The award, to be judged by experts from R&D and innovation areas of the industry recognizes the development of a novel active or functional ingredient that combines innovative science and product features that benefit manufaturers and end-users when compared with existing ingredients.
Top ingredients to make the list this year include anti-ageing actives to protect the skin against UVA damage, alongside new extracts to help preserve hair cells.
The chosen few…
Amongst companies that made the grade is Ashland with ‘Vincience BiotHAIRapy’, an active designed to help hair combat the effects of oxidative stress, while Gattefosse is to unveil ‘Gatuline Radiance’, an anti-ageing active said to improve skin nutrition.
Ichimaru Pharcos is set to showcase ‘Ougon Liquid B’, which the company claims will block stress factors including UV, while IRB is to bring competition to the same area with its potent secondary metabolite active.
Meanwhile, Lipotec has opted for a marine bacterial strain that fights against dehydration and wrinkles with its active, ‘Hyanify’.
Mibelle also made it onto the nominee list with its active, DermCom, for resilience and firmness of the skin while NeoPharm will unveil a newly developed PAR-2 inhibitor controlling lotion said to reduce the inflammatory responses in skin.
Finally, Rahn AG is to bring Liftonin–xpress, a skin-tightening active to the table, as Unipex puts forward two actives to fight the ageing process.
The event
Gold, Silver and Bronze winners will be announced at a drinks reception and awards ceremony at in-cosmetics in Barcelona on the 17 April in the Marketing Trends Theatre from 18:00 to 20:00.
The event will play host to more than 50 new exhibitors from countries including China, Korea and Switzerland, as well as welcoming back companies such as Croda, DSM and Merck.
Tying in with the Barcelona setting, the theme chosen for the in-focus feature in 2012 is ‘Solar Beauty’.
The theme will be echoed throughout the event with a solar trail pointing to exhibitors with Solar Beauty innovations and formulations, while the in-focus educational programme will feature a scientific seminar on sun protection.
For more information about in-cosmetics Barcelona 2012, please click here.