Skin care

Male grooming takes a hit from hipsters in Australia

15-Jun-2016 By Lucy Whitehouse

Sales for male grooming in Australia are taking a hit from the decline in men’s shaving, driven by the rise of the ‘hipster’ sub-culture and the increase in popularity of facial hair.

L'Oréal creates first chief retail officer role in Americas region

14-Jun-2016 By Deanna Utroske

The multinational beauty company announced a CRO role for its Montreal-based L'Oréal Canada subsidiary this month. The new executive will lead retail strategy and customer experience for the company’s branded boutiques and shops.

AMSilk expands distribution into Spain, Portugual and Italy

14-Jun-2016 By Simon Pitman

AMSIlk, a supplier of cosmetic grade synthetic silk biopolymers, has announced two new distribution agreements to expand its footprint in Southern Europe.

Lush rules beauty and wellbeing trend with latest launch

14-Jun-2016 By Simon Pitman

The convergence of beauty and wellbeing has been well documented in recent years, but nothing underscores the trend more than the launch of the Lush beauty care and fitness.

L'Oréal loses the bulk in India: smaller packaging to court consumers

14-Jun-2016 By Lucy Whitehouse

L’Oréal is making a bid to cater to a dominant consumer trend in India for smaller product sizes, especially the widespread enthusiasm for hair products in sachets.

L’Oréal backs bio energy project to produce isobutene

10-Jun-2016 By Simon Pitman

As part of its efforts to reduce the company’s overall carbon footprint, L’Oréal has given its backing to a programme focused on developing the first bio-isobutene plant.

Avon workers picket production facility in Turkey

10-Jun-2016 By Simon Pitman

Workers at an Avon manufacturing facility situated near Istanbul in Turkey have been protesting against alleged discrimination in pay for different types of employees.

Meeting consumer demands for ‘waterless’ products

10-Jun-2016 By Belinda Carli, director of The Institute of Personal Care Science

Consumers are increasingly looking to balance their use of products with an environmental conscience, and we’re seeing this demand met by a new wave of products being promoted as ‘waterless’.

Natural plant material may be the next sunscreen booster

09-Jun-2016 By Simon Pitman

New research pinpoints a specific type of lignin, a material found in plants, as a possible means of enhancing the UV protection of sunscreen products.

Getting stability and compatibility right for natural skin care formulations

09-Jun-2016 By Simon Pitman

June 15th is the date for the sixth edition of the Skincare Ingredients online event, and one of the highlights of the conference programme will be a webinar focused on natural formulation.

Biotech beauty ingredient market growth underlined by Ginkgo Bioworks and Twist Bioscience deal

08-Jun-2016 By Deanna Utroske

Biotech innovations require industry-scale resources to get alternative ingredients for fragrance and personal care to market. As that market grows, synthetic DNA manufacturing, like what Twist Bioscience does, is in greater demand.

Changing spending patterns leads to decline in value of UK beauty market

08-Jun-2016 By Simon Pitman

The value of the UK beauty market fell slightly in 2015, which according to market research company Mintel is all down to Brits seeking out bargain beauty products and treatments while spending more on experiences.

Superfood ingredients getting big in beauty

08-Jun-2016 By Lucy Whitehouse

Superfoods have been a dominant fad in the food industry for the past few years, with consumers turning to such ‘superfood ingredients’ as chia seed, pumpkin seed, quinoa, kale and more in their enthusiasm for naturals.

Cosmetics oil trend means that dropper bottles are back

07-Jun-2016 By Simon Pitman

One of the biggest niche trends in the cosmetics world in recent years has been the rise and rise of cosmetic oils, which goes hand-in-hand with traditional dropper.

Formulating for market success: skin care textures and sensorial attributes

07-Jun-2016 By Deanna Utroske

In a global online event this month, Cosmetics Design will host a half-day program of presentations and conversations with cosmetics and personal care experts on skin care ingredient topics of particular relevance in today’s marketplace.

Swallowfield expands into branded beauty market with Brand Architekts acquisition

07-Jun-2016 By Simon Pitman

UK-based contract manufacturer has expanded its business footprint in the branded beauty world with the acquisition of Brand Architekts.

