Probably the most significant trend within the beauty industry today is the growth of natural and organic products. What started out as an extremely niche trend, interesting only to a minority, has now moved mainstream. But what does natural or organic actually mean? Are the multinationals moving into this lucrative area? And where is it all heading?Starting this month, SpecialChem is running a series of articles dedicated to the trends, issues and the challenges facing natural/organic beauty companies. The most interesting and relevant natural/organic product innovations will be highlighted, along with interviews featuring brands and companies that are making a difference.This month, we take a look at the history of natural beauty products and recent trends in the category.Natural beauty is not new. Twenty years ago, there were plenty of natural brands operating at the fringes of the main beauty market. Weleda, Dr Hauschka, Jurlique and Beauty without Cruelty, amongst others, were the kind of brands found only in obscure health food shops...