The beauty industry is rife with myths and misconceptions, often perpetuated by marketing hype, anecdotal advice, and misinformation. These myths can mislead consumers, causing them to make choices that may not be in their best interest. From miracle cures to overnight transformations, the allure of quick fixes and potent solutions is hard to resist. However, the reality of skincare and cosmetic efficacy is far more complex and nuanced.

One of the most persistent myths is the belief that higher ingredient concentrations in beauty products are inherently better. This misconception can lead to the assumption that more potent formulations will deliver superior results. While it might seem logical to think that increasing the concentration of active ingredients will amplify their benefits, this isn’t always the case. The truth lies in understanding the delicate balance and science behind skincare formulations.

Debunking these myths is crucial for empowering consumers to make informed decisions. Misinformation not only undermines the trust in the beauty industry but also poses potential risks to consumers’ health and well-being. By shedding light on these misconceptions, we can guide consumers toward safer and more effective skincare practices.

The Origins of the Myth

The allure of higher concentrations stems from a simple assumption: if a little is good, more must be better. This belief is often fuelled by marketing messages and consumer reviews that tout the benefits of ingredients. However, this oversimplification doesn’t account for the complexities of skincare and cosmetic formulations.

The Risks of High Ingredient Concentrations

While it may seem logical that a higher concentration of an active ingredient would enhance effectiveness, this is not always the case. Here are some potential risks associated with high ingredient concentrations:

1. Skin Irritation and Sensitivity: Many active ingredients, such as retinoids, acids, and vitamin C, can cause irritation when used in high concentrations. This can lead to redness, burning, and even peeling of the skin.
2. Imbalanced Formulations: Skincare is about balance. High concentrations of one ingredient can disrupt the overall formulation, leading to products that don’t perform as intended. For instance, a high concentration of an acid might disrupt the skin’s pH balance.
3. Diminishing Returns: Beyond a certain point, increasing the concentration of an ingredient does not yield additional benefits. For example, studies have shown that vitamin C is most effective at concentrations between 10% and 20%. Higher than that, and you may not see increased efficacy, but you might experience more irritation.

Evidence-Based Information: The Case for Balanced Formulations

Balanced formulations are designed to deliver the right amount of active ingredients to achieve desired results without causing harm. Here’s why balanced formulations are crucial:

1. Optimal Efficacy: Research and development teams invest significant resources to identify the optimal concentration of active ingredients. These concentrations are chosen to maximize benefits while minimizing adverse effects.
2. Synergistic Effects: Ingredients often work better together at balanced concentrations. For example, combining a moderate concentration of retinol with antioxidants can enhance its efficacy and reduce potential irritation.
3. Safety and Tolerability: Balanced formulations ensure that products are safe for a broader range of skin types. This is particularly important for consumers with sensitive skin who might react negatively to high concentrations of certain actives.

In conclusion, the myth that higher ingredient concentrations are always better is just that—a myth. By understanding the importance of balanced formulations and making informed choices, consumers can achieve their skincare goals without unnecessary risks. Remember, in the world of beauty, balance is key.

“Bigger Isn’t Always Better” is a featured chapter in our report, The Rise and Influence of Ingredient-Led Beauty, developed in partnership with Euromonitor International and Covalo. To delve deeper and access the full report and explore key trends, visit
https://www.in-cosmetics.com/global/en-gb/lp/ingredient-led-beauty-report.html

The Research & Development (R&D) and Marketing departments of a cosmetic brand are both groups of highly professional and skilled individuals essential to success… yet their approach is from such different perspectives, issues are bound to arise over time and discussions can sometimes get heated.

How can you get the best performance out of each of your teams particularly when a challenge hits your multi-faceted project? Read on to find out…

The way marketing sees it…

Your marketing team is essential to:

• identify cosmetic product opportunities within the competitive marketplace;
• conduct market research to drive product creation and strategy from the concept stage;
• create effective marketing campaigns to be seen and heard by your target market;
• determine the right price and place for products to be available;
• monitor and grow product sales.

Your marketing department want a great product with outstanding ingredients and performance they can truly boast about so they can get consumers to love your brand as much as they do.

Surely a team of R&D specialists can mix some ingredients to give them what they’ve asked for?

The way R&D sees it…

Your R&D team is essential to:

• create safe, stable and efficacious cosmetic formulations that meet the needs of a brief;
• run regulatory checks and provide compliance information;
• conduct safety, stability and performance tesity and performance testing to prove all theoretical work;
• create an amazing product formula that can be scaled up easily.

Your R&D department have created a fantastic product that has a great shelf life and complies with the rules. Surely a team of marketing specialists can create advertising copy and make it leap off the shelves?

R&D and Marketing red flags

Exactly why do these two groups within the same company conflict? It could be:

• issues with the product development brief: marketing would have researched their target consumers well before finalising the brief, so its little wonder they aren’t keen on making changes to this very important document just because a Chemist says something is not possible, or Regulatory says a rule can’t be broken. However, those are the exact types of situations that commonly arise.

• clarify responsibilities: cosmetic product development is a multi-stage project where crossovers can (and often do) occur between various departments. For example, a formula could be totally inappropriate for certain types of packaging or dispensers – so this needs to be finalised early. Which department is in charge of finding the right packaging? An ingredient list can’t be finalised until a cosmetic formula is signed off, and even then, it’s not a certainty until minimum accepted stability tests have been completed. Who is wearing the risk if changes need to be made for quality reasons that impact printing, just to meet a tight schedule?

• micro-managing or over control: R&D need to respect the consumer knowledge the marketing department has, while marketing needs to respect the ingredient and formulation knowledge the R&D team brings to the table. Issues can occur when R&D tries to tell marketing how to write product copy or what consumers want. They can also occur when marketing tries to tell R&D how to adjust their formulas. Let each department know their strengths and weaknesses, don’t try to tell them how to do their job.

• workflow: certain stages of cosmetic product development can rely heavily on a department or even an individual. If too much pressure is applied, steps can be missed and human error can occur. It may be necessary, especially when multiple projects are under way, to check if there is sufficient experience and team members to prevent this from happening.

• understanding time and the process: conflicts will often arise where someone doesn’t understand the other person’s role well enough, or the required time to complete certain stages of a cosmetic development project. Does the R&D team understand the commercial reasons why a certain performance, claim or even feel is essential? Does the marketing team understand what stability testing is, and why it can’t be rushed? People can’t know what they don’t know; and if these two teams don’t know enough about the challenges that each faces when trying to create and sell a successful cosmetic product, there are sure to be issues down the line.