Lafley leaves P&G

06-Jun-2016 By Deanna Utroske

After 12 years as chairman of the board for the multinational consumer goods company, A.G. Lafley is leaving the post again. His successor will take over next month, and P&G hopes things move ahead smoothly.

Stephenson Personal Care launches sustainable emulsifier range

03-Jun-2016 By Simon Pitman

Stephenson Personal Care has launched a range of emulsifiers which it claims are more sustainable thanks to the use of a cold processing technique.

UK men’s grooming brand hits the right spot with crowd funding drive

03-Jun-2016 By Simon Pitman

UK men’s grooming brand Hommage recently launched a crowd funding campaign that met with such a degree of success that it exceeded the £500,000 target within two weeks.

New visible barrier highlights key particles for scrubs and shower gels

03-Jun-2016 By Simon Pitman

In a sea of similar products differentiation in the cosmetics and personal care market is crucial, which is why Germany-based formulation provider Worlée has launched its latest creation.

Influencer strategy lets beauty brands reach limitless consumers with word-of-mouth recommendations

02-Jun-2016 By Deanna Utroske

The social media – driven approach to PR has come into its own. So to find out what it’s all about, what works, and what’s next, Cosmetics Design checked in with Alexa Tonner, EVP of Collectively.

Study findings could point to more personalised mens' deodorants

02-Jun-2016 By Simon Pitman

Researchers at the University of Stirling have conducted a study to determine how women react to different types of men wearing deodorant and the findings could have a bearing on more personalised deodorants.

Alban Muller launches African-sourced anti-ageing ingredient

02-Jun-2016 By Simon Pitman

Alban Muller has launched a new anti-ageing ingredient with a formula that is based on raw materials sourced from Africa, hitting the big trend in natural anti-ageing formulations.

China gearing up to ban repackaged cosmetics?

02-Jun-2016 By Lucy Whitehouse

China looks set to ban the sale of repackaged cosmetics, according to industry commentators, a move which will shut down the widespread practice of repackaging and remarketing products in the country.

Simplified sun exposure monitoring device uses a paper sensor

01-Jun-2016 By Simon Pitman

After L’Oreal unveiled a wearable sun patch monitoring device at the beginning of the year, the race has heated up to develop an inexpensive and amenable device for all to use.

Bio-On launches bioplastics for eco-friendly cosmetics formulation

01-Jun-2016 By Simon Pitman

Italy-based Bi-On has unveiled a newly patented bioplastic microbead replacement at the Future of Formulation In Cosmetics conference, in Budapest Hungary.

Nanoparticles in English Ivy could lead to synthetic cosmetic adhesives

31-May-2016 By Deanna Utroske

Researchers at Ohio State University now have a good understanding of what comprises the glue that binds this plant to the trees, fences, and walls it so readily climbs.

Getting natural-based anti-ageing formulations right – Part I

31-May-2016 By Simon Pitman

Natural and anti-ageing have been the two mega trends in the industry over the past decade, so it comes as no surprise that there is an increasing number of products that combine both.

Palm oil: BASF responds to the 'decisive factor' of sustainability

31-May-2016 By Lucy Whitehouse

BASF, global specialty chemicals firm, has laid out a series of measures by which it hopes to raise the sustainability profile of its personal care ingredients offering, with a particular focus on palm oil.

Rahn brings Korean ingredients to Europe

27-May-2016 By Simon Pitman

Switzerland-based fine chemicals specialist Rahn has forged a partnership with Korean ingredients player BioLeaders that will see its ingredients distributed in Europe for the first time.

L’Oréal targets African middle class, but it won’t be an easy ride

27-May-2016 By Simon Pitman

The rise of the African middle class is key to higher consumer spend for fast moving consumer goods, and L’Oreal’s designs on the continent are all about this.

Waste food could be the next thing in sustainable cosmetic ingredients

26-May-2016 By Simon Pitman

Growing pressure to be more sustainable, combined with advances in extraction technology is leading to a new generation of cosmetic and personal care ingredients that are derived from food waste and side streams.

Does this wrinkle app represent the advent of deep learning in beauty?

26-May-2016 By Simon Pitman

Anti-ageing and anti-wrinkle claims have long been questioned by both consumers and beauty industry experts alike, but now a new app invites users to verify claims from their own home.

