getting a makeover; digital sampling is driving the online experience and shaping approaches in the world of beauty samples. “The influence and acquisition powers of sampling has only increased amid the COVID-19
The Earth & I •

Tree Communities Harness the Power of Interdependence

Trees are known to compete for sunlight and soil resources, but forest researchers have discovered a deeper reality beneath the ground. Trees actually relate to one another in communities and even share essential nutrients through their roots. Dr. Camille Defrenne, an ecologist specializing in plant-fungal symbioses at the Climate Change Science Institute and Environmental Sciences Division of Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee, is one such researcher who has studied the inner workings
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