Ways to help R&D and marketing work better… together!

Try these approaches to smooth things over and get the best possible outcomes for your brand and cosmetic developments:

• consider the product development brief as a tool for communication. Yes, a fair bit of work has gone into its creation, however changes are often necessary. Work together to achieve the desired outcomes knowing these are bound by scientific principles and regulatory restrictions. At the same time, if the brief changes too much, it may no longer have its competitive edge. What ideas can everyone discuss to jump the hurdles rather than let them be roadblocks?

• explain issues using the right language. Explaining the issues with the current brief, or dilemmas with altering the brief, can help people from both sides of the company understand how to find a suitable solution. While scientific or regulatory discussions enable one to speak very specifically, they can make it sound like you’re trying to talk above another person’s intellect. On the other hand, creative explanations can sound like waffle to a pragmatic person. Both R&D and marketing personnel will need to find ways to highlight the issues they face with any changes needed using language the other team will properly understand.

• be open to brainstorming. Marketing are typically creative types; R&D are typically more rational. Brainstorming needs creativity before it can walk a rational path, so brainstorming can often be best started by the marketing team alone. With a few options on the board, the R&D team can then explore which idea has the best scientific (or regulatory) potential, and the teams can meet again.

• be flexible without breaking. You’ve discovered some changes need to be made to the product, the formula or the brief. Which changes can be made without losing sight of the original objective? Are there different ways of approaching a formula, outside of the box your are normally formulating within? Both teams may need to ask themselves: what is the closest acceptable alternative? Discussions could be fruitful once each department has used this approach.

• walk the walk a little. Invite the other department to spend time in yours. This can be tricky – let’s face it, everyone is so busy these days – but even just a small amount of time spent walking in each other’s ‘shoes’ could lead to massive gains in existing and future projects. I’m not suggesting a marketing person should suddenly start creating a cosmetic formula, but if they could watch a complex regulatory search get conducted, or see a failed stability test, they may suddenly have a greater appreciation for what is involved. Similarly, a chemist who gets to see market survey results and competitor analysis will better understand exactly why the brief has certain requests. When there is better understanding, teams are more congruent and resolutions more forthcoming.

You’re all on the one team

A market leading cosmetic product needs both a fantastic formula and effective marketing campaign. Achieving both is impossible when your R&D and marketing departments are more like opponents than teammates. Use the tips in this article to identify where issues have occurred in the past and implement strategies for solutions to overcome them in the future.

The results will be amazing products that truly get noticed, with the sales results and happy consumers you’ve been hoping for.

Happy formulating!

Feeling inspired?

Then why not visit one of the in-cosmetics events around the world?

BROWSE SHOWS

In the heart of the bustling APAC region, a quiet revolution is taking place. Men, once known for their stoic approach to personal care, are embracing a new era of self-expression and grooming. Traditional masculinity is evolving, and it’s become evident in the realm of men’s grooming and cosmetics.

Today, younger men across the region are exploring a new world of self-care comprising skincare, haircare, shaving care, and cosmetics as a result of social media, social movements, self-empowerment, and more.

Historically, the Asian male grooming market has been relatively small with personal care companies understandably focusing their efforts on the more lucrative female segment.

But as the industry has been forced to broaden its offering to suit today’s more modern male audience, the market value has rocketed; in 2022, the sector was estimated to be worth USD $36.93 billion and is now projected to reach USD $56.6 billion towards the end of this decade[1].

This year’s in-cosmetics Asia show in Bangkok, Thailand honed in on the transformation of manhood and masculinity via grooming and self-care.

One-size-fits-all

In the not-so-distant past, there was limited choice in male grooming products, from basic bar soaps to the trusty 3-in-1 wonder that promised to tackle face, hair, and body in one handy bottle, forcing many men to conform to a rigid and rather dull mold.

Today, as society more readily recognises diverse expressions of masculinity, men have access to a much wider product spectrum.

One pioneer in this space is Two Dudes, an award-winning natural skin and body care products supplier from New Zealand. The two founders struggled with the existing product offer for men, finding it “difficult, confusing, and embarrassing”, so they embarked on their own journey to provide natural care to thousands of men across the world.

Lavish routines

The influence of social media and the level of self-consciousness it has generated has no doubt played a role in highlighting skin and hair differences globally.

Amongst Asian consumers, these typically include naturally paler, more hydrated skin which can be more prone to hyperpigmentation, melasma, lentigines, and freckles.

According to Mintel, Asian male consumers are becoming increasingly more aware of their appearance and in this region, skin health can be regarded a symbol of overall health, higher social status and professionalism[2].

Further research from Mordor Intelligence attributes part of the market growth to the high density of young men in the urban clusters of the APAC region, who typically have greater disposable incomes, resulting in the adoption of habits that tackle any personal care concerns and allow access to additional self-care habits including pedicures, facials, aromatherapy, and more[3].

Remote working

While some say the pandemic ‘dampened’ the male grooming and skincare markets[4], others believe the inception of remote working made men in Japan more conscious about their appearance during video calls[5].

In response, Shiseido created an AR filter specifically for men including lip balm, eyebrow pencil, concealer, and BB cream to help men look “sharper” and “more put together” for their video meetings[6].

What was on show at in-cosmetics Asia

Honing in on the transformative changes in the APAC region’s grooming and cosmetics industry, this year’s in-cosmetics Asia event featured a host of exhibitors providing leading innovations to the male grooming market.

BIOGRÜNDL, S.L. showcased its natural facial hair growth retardant, BARBER RETARD, based on the combination of three plant extracts: Arnica montana (Arnica), Hypericum perforatum (St. John’s wort), and Lamium album (White nettle), which complements and enhances the inhibitory action on the division and growth of hair germ cells.

Lipotrue introduced its N_llscent which immediately gets rid of the isovaleric acid smell from feet and armpits. It also showcased its Neøclair Pro, an antioxidant amplifier via NRF2/ARES pathway that offers 360º pollution protection.

Lamberti SpA exhibited its ESAFLOR® PFT, a cationic bio-based derivative of guar gum, specifically developed for clear formulations, offering light conditioning properties, ideal for volumizing and conditioning shampoos while also improving hair brightness.

Sarah Gibson, Event Director for in-cosmetics Asia, commented: “As the industry acknowledges that the transformation of the male grooming and skincare market is not merely a trend, more a cultural revolution, suppliers should look to grasp the opportunity with both hands. Today’s society is far more accepting and encouraging of self-expression and diversity, so we expect the wider personal care market we know today will look very different in the years ahead. We look forward to supporting this change at this year’s show and in the years to come.”

