CSL clean, natural and Ayurvedic cosmetics development: amber bottles with turmeric, neem and amla

Sector · Clean, natural & Ayurvedic

Natural and Ayurvedic beauty, held to clinical standards.

Natural-origin skin care, Ayurvedic and herbal formulas, botanical hair oils and waterless formats. CSL formulation scientists keep the heritage and the naturalness, and add the stability, safety and evidence that modern markets expect.

Start a project The science we formulate for

Guires Cosmetic Science Lab

Natural Cosmetics Formulations from Guires CSL

At Guires Cosmetic Science Lab, CSL formulation chemists develop natural cosmetics formulations and Ayurvedic products, from botanical serums to herbal hair oils and waterless formats, with performance proven by the same instrumental tests as conventional products and stability proven by challenge testing. With more than 10 years of experience, the team works with you, or alongside your Ayurvedic cosmetics manufacturer, using botanicals backed by clinical evidence such as bakuchiol versus retinol trials.

Start your project with Guires CSL

What shoppers look for now

01Nature, with proof

Shoppers want botanical ingredients, but they also want to know they work. Evidence is now part of the natural promise.

02Heritage recipes

Ayurvedic and traditional formulas are travelling worldwide, and need modern standardisation to do it.

03Less waste

Waterless bars, powders and oils cut packaging, preservatives and shipping weight.

The science

The botanical science we formulate for.

Natural formulas face three challenges: proving efficacy, keeping them stable and safe, and describing them honestly.

CSL botanical actives science: green tea, tea tree, turmeric and herbal extracts with a magnified skin barrier protected by plant actives

Botanical actives

Plant actives with clinical data.

A growing number of botanicals have been tested head-to-head against conventional actives. Bakuchiol has matched retinol for wrinkles with less irritation, and tea tree oil has reduced blemishes more gently than benzoyl peroxide. We build around those with the best evidence.

Ingredients CSL scientists work with

BakuchiolTea tree oilLicorice extractGreen teaTurmericNeemAmla

How CSL proves it works

  • Standardised extractsMarker compounds quantified batch to batch
  • Instrumental efficacyImaging, Corneometer, sebumeter
  • Clinical gradingDermatologist assessment over 8–12 weeks
Published evidenceDhaliwal 2019 · bakuchiolBassett 1990 · tea tree oilSaeedi 2003 · licorice
CSL Ayurvedic and herbal oil science: rosemary, thyme and herb-infused oils in glass bottles with fresh botanicals

Oils & emollients

Traditional oils, measured results.

Plant oils and oatmeal are some of the oldest skin care ingredients, and several now have randomised trials behind them for dry and eczema-prone skin.

Ingredients CSL scientists work with

Virgin coconut oilColloidal oatmealSesame & almond oilsShea butterPlant squalaneAyurvedic oil infusions

How CSL proves it works

  • Hydration and TEWLBarrier and moisture kinetics
  • Oxidative stabilityRancidity testing over shelf life
  • Sensitive-skin tolerancePatch and in-use tests
Published evidenceEvangelista 2014 · coconut oilLisante 2017 · colloidal oatmeal
CSL natural and Ayurvedic formulation: dried herbal blends in sealed glass jars, ginger, herbal oils and botanicals prepared for stable natural cosmetics

Stable & safe

Natural, and built to last.

Natural and preservative-light formulas still need to pass challenge testing and stay stable. Waterless formats help, and every botanical needs a full safety review for allergens, phototoxicity and contaminants.

Ingredients CSL scientists work with

Natural-origin preservative systemsWaterless basesNatural antioxidantsChelatorsSolid surfactants

How CSL proves it works

  • Challenge testISO 11930
  • Contaminant screeningHeavy metals, pesticides, microbial limits
  • Allergen reviewFragrance allergens from essential oils
  • Natural indexISO 16128 calculation

Talk to a CSL formulation scientist

Have a clean, natural & ayurvedic idea? Book a 30-minute brief review.

Share your concept, benchmark or target claim. A CSL formulation scientist will tell you what is feasible, what evidence it needs and a realistic timeline.

Book a brief review

Clinical evidence

What the published trials show.

Peer-reviewed human studies behind the ingredients and approaches on this page. Each links to its PubMed record.

Randomised controlled trialEczema-prone skin · colloidal oatmeal

1% colloidal oatmeal cream vs prescription barrier cream

Randomised, double-blind, active-controlled · children with eczema · 3 weeks

The oatmeal cream matched the prescription barrier cream on eczema improvement, with similar tolerability.

Manufacturer-sponsored.

Lisante TA et al. J Dermatolog Treat 2017;28(7):659–667 · PMID 28366039

These are published studies on ingredients, methods and routines, not on products we have made. A finished product needs its own testing before a claim goes on pack, and we design that study with you. See the full evidence library

Sensorial experience

Natural textures, modern feel.

Natural formulas no longer have to feel heavy or smell herbal. We refine texture and scent to modern standards.

Light oils

Dry-touch oil blends that absorb quickly.

Sensory panels

Essential-oil scents

Natural scents balanced for allergen limits and labelling.

IFRAAllergens

Solid and powder formats

Bars, balms and powder-to-foam cleansers that feel luxurious.

Waterless formats

Ayurvedic rituals

Traditional application rituals, such as oiling and ubtan masks, designed into the product.

Heritage formats

Concept spotlight

Ideas we can take from bench to shelf.