Beauty Forum Awards to honour professionals in France

26-May-2016 By Simon Pitman

France is home to one of the most important markets for the cosmetics and personal care industry in the world, and a brand new awards forum is set to honour the country’s beauty professionals.

Indian brand launches campaign against skin whitening

26-May-2016 By Lucy Whitehouse

Banjara’s, a herbal skin care brand in India, has launched a marketing campaign that makes a point of rejecting the traditional focus on skin lightening, a trend which dominates across Asia.

Colombia’s undiscovered natural cosmetics ingredients

25-May-2016 By Deanna Utroske

Areas of the South American country are largely uncharted when it comes to plant species because of the danger researchers face from decades of war and criminal gang activity. Now the prospect of peace could change all that.

RSPO European Roundtable will focus on progress so far

25-May-2016 By Simon Pitman

Next month will see the annual RSPO European Roundtable and give manufacturers and suppliers a chance to find out how the move towards sustainable palm oil is progressing.

Scientists modify microalgae to convert sunlight into complex molecules for natural compounds

25-May-2016 By Simon Pitman

A research team from Copenhagen Plant Science Centre at University of Copenhagen has modified a strain of microalgae so that it ‘manufactures’ a range of complex molecules.

UK investment firm buys up John Masters Organics

25-May-2016 By Simon Pitman

It’s all about organic beauty these days, and UK investment firm Permira is buying into the trend, having acquired a majority stake in John Masters Organics (JMO).

L’Oréal raises the bar in Africa with new R&D facility

24-May-2016 By Simon Pitman

The world’s biggest cosmetics player has made no secret that it sees Africa as  its biggest potential growth market moving forward, and a new R&D facility in Johannesburg reflects that optimism.

Natrue Members' Assembly will take place in Berlin next month

24-May-2016 By Simon Pitman

The annual Natrue Assembly will take place in Berlin next month, gathering industry professional from the organic and natural beauty sector.

Natural skin care is big business for mass and specialty beauty retailers alike

24-May-2016 By Deanna Utroske

This summer Target will carry skin care from Fig + Yarrow, the latest in the retailer’s portfolio of natural and indie brands. And between Target, Whole Foods, Credo, and Sephora, naturals are gaining ground.

Butter-coated powders standout among cosmetics and skin care ingredients

23-May-2016 By Deanna Utroske

At this year’s NYSCC Suppliers Day event, Cosmetics Design checked in with Stellie Balthazard of Blue Sun International about that company’s butter-coated powder ingredients and the options that manufacturers have as talc falls by the wayside.

Research into ‘sunscreen gene’ may lead to more effective UV protection

20-May-2016 By Simon Pitman

Scientists in the U.S. say their research into the "UV radiation Resistance Associated Gene" could help in the development of treatments to fight skin cancer.

Mark the date and subscribe to the SkincareIngredients 2016 event!

20-May-2016 By Simon Pitman

The date to mark on your calendars is June 15th 2016 for the sixth edition the of Skincare Ingredients online event, which means it’s just four weeks away.

L’Oréal backs research into ‘plastic antibodies’ in deodorant

19-May-2016 By Simon Pitman

L’Oréal is backing a group of French scientists who are conducting research that incorporates Molecularly Imprinted Polymers (MIPs) as a deodorant for cosmetic formulations.

Innovations in skin care are up over 10%, shows Thomson Reuters data

19-May-2016 By Deanna Utroske

The information and media firm’s IP & Science business unit just published its 2016 State of Innovation report, listing the top beauty brands and exploring growth across various cosmetics and personal care categories.

Investment company buys majority stake in silicones player BRB

19-May-2016 By Simon Pitman

Leading Netherlands-based silicones player BRB has been acquired through a majority stake acquisition by investment firm Bencis Capital Partners.

New skin lightening ingredient passes safety tests

19-May-2016 By Lucy Whitehouse

Specialty chemicals firm Sirona Biochem has announced that its new skin lightening compound has recently gone through safety and efficacy testing that has brought the innovation a major step closer towards licensing.

World Perfumery Congress returns to Florida next month

18-May-2016 By Deanna Utroske

For three days in June the WPC will convene in Miami Beach with a focus on sustainability and a full program of presentations, education, networking opportunities, and dozens of exhibiting fragrance suppliers.