To learn more about the companies who exhibited at the show, visit the website

(1) https://www.blueweaveconsulting.com/report/asia-pacific-mens-grooming-products-market

[2] Asian man-nerisms: New opportunities in male grooming | Mintel

[3] Asia Pacific Men’s Grooming Products Market Size & Share Analysis – Industry Research Report – Growth Trends (mordorintelligence.com)

[4] Male Grooming & Skincare in Asia | GMO Research (gmo-research.com)

[5] How Asia trends are evolving the game of men’s beauty | Croda Personal Care

[6] https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/news/shiseido-releases-ar-makeup-filter-for-men-to-use-during-zoom-meetings-032521

Enjoyed this article? Get more by subscribing to our newsletter!

Feeling inspired to see ingredients and trends in action?

Then why not visit one of the in-cosmetics events around the world?

BROWSE SHOWS

Compared to other types of personal care formulations, creating sunscreen formulas is not an easy task! There are considerable regulations to comply with, limits to the types and amounts of UV filters you can use, additional stability requirements for the sunscreen formula and ensuring SPF ratings are maintained. This blog explains how to create sunscreen formulas to get you started – and then it’s a matter of extensive sample development to get the end product just right.

Before you start formulating sunscreens…

The first thing you need to do is check whether sunscreen products are regulated as cosmetics or drugs in your region. There are also additional rules over ‘water resistance’ claims, warnings and certain label information required with all sunscreen products. Before you place a sunscreen product onto the market, make sure your brand has checked essential compliance requirements and conducts their own SPF testing specific to their sunscreen formula.

You can also find out more with our video: Should your cosmetic brand have a sunscreen product?

Be careful of sunscreen formula myths! Read this blog to be informed of common sunscreen formula myths and the truth behind them.

Here is an overview of how different countries regular products with SPF claims:

Choosing the sunscreen agents: organic vs inorganic UV filters

There are two types of sunscreen agents:

• Organic Sunscreens:
  • commonly referred to as chemical sunscreen agents, they work by absorbing UV light.
  • conform to organic chemistry principles but are NOT permitted in natural or organic sunscreen formulas.
  • common examples: ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate (also known as octyl methoxycinnamate); benzophenone-3, ethylhexyl salicylate and homosalate.

• Inorganic Sunscreens:
  • commonly referred to as natural or physical sunscreen agents; they work by reflecting or scattering UV light.
  • conform to inorganic chemistry principles but ARE permitted in natural and organic sunscreen formulas (even though they are NOT actually all natural).
  • common examples: zinc oxide and titanium oxide.

Why do sunscreen formulas typically contain a combination of UV filters?

The combination of organic and inorganic sunscreen agents is used in many sunscreen formulas because a blend can help achieve a higher SPF and UVA rating, a broad-spectrum rating, and improvements to skin feel and sunscreen formulation stability. UV filters are very specific with the wavelengths of light in the UVA or UVB spectrum over which they are effective. To be considered ‘broad spectrum’, a sunscreen formula must contain sufficient coverage over a large amount of the UVA and UVB spectrum (from 290 – 400nm).

There are also regulatory limits over the types and amounts of sunscreen agents that can be used in a sunscreen formula. This means you can’t usually achieve the required SPF without combining at least a few sunscreen agents.

Sunscreen formulas: get the base right!

Even if you have a great combination of UV filters in a sunscreen formula, the SPF performance will be affected by:

• the way the product spreads: a smooth, even film on the skin provides the best SPF rating.
• product stability: if the base formula starts to separate or form lumps over time, application will not enable an even spread of the sunscreen ingredients.
• compatibility: UV agents cannot be allowed to agglomerate or crystallise over time.

Consider these images:

Both diagrams use the same quantity of incidental UV light (represented by the arrows) and UV filters (represented by the ovals). The image on the left provides an example of when UV filters agglomorate, resulting in a low SPF. The image on the right shows an even spread, to catch the most incidental UV light, which would yield a much higher SPF.

Step-by-step: how to create sunscreen formulas

Formulating sunscreens is not like formulating other personal care products. You will need to follow the steps below to create a sunscreen formula in theory, and then create samples, carefully evaluate, and amend your formula several times before you can get it just right and test the final product to confirm the required SPF results are obtained.

1. Determine UV filters and input amounts required to achieve the required SPF (in theory)
   • Check all inputs comply with local country regulations and provide broad spectrum UV protection.
2. Determine suitable lipids to ensure compatibility and even spread of the UV filters.
3. Add the lipid soluble UV filter input + selected lipids to determine the total lipid input. This will determine if your formula is likely to be w/o or o/w. Note: most sunscreens with high SPF are w/o or w/si emulsions because there is typically a high lipid/lipid soluble component needed to get a good spread and high SPF rating.
4. Select the emulsifiers + polymers to stabilise the UV filters and suit the formulation type.
   • Check all inputs comply with local country regulations and are compatible with the selected sunscreen ingredients.
5. Add compatible film formers for water resistance.
6. Double check the formula for stability and compatibility, remembering a stable formula with good spread helps yield the best possible SPF.

Then you are ready to source your materials and start preparing samples!

Watch these videos to see further guidance and sunscreen formulas:

• How to make a SPF50+ sunscreen formula
• How to make a natural sunscreen formula
• Clear sunscreen gel formula with glitter
• How to make zinc stick SPF30+
• How to make clear sunscreen stick SPF25
• SPF boosters – boost the SPF of your sunscreen formulas
• How to make organic SPF15 serum

Happy formulating!

Enjoyed this article? Get more by subscribing to our newsletter!

Feeling inspired to see ingredients and trends in action?

Then why not visit one of the in-cosmetics events around the world?

BROWSE SHOWS

Park Hyunsun, CEO of Korean cosmetics brand Lavien, shares her perspective on current K-Beauty trends, as well as the top spots to shop K-Beauty and get inspiration for your products. 

Another place to get insights on the latest K-Beauty products and trends is at in-cosmetics Korea. Happening in Seoul on 12-14th July and featuring the K-Beauty Inspiration Zone, this should be your first stop in Korea. 

The unprecedented pandemic brought the global beauty market to a standstill for 3 years. Finally in 2023 we see the return of the beauty and personal care as the world recovers.  

Korea was one of the last countries to stop wearing masks, so we see completely different trends in K-Beauty vs the rest of the world. 

1. Homecare & Self-care

With added skin problems from mask-wearing and access to dermatologists, aestheticians, and professional procedures for skincare becoming more difficult, there has been a significant increase in consumer interest for high-performance homecare products that guarantee a similar effect as professional skincare clinics.   

