Australians spend an average of $454 a year on cosmetics, feeding a beauty and personal care market forecast to clear $12 billion in 2026. A lot of that spend is more tied to the oil market than most shoppers realise.
Where the oil actually is
Conventional cosmetics rely on petroleum-based raw materials including glycerine, petroleum jelly, mineral oil, silicones, glycols and polyvinyl alcohol, valued because they're cheap, stable, and give products that glossy finish. When crude oil supply gets disrupted, so does the cost of making a fairly ordinary bottle of lotion.
What's already flowing through
Industry expert Sebastien Jagut noted fuel shortages and rising energy costs were already hitting the price and availability of raw materials, and Australian distributors have introduced freight surcharges reflecting higher transport costs. The likely results: higher prices on raw ingredients and finished goods, patchier availability of some products, and brands delaying new launches.
The bit that matters
Even if the Middle East situation stabilises quickly, higher petroleum-derived material costs have already flowed through the supply chain and will take months to normalise. Plant-based and Australian-made means that we are able to (for the most part) avoid the current crisis and continue to supply you with our amazing Viva collection.
Read the full story from ABC News, 2 May 2026.
Related reading: Is 'Natural' Just Greenwashing? How to Actually Check and The Lucky 7 Story: 25 Years of Soap-Making Heritage.