Amazonian Bioindustries Develop Cosmetics with Ingredients from the Forest
- Maria Luiza Martins
- Sep 22
- 4 min read
Amid the biodiversity of the Amazon rainforest, with its essential oils, extracts from rare plants, and an abundance of raw materials considered exotic in the international market, Pará has established itself as a promising hub for the cosmetics and personal care sector, with broad possibilities for creating exclusive, sustainable, and high-quality products.
Attentive to this expanding market, companies from Pará have mobilized to make the state a hub of the beauty industry, seeking solutions to strengthen the sector, add value to the Amazon’s sociobioeconomy, and create new opportunities for entrepreneurs and investors. In this context, Amazônia na Pele was created, an initiative of the Union of Chemical, Petrochemical, Pharmaceutical, Perfume, and Toiletry Industries of the State of Pará (Sinquifarma), affiliated with the Federation of Industries of the State of Pará (FIEPA). The project promotes local companies that use Amazonian biodiversity in the production of cosmetics and herbal medicines in the areas of health, beauty, and wellness.
According to entrepreneur Fátima Chamma, vice president of Sinquifarma and coordinator of the project, Amazônia na Pele works as a broad umbrella that covers both union-affiliated companies and other local businesses in the sector that need support. “The beauty industry requires significant efforts in research and innovation to grow and remain competitive. In Brazil, it is a very dynamic industry, offering premium products with proven effectiveness. Here in Pará, we also have this potential, but local companies are still very small and, despite endless possibilities, face many challenges, such as high logistics costs and packaging production expenses, just to name a few,” she points out.
The companies linked to the project are responsible for a wide range of products, including air fresheners, soaps, shampoos, moisturizers, body oils, natural oils, exfoliants, and massage creams, made from raw materials such as andiroba, copaíba, cupuaçu, açaí, Brazil nut, jambu, and pracaxi, among other native Amazonian ingredients. “Through this group organization, we want to expand verticalization and add greater value to our local industry’s products. To achieve this, we are working on national and international certifications and licenses so that local companies can achieve greater projection through this ‘Amazon seal,’ with products that, besides being exotic, are also recognized for their safety, quality, and socio-environmental traceability—crucial aspects in this segment.”
“The cosmetics industry in Pará works with great respect for the region’s extractive communities, because we understand that our business depends on keeping the forest standing. For that, we need to help and protect both the people and the raw materials of this forest.”
— Fátima Chamma, vice president of Sinquifarma
Sector improvement
To strengthen the industries in the sector, Amazônia na Pele received support from the Euvaldo Lodi Institute (IEL/PA) in reviewing its strategic planning. The work resulted in recommendations and solutions aimed at improving business performance, ensuring that local industries are prepared to seize opportunities expected to arise from global events such as COP30, and to become more competitive in both domestic and international markets.
According to IEL consultant Ederaldo Ribeiro, the planning was developed together with companies and other players in the local production chain and will serve as a guide to align the sector with global trends in natural and sustainable product consumption. “This alignment involves not only companies in the field but also complementary sectors, governments, research centers, academia, and support entities such as IEL, FIEPA, SENAR, and Sebrae. After all, when we think about expanding markets, growing, exporting, we need various strategic sectors working together to achieve long-lasting results in the medium and long term,” explains Ribeiro, an economist specializing in diagnostics, planning, governance, and markets.
The plan emphasized the importance of sustainable practices throughout the production chain, from raw material collection to product distribution, ensuring that every stage complies with principles of social and environmental responsibility. “The integration of companies with these stakeholders creates an environment conducive to innovation and knowledge sharing. This results in more competitive products in the global market, capable of attracting increasingly conscious and demanding consumers,” he notes.
“Our main goal with this strategic planning is to help grow the companies participating in the project and support the work of smaller businesses. When I look at the bioeconomy, I believe it must go hand in hand with development and improving people’s quality of life. For that, it’s necessary to analyze the situation, identify the difficulties of each company, and establish priorities to address these issues. We have excellent products with great potential to generate jobs, income, and a fair economy throughout this entire chain,” emphasizes Fátima Chamma.
Structured actions
As a result of this work, the group decided to create an association to enable fundraising, participation in fairs and events, and meet specific company demands. “Most already have registered brands, comply with legal requirements with certifications such as FDA approval and registration with the Ministry of Tourism, and some are already exporting. However, the goal is to move forward in a structured way, understanding the stage of each business, identifying priority markets, and securing permanent buyers, avoiding the perception of our products as merely tourist items,” explains Fátima.
With a store at FIEPA’s headquarters in Belém, the group plans to expand to other sales points, create a certified production hub, and establish joint purchasing arrangements, reducing costs with outsourcing, freight, and acquisition of industrial inputs such as packaging, which can cost up to 50% more than in Brazil’s South and Southeast regions, undermining the competitiveness of local businesses.
In addition, based on the strategic planning review, the need to overcome ESG challenges was identified. “For micro and small companies, it is more difficult to implement social, environmental, and governance practices at the same level as large corporations. Even so, we work with environmentally responsible production chains and hold Anvisa registrations. The biggest challenge is bureaucracy, which demands time and resources that could be directed toward innovation and production. That’s why we seek to strengthen our performance with the support of the union and the Federation of Industries, as well as IEL, SESI, and SENAI. This support network gives us security and ensures continuity of the work,” assessed the entrepreneur.
Pará Exports - Personal care, cosmetics, and perfumery products
In the first half of 2025, Pará exported US$ 1.596 million
767.01 tons exported
Main products: bar soaps, oils, natural balms, and hair care preparations
Main markets: Paraguay, Venezuela, Spain, China, Canada, Netherlands, Germany, United States, French Guiana, Marshall Islands, and Russia
National ranking: Pará is among the nine main exporters in Brazil