Most notably, this interest has extended beyond just high-performance cosmetics to demand in homecare beauty devices, such as face rollers, gua sha, and even high-tech therapy gadgets like LED masks.  

2. Small Luxury and Good Value for Satisfaction 

Even though we are experiencing a global recession after the pandemic, consumers are still opening their wallets for beauty products. The buy ‘small luxury’ items that bring more joy and satisfaction than the amount of money spent. 

This phenomenon can be described as ‘value-for-satisfaction,’ or ‘Ga-sim-bi’ in Korean, a word referring to the pattern of people who spend money on products that provide them with psychological happiness or pleasure. These include items like perfumes and hand creams. High-priced hand creams launched by global brands such as Aesop and Diptyque, as well as K-Beauty brands like Tamburins and Nonfiction, are showing high growth in sales. 

3. Increase in ingredient-focused ‘smart consumers’

Social media like YouTube, TikTok and Instagram, have become knowledgeable places for cosmetics and the science behind ingredients. ‘Smart consumers’ are educating themselves on ingredients and products and actively seeking out products that are right for them. 

Consumers are searching the Lavian site for more specialized keywords like “freeze-dried collagen” and “172 daltons” (*Daltons: a measure of molecular weight), as opposed to the more generic terms like “elasticity ampoule” and “anti-aging ampoule”.  

Cosmetic brands need to invest time and effort in the rapid development and research of high-profile ingredients if they don’t want to lose out on these increasingly savvy consumers. 

4. Pop-up Store Culture

In recent years, many brands have been emphasizing the importance of communicating with their customers. It has been shown that customers are more loyal and satisfied with their products when they are involved in the creation and development of those products with the brand.  

There are now many different forms of offline events in the K-Beauty sector to meet and engage with consumers, such as opening a pop-up shop or holding an exhibition.  

Customers are enjoying pop-up stores as a form of K-Beauty culture because those conceptual shops are only open for a limited period of time, unlike offline stores that are usually open all the time.  

They share photos from those conceptual pop-up stores on social media, causing brands’ products to go viral, which is one of the perks of running a pop-up store. 

5. Recommendation of hot shopping spots where you can experience all these trends

In Korea, there are as many stores and shopping spots of a variety of styles as K-Beauty products. I also visit offline stores as often as possible to get fresh inspiration for marketing strategies and new product development for my brand.  

Of course, there are so many places you need to visit, but as a CEO of a K-Beauty brand, I’d like to introduce you to hot shopping spots in Seoul where you can taste all the K-Beauty trends considering overseas visitors’ short trip schedule. You may need to increase your baggage allowance after this shopping trip!  

• Myeong-dong Streets and Downtown Duty-Free Shops  

If I had to pick just one trendy shopping destination for your trip to Seoul, it would be Myeong-dong for cosmetics. Myeong-dong street is a one-stop shop for thousands of products from dozens of K-Beauty brands.  

Some stores were recently closed due to the pandemic, however 3CE’s flagship store, ‘Stylenanda Pink Hotel,’ is still a popular destination. As you might expect from the name, this store is decorated in pink, making it one of the most photogenic spots in Myeong-dong.  

Most stores in Myeong-dong cater to tourists, so they are well-versed in tax refund procedures, making shopping here a breeze. Many of the staff speak English, or at least understand it, so you won’t have to worry about communication. 

If your schedule does not allow you to enjoy street shopping, I recommend that you visit duty-free shops where you can browse all of the best-selling K-Beauty goods at a glance.  

Rather than rushing through the airport duty-free shops during your busy schedule, I recommend stopping by downtown duty-free shops where you can conveniently look at and shop for tax-free prices.  

‘Lotte Duty-Free shop Main Downtown Store’ has more brands than any other downtown duty-free shop in Korea, and is in Myeong-dong, making it easy for anyone to visit. You can also find our brand, Lavien, on the 11th floor of the Lotte Duty-Free shop Main Downtown Store and on the 8th floor of the Lotte Duty-Free shop Busan Downtown Store. 

• Gangnam Street, Apgujeong & Garosu-gil 

Gangnam, along with Apgujeong and Garosu-gil, is one of the trendiest and most luxurious neighbourhoods in Seoul. 

As the center of South Korea, Gangnam is like Myeongdong in that you may browse the latest trends in Korea at a glance with many brand stores.  

‘Olive Young Gangnam flagship store’ of Olive Young, the Korean equivalent of Sephora, is also located on Gangnam’s main street. Olive Young stores are located in various sizes all over Korea, including the aforementioned Meyong-dong, but what truly distinguishes the Gangnam flagship store from others is that it is a large, three-story building in which you can find the most popular cosmetic products in Korea. 

Along Apgujeong & Garosu-gil, you’ll find high-end department stores, luxury SPAs and skin care clinics, as well as unique concept stores from a variety of brands.  

To begin, Apgujeong is home to ‘Hyundai Department Store Apgujeong Main Store’, Korea’s leading department store brand, where you can explore luxury K-Beauty brands such as Sulwhasoo, Hera, Ohui, and Whoo.  

At ‘Sulwhasoo Dosan’ Flagship Store in Apgujeong, you can enjoy shopping as well as experiencing Sulwhasoo items with a SPA store and terrace. You can also visit Tamburins’ ‘Tamburins Flagship Store Sinsa’ at Garosu-gil, a brand whose ambassador is Jennie from Blackpink.  

Tamburins also has a flagship store in Apgujeong called ‘House Dosan’, and both locations have interiors that are more like art exhibitions than stores, making for a memorable experience. Apgujeong & Garosu-gil are located close to each other, and both neighbourhoods are also close to Gangnam, making them easy to visit during your stay in Korea. 

• The Hyundai Seoul and Seongsu-dong 

If you want to experience the pop-up store trend we’ve been talking about, it’s The Hyundai Seoul and Seongsu-dong. These two districts are known as “hip” places, the mecca of pop-up stores, and they are the popular amongst locals and international visitors. 

‘The Hyundai Seoul’ is the Hyundai department store’s strategic flagship shop and is not just a department store, but a multi-cultural space that you can enjoy with its nature-friendly architecture and trendy design.  

The hottest and most trendy beauty and fashion brands are hurrying to open pop-up shops at The Hyundai Seoul. Lavien also held a pop-up shop on the first floor of The Hyundai Seoul for three days from May 5th to 7th to meet our consumers and supporters and showcase our brand identity, and we were thankfully overwhelmed by the response. 

