Will hemp beauty be a lasting trend or fleeting fancy? At the moment, it’s an important and energetic category in the industry. A growing number of hemp brands, including over 20 with hemp-infused products present at last week’s Indie Beauty Expo in New York City, is vested in cementing its place in beauty routines. Beauty Independent touched base with 10 hemp brands exhibiting at the trade show about their unique propositions, shifts in consumer sentiment and what they think will be the next big thing! 

 4. La La Leaf 

Founder: Michael Faiella

Headquarters: New York City

Launch date: August 2019

Distribution: Direct to consumers through the website www.LaLaLeaf.com. The goal in the future is to work with retailers.

Bestsellers: Tru Athlete Sports Gel has the biggest wow factor. It’s hands down our best product because it works so fast, and both the testing results and consumer feedback have been incredible. In comparison to other hemp sport products we have tried, Tru Athlete smells great thanks to our citrus- and sandalwood-infused fragrances, and consumers have been saying that they really enjoy this smell on their skin.

Take on consumer awareness of hemp: We have noticed mixed responses in regards to hemp awareness. Generally, people have heard about hemp, but they don’t necessarily know what it is or how it can help them in their everyday life. We still need to educate the public on the benefits of hemp skincare.

Points of differentiation: All of our products are all-natural, vegan, paraben-free, phthalate-free. We have QR codes on all of our packaging so consumers can see that our products have the exact amount of hemp that we’re advertising, and that they are metal- and chemical-free. Our goal is to deliver all-natural products that consumers can feel good about buying while bringing a high level of transparency to the space.

Next big thing in hemp: We think that we’re just scratching the surface on the true potential of hemp skincare. We expect the space will evolve based on consumer needs and the demand for more hemp products that provide solutions that contribute to a better quality of life for consumers. We expect that you will start to find hemp in more products and in more innovative applications going forward.