Colour cosmetics

Beauty boost: Charlotte Tilbury talks 'critical' big data omnichannel push

10-Sep-2020 By Kacey Culliney

UK cosmetics brand Charlotte Tilbury has deployed Google Cloud’s business intelligence and analytics platform Looker to accelerate omnichannel growth and support consumer-led innovation.

‘Beauty-savvy’ move: APAC retailer Watsons to open 100 stores in Middle East by 2025

09-Sep-2020 By Kacey Culliney

Asia-Pacific beauty retail major A.S. Watson Group is primed to expand into Gulf Cooperation Council countries under an exclusive franchise agreement with regional conglomerate Al-Futtaim.

Cargill Beauty MD: E-commerce, plastic, transparency and veganism just a ‘few challenges’ in 2020

04-Sep-2020 By Kacey Culliney

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has fuelled seismic change worldwide, but consumers are also increasingly online, dismissing plastic, demanding transparency and choosing vegan – all significant challenges for today’s beauty industry, says the managing director...

Special Edition: Natural Ingredients & Claims

Green beauty: Industry must stretch beyond ‘natural’ given environmental crisis, says expert

03-Sep-2020 By Kacey Culliney

Interest in natural cosmetics continues to hold strong but industry must go beyond ‘natural’ claims to remain relevant in today’s global environmental crisis, considering more holistic criteria like end of life and biodegradability, says an expert consultant.

Special Edition: Natural Ingredients & Claims

Euromonitor: Natural beauty claims ‘might not be quite enough’ in 2020

02-Sep-2020 By Kacey Culliney

‘Natural’ will continue to be a popular product claim across beauty and personal care this year, but as consumer education deepens and concerns broaden, industry will have to be smarter about what attributes it spotlights, says a beauty expert.

FEBEA contests ‘harmful cosmetics’ list published by French National Consumer Institute mag

01-Sep-2020 By Kacey Culliney

The French Federation for Beauty Companies (FEBEA) has denounced the methodology used by consumer magazine 60 million de consommateurs to compile its list of ‘harmful cosmetics’.

Decoding behaviour: How beauty companies are deploying AI marketing tools to gain consumer insight

01-Sep-2020 By Amanda Lim

Beauty companies such as Estée Lauder, John Masters Organics and Neogence are increasingly using AI-powered marketing tools to identify patterns within consumer behaviour and then tailor their engagement with them.

UK beauty to decline 10% in 2020: ‘Cosmetics has taken a backseat’

26-Aug-2020 By Kacey Culliney

The UK cosmetics and toiletries sector will see a €1.8bn (£1.7bn) value decline in 2020, after a tough year largely defined by the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis. But growth will return in 2021 with the right investments, says GlobalData.

UK proposes law to cut deforestation from big companies’ supply chains

25-Aug-2020 By Flora Southey

The UK is considering new legislation that would see larger businesses fined for using forest-risk commodities – such as palm oil, soy, and beef – that have not been produced according to relevant local laws.

Special Edition: Natural ingredients & claims

Global squalene market to reach €156m by 2025 with biosynthetic boom predicted

24-Aug-2020 By Kacey Culliney

The global squalene market will surge in the next five years, driven by increasing demands for high-quality natural cosmetics and interest and innovation in biosynthetic alternatives, a report says.

‘A Christmas unlike any we’ve seen before’ – 2020 to see significant online rush

21-Aug-2020 By Kacey Culliney

Beauty brands and retailers must build a strong online presence and smart digital engagement strategies to capture the rush of consumers favouring e-commerce this Christmas, says user-generated content and e-commerce specialist Bazaarvoice.

'Sheer size and scale': Alibaba and Amazon to dominate health and beauty e-commerce boom

20-Aug-2020 By Kacey Culliney

Digital retail moguls Alibaba and Amazon will grasp the lion’s share of a burgeoning online health and beauty category over the next five years, and brands must seriously consider shifting onto these platforms, says a retail expert.