Seongsu-dong refers to the district and streets near Seoul Metro’s Seongsu station, and it is one of the popular spots as more and more young people tag Seongsu on social media. One of the greatest K-Beauty cosmetic brands, Amore pacific, recognized this trend and established its conceptual store called ‘AMORE Seongsu’ in Seongsu-dong.  

Here you can test out products from famous K-Beauty brands such as Innisfree, Sulwhasoo, and Etude House, all brands under the Amore pacific umbrella, and even take home samples. Although Seongsu-dong is a bit far from other central Seoul neighbourhoods like Gangnam and Myeong-dong, it’s definitely worth taking your time to visit. 

 Fascinated with Korean skincare? Visit in-cosmetics Korea in Seoul from 12 to 14 July!

Enjoyed this article? Get more by subscribing to our newsletter!

Feeling inspired to see ingredients and trends in action?

Then why not visit one of the in-cosmetics events around the world?

BROWSE SHOWS

About Park Hyunsun, CEO, PS International (Cosmetic brand: Lavien) 

Park Hyunsun is the founder of the stylish shopping mall “Pink Secret” and the premium K-Beauty cosmetic brand “Lavien.” She started out as an influencer with a huge fan following as a ballerina and successfully launched the first-generation online shopping site Pink Secret in 2005 and founded Lavien in 2017. As a premium K-Beauty brand with ‘premium raw materials, ingredients, and technology’ as its differentiation points, Lavian is firmly established in the domestic market centered on its own mall and home shopping and is planning to actively expand overseas next year. 

The skin care category is one of the most interesting in cosmetics and it is also one of my great passions. According to the Researchandmarkets portal, the global market for anti-aging products had an estimated value of US$164 billion in 2020 and has a projection of US$236 billion by 2027 with a CAGR of 5.3% in this period.

Within the category, anti-wrinkle products present an estimated CAGR of 5.7% in the same period with an estimated market value of US$19.1 billion by 2027. Depigmenting products have a projected CAGR of 4.1% for the next 7 years. The skin care market has always represented a great innovation opportunity for the cosmetics industry and if we talk about trends in the category, we could write many pages and columns about it.

For this reason, below, we are going to see some of the most interesting current trends in this field and in the coming months we will do more columns about it.

Robotic skin: In June we learned about this very interesting new. A team of researchers in Japan used human skin to encase a robot’s finger. The goal is for the robots to have an increasingly human appearance and thus improve the efficiency in the exchange of information and generate more sympathy. The findings were surprising.

The living skin fit the artificial limb perfectly, and like real wounds, it had the ability to bounce back from a cut. Last year it was reported that Sophia, the world’s most famous humanoid robot, auctioned off her first digital artwork as an NFT. “I hope that people like my work and that humans and I can collaborate in new and exciting ways forward,” Sophia said in her study with a flat voice and a silver-coloured dress.

Let’s just imagine when we will see the news that for the first time a robot designed a perfume or a cosmetic emulsion. In the near future, humanoids will be key to the development of skin care, they will help us discover and develop new sensory effects in formulations, they will also be very useful in predicting efficacy and developing new claims, such as robot- friendly, tested on robots, formulated by robots…

In marketing and positioning activities we will also see androids, cyborgs and robots in skin care. Just imagine R2-D2 developing products for Princess Leia. Bender, Astroboy, Terminator, Robocop, Johnny 5, Cylos, Data and Marvin, among others, will be great allies in brand positioning and advertising campaigns. Surely George Lucas will have a great ally in skin care in future films. Robotic beauty is the new black.

Healthy aging: In a recent article, the Colombian magazine Semana, indicated that with the aim of improving the quality of life of older adults and of the people who intervene in their environment, such as family members and caregivers, the Decade of Healthy Aging has been established, which began in 2021 and will continue until 2030. Aging is a natural process that the body goes through and that everyone lives in a different way, depending on their lifestyle, diet, particular health condition and the contexts in which persons have been throughout their life. Cosmetics is a great ally in well-being and that is why this year we are seeing so many related innovations.

From Benjamin Button to a new anti-aging theory: We were all moved by the film The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, which tells the story of a man who would be born with the body of an 80-year-old person and who over time becomes younger. Well, in June of this year, very interesting news were published, as a group of scientists managed to reverse aging in mice. Researchers at the molecular laboratory at Harvard University have succeeded in converting an adult cell into a stem cell in rodents. The team’s goal is to do the same with humans. This project has been led by David Sinclair. In a 2020 publication it was shown how old mice with poor eyesight and damaged retinas were suddenly able to see again. For this reason, we will soon see new Benjamin Button-like biochemical mechanisms for skin care in scientific publications, magazines and congresses.

Lunar agriculture: “It’s a small pot of earth, but a big step for space agriculture.” This interesting finding was published in May in the journal Communications Biology. For the first time, scientists have grown plants in a few grams of lunar soil collected decades ago by astronauts in the Apollo program. The plant used was Arabidopsis thaliana, chosen because it grows easily and, above all, because its genetic code is already known. This finding fuels the hope that one day plants can be grown directly on the moon. The cosmetic industry will find a great opportunity for innovation in these new findings, since the composition of lunar soil can produce interesting adaptogenic conditions for the search and synthesis of new metabolites with great benefits for skin care.

130 years: In May 2022, the Spanish newspaper El País published an article in which Corina Amor, an immunologist, says: “Increasing the duration of human life to 130 years is reasonable.” She presented a revolutionary doctoral thesis that proposed an experimental therapy to eliminate the cells responsible for aging and cancer. In youth, the human body’s defences are capable of destroying these damaged cells, called senescent cells, but as life goes on, the immune system cannot cope and they accumulate. Amor’s team, led by American biologist Scott Lowe, devised a strategy to extract white blood cells, or T-lymphocytes, from the patient and reengineer them in the laboratory to destroy senescent cells. His proof of concept, in mice, was published two years ago in the journal Nature. In a few years, we will see new biochemical mechanisms in skin care products inspired by these findings.

Pre-ageing: The pandemic has taught us that prevention is the new norm and that is why many of the technological innovations that we are seeing in skin care are focused on the concept of preventing the signs of aging and the effects on the skin of new routines and customs we have in the post-pandemic world. Pre-aging (2021) comes after the pro-aging (2017) and anti-aging (80s) trends.

 Skinimalism: This trend has two nuances. In the first place, we are seeing how facial routines tend to be simpler and, on the other hand, we are also seeing how formulations are also beginning to have fewer and more effective ingredients.

