Last year was particularly difficult for the cosmetics industry, with the biggest global players and the prestige segment being amongst the hardest hit.
Because of the current market conditions, staying on top of new trends and remaining focused is more important than ever, and many companies are struggling to maintain tight business margins.
Staying ahead of the game is now crucial
It is perhaps because of the need to stay ahead of the game that industry events are particularly important as a means of both maintaining a profile and garnering the right information to make informed business decisions.
It is partly for these reasons that in 2009 the Beyond Beauty event managed to increase the number of visitors by 4 per cent, to 19,000, despite being in the depths of an economic crisis.
David Bondi, CEO of event organiser ITEC France, says that what made the event important to attend last year was both its size and the fact that it is a platform for new innovative products being promoted by companies in search of international distribution.
The Cosmeeting aspect of the event provides this platform; housing exhibitors who are launching new products at the show, as well as hosting the Beauty Challenger Awards, which is designed to highlight the best and most innovative emerging brands in the industry.
Beauty Challenger Awards
As well as the Beauty Challenger of the year and the Organic Award, there will also be a new award for 2010, the Beauty Pharma Award, designed to highlight the most outstanding new brands in the OTC (over-the-counter) pharmacy segement.
This year’s Creative section will focus on the latest advances in the make-up category. Called the Beyond Beauty Make Up Trends, it will feature suppliers, make-up artists and experts that will highlight what’s new.
Likewise, biodiversity is also expected to be a key theme at the event in 2010, underlined by the natural and organic section at Cosmeeting and the fact that Creative will devote space to green ingredients derived from sustainable development.
Striving to maintain industry optimism
Ultimately Bondi says that the focus for this year’s event will be to reignite the optimism that surrounded the event in 2010.
“We pay close attention to the market and are well aware that the profession is under pressure,” Bondi said.
“The aim is to renew the momentum of 2009 while adapting to the budgetary constraints of each one and permit a large number of exhibitors to take part in the next event.”
The event will take place September 12 - 15 and will be held at the Paris Expo, Porte de Versailles