Representing the underrepresented: Ex-L’Oréal execs launch halal beauty brand to cater to diverse Muslim consumer base

19-Aug-2020 By Amanda Lim

Two former L’Oreal Group executives have founded a make-up brand to cater to the ethnically diverse group of consumers within the niche but growing halal market.

‘Great news’ for industry: Christmas beauty spend to stick in 2020, finds survey

18-Aug-2020 By Kacey Culliney

After a difficult start to the year with COVID-19, the beauty and personal care category is set to see sales soar as usual during the Christmas holiday season with consumers maintaining spend and shopping online, according to marketing firm Rakuten Advertising.

Titanium dioxide safe? SCCS seeks comment for use in cosmetics

18-Aug-2020 By Kacey Culliney

The European Commission’s Scientific Committee for Consumer Safety (SCCS) has published its preliminary opinion on the safety of titanium dioxide (TiO2) in cosmetics and is now seeking comment.

In depth on sustainable beauty – The long read

The sustainable beauty rush: L’Oréal’s 10-year plan a real ‘step up’ - expert

12-Aug-2020 By Kacey Culliney

L’Oréal is one big beauty brand setting out on a race to the top in sustainability, but the path ahead won’t be easy – particularly when targeting consumer-use impact, says an expert consultant.

Crowd support: Social commerce crucial for brands to overcome recessionary behaviours in pandemic economy

12-Aug-2020 By Amanda Lim

The adoption of social commerce is becoming more crucial for beauty brands as consumers are expected become more selective about their purchases amidst the economic fallout from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

L’Oréal CEO talks of ‘great business resilience’ amid global sales decline for H1 2020

04-Aug-2020 By Kacey Culliney

International beauty major L’Oréal has reported a sales drop across its entire business for the first half (H1) of 2020, but its CEO says the company has shown resilience in a challenging time, particularly through e-commerce.

Ethical attributes: ‘Vegan’ rising fast in colour cosmetics, says Euromonitor

23-Jul-2020 By Kacey Culliney

Vegan was the third most popular product claim made across online global cosmetics last year, carved out by niche independent beauty brands. And the claim will continue its rise as mass beauty takes it on, says Euromonitor International.

30-minute watch – Episode 6

Clean & Ethical Beauty Video Series Episode 6: Brainstorming the future

21-Jul-2020 By Amanda Lim

In our final episode of the Clean & Ethical Beauty Video Series, we discuss how the events of today will impact how the clean and ethical beauty category might look in the future. Scroll down to watch episode 6.

EC poised to publish endocrine disruptor ‘Fitness Check’ findings

21-Jul-2020 By Kacey Culliney

The European Commission will soon publish its final synopsis report and evaluation of findings from public, stakeholder and SME consultations on current EU assessment and management of endocrine disruptors.

Green paradox: Meeting consumer expectations remain ‘key challenge’ in sustainability efforts

16-Jul-2020 By Amanda Lim

Beauty retailer and pharmacy chain A.S. Watson is pushing forward with multiple sustainability initiatives but says meeting consumer consumers expectations in terms of product design and cost remains a challenge.

Hands-on experiences: DIY beauty trend gaining prominence as at-home wellness gains traction

15-Jul-2020 By Amanda Lim

Beauty brands have the opportunity to innovate and develop do-it-yourself products as consumers are increasingly looking such products for well-being entertainment during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

'Intense, personal and emotional': How beauty communities saved Indies during COVID-19

10-Jul-2020 By Kacey Culliney

Independent beauty brands are fiercely nimble and highly engaged with their consumers, which has given them power to face business difficulties during the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, an indie expert says.

Sustainable lipstick twist: Italian firm develops separable paper-plastic packaging

09-Jul-2020 By Kacey Culliney

Italian packaging specialist Mktg Industry has developed a separable double-layered paper and plastic design for lipsticks, enabling easy refills and simply recycling for consumers.