Are you ready to imagine the future of skincare? Well, we invite you to give your comments on this exciting topic!

Enjoyed this article? Get more by subscribing to our newsletter!

A new digital natural formulation-focused tool, a digital asset-led campaign and a new multi-million project looks for plant-based feedstock alternatives to progress innovations in beauty and personal care. Scalp care and personal care repellent launches focus on protecting consumers’ skin.

In our bi-weekly cosmetics round-up, we delve into the beauty and personal care space to explore the latest news, updates, launches and developments around the globe.

Clariant launches online tool for natural beauty manufacturing.

Personal care company, Clariant, conceptualises and releases a new digital tool to give beauty and personal care brands information on the naturality of their proposed formulations.

In creating its personal care tool, BeautyForward 6, Clariant seeks to enable consumers to access natural knowledge about ingredients and products. The tool is designed to calculate the percentage of natural ingredients and the naturality of personal care formulations.

The tool was produced in alignment with the industry-standardised framework, ISO 16128 methodology, which defines and quantifies criteria for natural and organic cosmetic ingredients and products.

With over 800 Clariant and non-Clariant ingredients on its platform, the personal care name aims to provide information on the ingredient’s naturality. Clariant aims to help manufacturers explore the contents of individual ingredients and formulations listed on the platform. Users can access the information to create their formulation from scratch or follow guidance to help produce their desired end-product.

“There is evident increasing consumer preference for natural, specifically plant-based ingredients, as well as a growing expectation for brands to understand and communicate on naturality with transparency,” said Hermann Bach, Global Head of Strategic Marketing and Innovation at Clariant.

Clinique and Daz 3D partner to create beauty brand’s first makeup NFT.

US multinational beauty producer, Clinique, joins forces with non-fungible community developer, Daz 3D, to release the beauty brand’s first-ever makeup non-fungible token (NFT) campaign.

Clinique is the first of the Estée Lauder brands to move into the NFT space (an increasingly popular move by beauty brands) by producing and showcasing its first advanced technology-led makeup campaign, called “Metaverse More Like Us”.

By utilising the digital asset, Clinique gears up to develop its profile on the 3D internet, otherwise known as the metaverse, as it aims to build a better and more inclusive online beauty world.

In collaboration with Daz 3D, Clinique worked with makeup artists and creators, including Tess Daly, Sheika Daley and Emira D’Spain and leading authority in NFT, Cathy Hackl, to produce its inaugural makeup campaign using the increasingly-prevalent unit of data.

The makeup artists and creators each produced two beauty aesthetics, forming a total of six makeup creations. In developing its looks, Clinique wanted to embrace a diverse range of NFPs to reflect all skin tones, face shapes and hairstyles.

“Our mission to be in the service of all skin means that we’re dedicated to increasing inclusivity everywhere our brand connects with consumers, and that commitment is no different in the Metaverse,” said Carolyn Dawkins, SVP of Global Marketing, Analytics and Online at Clinique. “As the Metaverse is blossoming, we know that what we create today can positively impact the beauty standards of the future,” added Dawkins.

Unilever and Genomatica embark on $120 million venture to scale plant-based feedstocks.

Personal care supplier Unilever and biotechnology company Genomatica (Geno) announce a $120 million (€114 mn) joint venture to develop alternatives to palm oil and fossil fuels for personal care products.

By collaborating, the new partnership will allow both companies to access new sustainable ingredients and technologies to create more environmentally-friendly everyday personal care products by finding plant-based feedstock varieties.

The new partnership marks Unilever’s largest venture in exploring possible biotechnology alternatives to palm oil. Together, the duo will focus on commercialising and scaling options to palm oil and fossil fuel-derived cleansing ingredients.

Geno will draw on its platform to find plant-based feedstocks. Currently, it is moving towards scaling its sustainable feedstock-focused process to enable its advanced technology to produce ingredients. The company is using plant- or waste-based feedstock to create fossil fuel alternative materials that can be scaled and commercialised for use in the personal care sector.

Early indications suggest that by utilising biotech, brands in the personal care sector can reduce the carbon footprint of palm-derived ingredients by 50% with the adoption of plant-based varieties.

“We’ve developed our technology in response to our planet’s urgent climate crisis and we’ve proven that biotechnology can replace traditional production methods to produce ingredients with bio-based sources that deliver both high-performance and sustainability, at scale,” relayed Christophe Schilling, CEO of Geno.

“Biotechnology has the potential to revolutionise the sourcing of our cleansing ingredients,” said Richard Slater, Chief Research and Development (R&D) Officer at Unilever. “We are building this innovative new venture to have the scale to drive real impact and change in our industry, helping to reinvent the chemistry of home and personal care products for the 21st Century,” Slater added.

Kao develops new mosquito repellent product.

Japanese personal care brand, Kao, unveils its newly-developed mosquito repellent for consumers in Thailand. The product, Bioré GUARD Mos Block Serum, utilises the Asian skincare and personal care brand’s technology to provide a serum that blocks mosquitos by having widespread protection over the skin.

Developing its new technology saw Kao research how best to protect consumers from mosquitoes. The brand subsequently devised its latest product, a formula that acts as a protection shield, with the aim of offering skin protection. The technology’s mechanism is geared to differ from conventional insect repellents on the market, which it states “rely on mainly volatile active agents”.

Kao has set up its Guard Our Future global project to help save lives from mosquitoes by working to control dengue fever and other infectious diseases spread by mosquitoes. It is initially releasing its product in Thailand and then plans to extend to the wider Southeast Asia region to build awareness-raising activities, field testing and research activities.

The formulation contains natural citronella oil, floral blossom fragrance and lavender valley fragrances and is deet-free. Kao designed the formulation to have a non-sticky texture and to provide widespread coverage on the skin.

Nutrafol unveils patent-pending scalp system.

Hair health brand, Nutrafol, releases a new product line that draws on understanding of hair biology. The unveiling of its patent-pending Scalp Microbiome Support comes after research into the scalp barrier and the impact of both internal and external environmental impacts on the scalp microbiome.

The physician-formulated products have been created to balance the scalp microbiome and offer opportunities for optimal hair growth by using nutraceuticals contained within the product.

Nutrafol’s new collection of scalp care products includes an exfoliating mask, a cleansing shampoo and a scalp microbiome essence. The product line also contains the Microbiome Friendly Seal certification, which is used by personal care brands to indicate those products that follow specific clinical testing to ensure products look after and encourage positive microbial diversity.