Example concepts to show the range. Every project starts from your own brief, and the finished formula belongs to you.

Bakuchiol night serum: product concept by Guires CSL
Anti-ageing · Botanical

Bakuchiol night serum

A gentle retinol alternative in a squalane base for sensitive skin.

Bhringraj and amla hair oil: product concept by Guires CSL
Ayurvedic · Hair

Bhringraj and amla hair oil

A standardised Ayurvedic hair oil with a light, non-greasy finish.

Powder-to-foam cleanser: product concept by Guires CSL
Waterless · Zero waste

Powder-to-foam cleanser

A waterless cleanser that turns into foam with water, preservative-free.

Responsible beauty

Better for skin, lighter on the planet.

More shoppers weigh where ingredients come from and what happens to the pack. We build those choices in from the start, and make sure every environmental claim can be backed up.

Our supplier directory

Natural-origin, measured properly

Natural and natural-origin content calculated under ISO 16128, so percentages on your pack are defensible.

ISO 16128

Certification-ready formulas

For COSMOS, vegan or similar standards we screen every raw material and prepare the file your certifier needs.

COSMOSVegan

Responsibly sourced ingredients

Traceable raw materials, including upcycled and biotech actives, sourced through our supplier directory.

Supplier directory

Lighter packaging

Refills, mono-material packs and recycled plastics, tested for compatibility with your formula.

Pack compatibility

Honest green claims

Environmental wording reviewed against green-claims guidance in each target market.

Claims review
Cosmetic or drug?

In India, products sold as Ayurvedic are Ayurvedic drugs licensed under AYUSH rules; herbal products sold as cosmetics fall under the Cosmetics Rules and cannot make treatment claims. Outside India they are regulated as cosmetics. We confirm the route before formulating.

From trend to brief

Start with insight, not guesswork.

Before formulation begins, we can map your market so the product lands with a clear point of difference.

Market and shelf scanWhat competitors in your channel and price point already claim, and where the gaps are
Ingredient watchActives gaining evidence, and those facing new restrictions in your target markets
Claim feasibilityWhich claims your budget and timeline can support, and the study each one needs
Brief you can build onA one-page product brief with formats, actives, claims and target markets

Formats

What we develop in clean, natural & ayurvedic.

Natural-origin skin careAyurvedic & herbalWaterless & solid formatsBotanical hair oilsRefillable & minimal packs

Testing & compliance

The evidence clean, natural & ayurvedic needs.

Natural-origin indexISO 16128
Challenge testISO 11930
Pesticide & heavy metalsBotanical raw materials
StabilityColour and odour drift

Applications

Common clean, natural & ayurvedic goals.

Microbiome-friendlyPre-, pro- and postbiotic careSensitive skin & rednessCalming, low-irritation formulasHair fall & hair growthThinning, breakage, densityBrightening & radianceGlow, dullness, radiance

Services

How we help.

Product formulationNew products, reformulation, benchmark matchingPrototyping & product developmentSamples, sensory, fragrance, packagingSafety & stability testingISO and OECD methods, safety reportsClaims & clinical trial supportClaim mapping, patch tests, efficacy studies

Market insights from Guires CSL scientists

Stay ahead in clean, natural & ayurvedic with regulation updates, the latest research, ingredient spotlights, recalls and market trends, written by the Guires CSL formulation, testing, clinical and regulatory teams.

Explore market insights
Guires CSL scientists reviewing cosmetic market research and regulatory updates

FAQ

Clean, natural & Ayurvedic questions.

Can you make a COSMOS-certified or natural product?

Yes. We screen raw materials for the standard you choose, calculate natural-origin content under ISO 16128 and prepare the file your certifier asks for.

Can Ayurvedic formulas be sold abroad?

Yes, usually as cosmetics. We adapt the formula and claims to each market’s rules and ingredient lists.

Are natural products safer?

Not automatically. Botanicals can contain allergens and contaminants, so we run the same safety assessment as for any cosmetic.

Who owns the formula?

You do. We sign an NDA first, and the formula and technical file are handed over at the end.

Guires CSL quality, compliance and safety

Every clean, natural & ayurvedic project at Guires CSL runs inside an ISO 9001 certified quality system, with documented methods, calibrated instruments, traceable raw materials and reviewed reports, so the results behind your product can be checked and defended.

Guires CSL quality & accreditations
Guires CSL analyst checking cosmetic samples under a microscope

In their words

What clients say.

“Evaluating ingredient compatibility and formulation options let us meet our natural-ingredient brief without compromising stability.”
Clara WilsonFounder · UK
“Natural preservation was our biggest hurdle, and their support with preservative selection, stability evaluation and formulation refinement helped us overcome it.”
Matteo BianchiR&D Manager · Italy
“Our clean-beauty concept became a technically viable formula, balancing ingredient preferences, sensory performance and commercial production requirements.”
Zara KhanProduct Innovation Lead · UAE

Insights

Related reading.

Guidance from our formulation, testing and regulatory teams on the topics this page covers.

All insights

From the CSL bioscience lab

Tested at the Guires R&D Innovation Centre.

Standardised botanical and Ayurvedic extractsCosmetic BioscienceBotanical DNA authenticationCosmetic Bioscience

Start a project

Create your next product with CSL.

Our formulation chemists, testing scientists and regulatory specialists work alongside your team, from the first brief to a market-ready product. Bring a brief, a benchmark or just an idea: a scientist will reply within one working day with next steps and an indicative scope.

Create with us