Retail experts: Why pop-ups and pick-ups may spell beauty's future

08-Jul-2020 By Kacey Culliney

Beauty has weathered waves of uncertainty during the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and pop-up stores or curbside pick-up locations could be the key to a much-needed business boost, say two retail experts.

30-MINUTE WATCH – EPISODE 4

Clean & Ethical Beauty Video Series Episode 4: Getting the message right

07-Jul-2020 By Kacey Culliney

Communicating the concept and credentials of clean and ethical beauty in a market without any unanimous industry or consumer definition remains a big challenge, but there are plenty of clear opportunities when navigating this space. Scroll down to watch...

Beauty Bites Gallery

Top 5 most-read stories June 2020: L’Oréal paper tubes, Coty perfumes patent and Charlotte Tilbury sale

01-Jul-2020 By Kacey Culliney

A compilation of CosmeticsDesign-Europe’s most-read news from June 2020 shows significant interest in big brand innovation, including L’Oréal’s paper tube roll out and Coty’s perfume patent, as well as high engagement on M&A news and brand ranking...

The long-read: In-depth on L’Oréal’s ‘For the Future’ 2030 Sustainability Plan

‘Entering a new era’: L’Oréal outlines 2030 sustainability goals on plastics, carbon emissions and more

29-Jun-2020 By Kacey Culliney

L’Oréal has outlined a range of sustainability measures in its ‘for the future’ program, including 2030 targets for all plastic packaging to be recycled or bio-based, all sites and centres to be carbon neutral and 95% of ingredients to be bio-based, derived...

Special Edition: Sustainable Sourcing and Waste Reduction

Cradle to Cradle exec: Collaboration and innovation ‘at the heart’ of a circular economy

23-Jun-2020 By Kacey Culliney

The beauty and personal care industry must innovate and collaborate to drive forward circular business models, especially in the pre-competitive space, says an executive at the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute.

30-minute watch – Episode 2

Clean & Ethical Beauty Video Series Episode 2: Behind the Brands

23-Jun-2020 By Amanda Lim

In the second episode of our Clean & Ethical Beauty Video Series, we speak to two beauty trailblazers to find out what are the opportunities and challenges they have experienced in the beauty and personal care market. Scroll down to watch Episode...

‘This industry is not dying’: COVID-19 beauty innovation just needs to be sustainable

22-Jun-2020 By Kacey Culliney

Beauty innovation during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic should continue, but it must be centred on sustainability because the health of people and planet is now front of mind, say brand owners.

Under the lens Part II: REACH microplastics restriction

REACH microplastics restriction: Worst-case and best-case scenarios ‘already clear’, says Cosmetics Europe chief

18-Jun-2020 By Kacey Culliney

The proposed EU restriction on microplastics is edging closer and there is now a very clear sense on how this will impact beauty and personal care, says the director-general of Cosmetics Europe.

Under the lens Part I: REACH microplastics restriction

Industry poised to continue fight against ‘extremely disproportionate’ EU microplastics restriction

18-Jun-2020 By Kacey Culliney

Cosmetics Europe and its member associations will continue their argument that the European Chemicals Agency’s (ECHA) proposal to restrict microplastics on the EU market remains disproportionately weighted against beauty and personal care.

Clean, ethical and community: Top consumer concerns in a post-COVID beauty world

17-Jun-2020 By Kacey Culliney

The ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has accelerated and morphed consumer trends globally, with most shoppers now seeking out beauty brands and products perceived as clean, ethical and community-focused, experts say.

'A business look': Clean & Ethical Beauty 2020 video series launches

15-Jun-2020 By Global Editorial Team

CosmeticsDesign is launching a Clean & Ethical Beauty online video series this week, compiling the latest trends, data and expert opinions on how and why the business opportunities are evolving in this growing space.

‘A new shopping experience’: Lush poised to reopen England stores

11-Jun-2020 By Kacey Culliney

Cosmetics major Lush will start reopening shuttered stores across England next week as coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions ease, though business will look very different much like elsewhere in Europe.