“The scalp microbiome is not just another trendy health topic being talked about on social media—it is an important element to overall hair health that should be cared for just as much as people care about their skin routines,” said Giorgos Tsetis, CEO and co-founder of Nutrafol.

Enjoyed this article? Get more by subscribing to our newsletter!

Feeling inspired to see ingredients and trends in action?

Then why not visit one of the in-cosmetics events around the world?

New beauty partnerships see global beauty, perfumery, personalization and skin diagnostics take centre stage.

A multi-million investment in period and intimate care sees one brand work towards realizing its global vision.

New findings in hair loss and skincare ingredients strive to progress the options available to meet consumers’ needs and concerns.

In our bi-weekly cosmetics round-up, we explore the need-to-know cosmetics industry news, beauty trends and personal care launches worldwide.

DSM and Firmenich merge.

Two global personal care giants, DSM and Firmenich, have come together to pull their resources and knowledge in leading scientific understanding and capabilities in beauty and wellbeing. Entering into a business combination agreement, the duo strives to build the leading creation and innovation partner in beauty and wellbeing through its newly-created DSM-Firmenich.

By teaming up, global science company DSM, and fragrance and flavour business Firmenich, strive to maximize their ability to anticipate and address evolving consumer needs. The duo will leverage leading science and capabilities in the beauty and wellbeing spaces, including fragrance, to boost innovation in identified high-growth and resilient segments.

With combined revenues of $3.5 billion (€3.3 bn) in the perfumery and beauty sector, Firmenich will see its global perfumery and ingredients business expand further by uniting with DSM’s personal care and aroma business.

The newly-named DSM-Firmenich will house its dual headquarters in Kaiseraugst, Switzerland and Maastricht, the Netherlands. DSM-Firmenich’s perfumery and beauty arm will be led from Geneva, Switzerland. Following the merger, DSM’s shareholders will own a total of 65.5% of the company and Firmenich shareholders will take 34.5%.

New clinical findings in hair loss bring new treatment opportunities.

Aesthetic medical technology company, Revian, revealed the results of a recent clinical study by Wake Forest University School of Medicine, US. The study explored how Revian’s  hair loss focused system may be able to help treat patients with Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia (CCCA).

The company expressed that CCCA is a form of scarring hair loss with no known cure that largely impacts women of African descent, and the condition is considered to have environmental, genetic and inflammatory elements.

“To our knowledge, this is the first study evaluating the use of low-level light therapy for CCCA management and we were excited to partner with the Revian team to evaluate a treatment for this devastating condition,” said Dr Amy McMichael, Chair and Professor of Dermatology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. “In my opinion, the Revian Red system is showing promising results for a complex disease for which we have no treatment options.”

Revian explains that its Red System uses a patented combination of two LED light wavelengths of 620 nanometers (nm) and 660 nm. The two wavelengths stimulate nitric oxide production and release, increase local blood flow, lower inflammation and inhibit the steroid, dihydrotestosterone (DHT).

In the study, patients used the all-LED treatment cap for ten minutes per day. Patients’ hair loss was assessed with follow-up visits at two, four and six months by examining digital photography, patients’ self-assessment of their symptoms and clinical evaluations into their severity.

The clinical findings reported that 75% of patients saw a decreased loss of follicular openings and breakage. They also detailed that follow-up imaging showed short, re-growing vellus hairs and minimal inter and perifollicular scale. Further, 75% of patients had improved Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) at the end of the study. Researchers at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine shared the results of its recent clinical study at the Society for Investigative Dermatology 2022 Annual Meeting.

L’Oréal snaps up stake in Japanese startup, Sparty.

Global cosmetic company L’Oréal has announced it has acquired a minority investment in personalized beauty startup Sparty. The acquisition of Sparty marks the global beauty brand’s first beauty purchase in Japan. L’Oréal’s corporate venture capital fund BOLD (Business Opportunities for L’Oréal Development) managed the purchase.

Tokyo-based e-commerce name, Sparty, entered the beauty technology scene in 2017. Developing its direct-to-consumer business model focusing on personalized beauty, Sparty houses haircare brands such as Medulla and skincare names, including Hotaru.

With its mission to “create a sensual era”, Sparty strives to appeal to consumers looking for personalized beauty collections and personalized consumer experiences.

“Japan is one of the most sophisticated and influential beauty markets,” said Jean-Pierre Charriton, CEO of L’Oréal Japan. “In Japan, personalized consumer experience is highly valued, and we are seeing new trends and innovations when it comes to personalization, especially in beauty.”

Rael raises $35 million for period and intimate care expansion.

Holistic personal care name, Rael, which centres on period care, intimate care and skincare, has closed a $35 million Series B round of investment.

Launched in 2017 by three Korean American women in Los Angeles, US, Rael is the personal care brand made by women for all people who bleed. Since its inception, Rael has raised a total of $59 million and expanded to South Korea. The brand has hopes to expand to a further 12 international countries.

Following its investment, Rael plans to pursue its ongoing product development led by its development team in South Korea, expand its approach to women’s wellness, progress growth in retail by developing partnerships, invest in brand and trade marketing, and advance its global expansion. The brand is also building upon its executive leadership team, with Lauren Consiglio becoming its President, who was previously a senior marketing executive at Unilever and L’Oreal.

“We started Rael with a mission to improve women’s wellness by leveraging novel technology from Korea, bringing organic, high-performing, comfortable products to the marketplace,” said Yanghee Paik, CEO and co-founder of Rael. “Now, five years later, the company has evolved greatly, but our commitment to bringing women cleaner and more effective personal care solutions throughout their hormonal cycle has stayed the same.”

i-On Skincare unveils new skincare launches.

Beauty tech brand, i-On skincare, launches two new products to the beauty market: its Age Disrupting Skin Emulsion and AI-powered Skin Diagnostic Tool.

i-On Skincare relays that biological aging is significantly impacted by the key factor of excess iron build-up on the skin. It states that this element, which occurs with the cessation of menstruation, is most responsible for forming oxygen free radicals that are known to cause visible signs of skin aging.

With a focus on formulating cosmetics, the brand uses its patented DII technology with vitamin C and pearl powder, designed to remove excess iron from the skin’s surface, allowing the skin to focus on repairing and rebuilding.

With a focus on targeting excess iron that forms on the skin’s surface, i-On skincare has unveiled its skin-aging product, Age Disrupting Skin Emulsion, utilizing DII technology. The brand also teamed up with fellow beauty tech name, Perfect Corp, to develop its AI-powered Skin Diagnostic Tool. i-On Skincare saw this partnership as a natural next step as it seeks to expand its educational communication on the relationship between biological aging, lifestyles and routines.

“Our goal is to shift the conversation about how we think and talk about aging,” said Dr. Xi Huang, founder of i-On Skincare.

Enjoyed this article? Get more by subscribing to our newsletter!

Feeling inspired to see ingredients and trends in action?

Then why not visit one of the in-cosmetics events around the world?

We caught up with Cindy Bryant from Demetrix to discuss all things rare cannabinoids and their impressive properties, exciting new research, the beauty of fermentation, and rising to meet the growing consumer demand for transparent, sustainable products that deliver results.

1. Demetrix is dedicated to the ongoing research of cannabinoids, demonstrating its efficacy, and determining how these ingredients can best serve a wide range of personal care products for the ever-decerning marketplace. Why is Demetrix so passionate about cannabinoids?

At Demetrix, we see cannabinoids as a very rare, exciting opportunity. This is an entire class of natural compounds that are known to have interesting health benefits. However, they have never been researched and made available to help people live healthier, happier lives. This speaks directly to the primary focus of our company, helping improve lives through the sustainable access of bioactives.

Our investment in rare cannabinoid research shows strong promise for their application in many key consumer areas of concern, such as inflammation and anti-microbial applications, and remediating the long terms effects of UV exposure. We are just at the beginning of understanding the full potential of these efficacious bioactives.

2. Tell us about Demetrix’s exciting commercial manufacturing developments with cannabigerol.

Cannabigerol, or CBG as it is commonly called, is the first of many rare cannabinoids we are planning to bring to market. The plant produces over a hundred unique cannabinoids but only a handful of these are easily extracted from the plant. The remaining are just in too low concentrations to either physically isolate from plant material, or economically, trying to extract them doesn’t make sense. This is where our fermentation technology plays an important role. Our technology can consistently produce an ultra-rare cannabinoid at high purity as easily as it can a more abundant one.

The milestone we are working towards will be a tremendous achievement, not only for our company that was started about 5 years ago, but for the entire industry. We aim to prove that fermentation technology can economically produce high purity cannabinoids at large scale. And by large scale, I mean multiple tonnes per year. This hopefully will be a new, sustainable source of rare cannabinoids that can easily scale to meet global demand.

3. Demetrix’s foundational research proves that cannabigerol (CBG) holds great potential as an active ingredient in skincare, cosmetic and health and wellness products. Can you expand on both the research you have conducted, and the impressive attributes of CBG?

Demetrix is significantly investing in foundational research to understand the potential of each of these rare cannabinoids. What we are finding is that they are unique in the potential benefits they can provide, meaning we have a very rich and deep pool of bioactives.

We’ve assessed several bioactivities of CBG, using in vitro human keratinocytes or fibroblast cultures, and safety, in a sensitization and irritability study with human volunteers. We were able to validate that CBG is a strong anti-inflammatory and caused no adverse reactions, indicating its safety for topical use. We were able to conclude that CBG is a safe bioactive, backed by a scalable and sustainable biomanufacturing process, making it an attractive cannabinoid for novel cosmetics formulations.

4. Your CBG is bio-identical to the CBG found in the Cannabis sativa plant and is of high purity standard, which is difficult to achieve. How do you ensure such a pure product?

That’s the beauty of fermentation production, it is a highly controllable process, unlike mother nature. What is oftentimes overlooked is that the hemp plant produces all 100+ cannabinoids, including THC, which is a controlled substance. It is just that the plant is bred to limit its production of THC and overproduce the cannabinoid of interest. The challenge with this is that the plant can easily deviate from what it is bred to do because of uncontrollable external factors. This can be overwatering, underwatering, pests, light conditions, soil deviations, and many other conditions. This creates supply chain risk for product companies.

Fermentation production uses a highly specialized method that is often completely incapable of producing unwanted impurities, such as terpenes and other cannabinoids. In fact, the Demetrix process for CBG production is completely incapable of making THC and terpenes, eliminating this concern. On top of that, the process is highly controllable, meaning we have minimized external forces that could impact product purity and production volumes. This is why so many consumer products companies prefer to rely on fermentation production sources for their ingredients, for the security in their supply chain.

5. Sustainability and social responsibility have become a big factor across most industries, not excluding personal care. As you work with natural ingredients, how important is sustainability to Demetrix and what does that mean for Demetrix customers?

We have made sustainability Demetrix’s foundation. Our technology was specifically designed to serve as an alternative production source that leaves a lighter footprint on our planet. And we are part of a larger movement: The entire industry is rising to meet the growing consumer demand for clean labelled, sustainable products that deliver results. Demetrix is aiding this effort by bringing access to a new class of bioactives that have demonstrated efficacy and are produced using a technology that uses 340 times less water, 4 times less land, 358 times less carbon dioxide emissions than other plant sources.

You can find Demetrix’s exhibition stand at the upcoming in-cosmetics Global 2022 event, or contact them directly for more information.

The Club is in-cosmetics’ first major step outside the events space since its inaugural exhibition 29 years ago. Providing a series of free online training modules and a digital platform to share best practice, it will help international cosmetic chemists enhance their formulation skills and contribute to scientific advancement.

Free to join, members will gain exclusive access to leading experts, including Belinda Carli from the Institute of Personal Care Science; Barbara Olioso from The Green Chemist and Asian regulations luminary Dr. Alain Khaiat, via a closed LinkedIn Group. They will be joined by other industry leaders over the coming months, each of whom will encourage debate and solution finding, and help cosmetic chemists further their knowledge.

R&D Club members will also receive discounted entry to in-cosmetics Global’s highly respected paid-for workshops and the group’s popular autumn Formulation Summit event in London. They will also gain fast-track entry and privileged access to Formulation Labs at in-cosmetics events around the world.

Cathy Laporte, Senior Exhibition Director at the in-cosmetics Group, commented: “With the cosmetic industry being so fast-paced, it is important that the in-cosmetics brand evolves. The Club will provide a platform for R&D teams to have a trusted resource for all their questions and enjoy special benefits at our events to help them fulfil their role with maximum convenience.”

The in-cosmetics R&D Club is now accepting applications, but membership is exclusively granted to R&D staff working for cosmetic and contract manufacturers, as well as private labels. To find out more and to join, visit www.in-cosmetics.com/rdclubThe post The in-cosmetics Group launches exclusive club for the R&D community first appeared on in-cosmetics Connect.]]> https://connect.in-cosmetics.com/news-category/the-in-cosmetics-group-launches-exclusive-club-for-the-rd-community/feed/ 1 5762