SPECIAL EDITION: SUSTAINABLE SOURCING AND WASTE REDUCTION

Wild beauty: FairWild Foundation says certification protects threatened plant species

11-Jun-2020 By Kacey Culliney

Wild plants are used extensively in beauty and personal care formulations, but the conservation status of many species remains unknown so certification programmes offer real value in securing sustainable supply, says the FairWild Foundation.

Clean beauty 2020: Two-thirds of women worldwide want greater label transparency, finds survey

10-Jun-2020 By Kacey Culliney

Female shoppers worldwide want greater labelling transparency on clean beauty products, with many claiming brands do not provide sufficient ingredient information on-pack, a survey finds.

Post-pandemic beauty: Blockchain and biotech set to thrive as safety fears soar, says expert

10-Jun-2020 By Kacey Culliney

The ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis has accelerated and morphed consumer trends, catapulting safety and hygiene to the fore and increasing the relevance of blockchain and biotech in beauty, says a trends expert.

Non-animal testing: ECHA report shows ‘significant uptick’ of in vitro chemical tests

08-Jun-2020 By Kacey Culliney

Non-animal tests on chemical substances continue to be widely used in the EU, with read-across studies most popular and in vitro methods gaining traction, according to the European Chemicals Agency’s (ECHA) latest report.

Puig-Charlotte Tilbury acquisition: ‘It’s an interesting choice’ but ‘totally makes sense’

08-Jun-2020 By Kacey Culliney

Spanish fashion and fragrance firm Puig will acquire a majority stake in Charlotte Tilbury – an interesting move given rumoured competition from Unilever, though one that makes a lot of sense given company strategies, according to market experts.

Tax relief: International cosmetics brands set for boost as China mulls over change

08-Jun-2020 By Amanda Lim

A proposal to end taxation on cosmetic products in China could provide a major boost to international cosmetic companies retailing in the country.

‘Born in a pandemic’: The how and why behind beauty innovation in the face of a global crisis

04-Jun-2020 By Staff Writer

The ongoing novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has halted life as we know it, with beauty hit especially hard and forced to reassess how it can remain relevant. But some brands have continued with product development and launches – prepared...

Special Edition: Sustainable sourcing and waste reduction

A sustainable surfactants future? Demand ‘bound to increase’ in coming years, says review

03-Jun-2020 By Kacey Culliney

Sustainable surfactants continue to rise in popularity and there has been plenty of innovation in recent years, but low costs and strong performance associated with conventional surfactants means an eco market transition will prove difficult, a review...

Albéa completes divestments to Silgan and refocuses on ‘legacy’ divisions

02-Jun-2020 By Kacey Culliney

French packaging major Albéa has completed the divestment of its dispensing systems, metal and Brazil businesses to US packaging firm Silgan, now refocusing on tubes, rigid cosmetic packaging and beauty solutions, its CEO says.

‘Cosmetics cannot live in a bubble’: Industry calls to cancel 2020 events mount

28-May-2020 By Kacey Culliney

The European Organization of Cosmetic Ingredients Industries and Services (UNITIS) has called on tradeshow organisers to cancel all 2020 cosmetics events, stating a need to remain sensitive to the reality and constraints currently facing industry.

Beauty during COVID-19: ‘The whole definition of retail is no longer clear’

28-May-2020 By Kacey Culliney

The beauty retail landscape has morphed dramatically during the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, with brands forced online and cross-channel marketing more critical than ever in what will soon become the new normal, an online marketing expert says.

‘Not appropriate’: Industry open letter calls for 2020 cosmetic events to be cancelled

26-May-2020 By Kacey Culliney

The European Federation for Cosmetic Ingredients (EFfCI) has called on tradeshow and conference organisers to cancel any events this year, stating industry cannot work with so many in a short space of time and that its members do not feel confident it...

Highs and lows: Beauty giants report mixed economic impact amid COVID-19

25-May-2020 By Kacey Culliney

The ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has changed the face of beauty business as we know it, and a dig into the financials shows some majors and categories have weathered the storm better than others.