Hot topics: Top 5 beauty and cosmetics stories trending on our socials right now

1 – ‘We need to play our part’: French beauty brand Caudalie works to extend its sustainable mission to SEA

French skin care brand Caudalie is aiming to extend its work in sustainability to the South East Asian region​, where it believes it can broaden discussions about eco-consciousness.

The brand was established in 1995 and after more than two decades, the brand is still privately-owned by its co-founders, Mathilde and Bertrand Thomas. Today, Caudalie is best known for its vinotherapy skin care products, inspired by the family’s vineyard in Bordeaux, France.

Caudalie considers itself a pioneer in the clean and sustainable beauty movement, especially in the luxury beauty sector.

“For many years, the beauty industry thought that you couldn’t be a luxury brand whilst being a clean and sustainable brand, but things are changing. In 2022, we believe that sustainability is the new luxury and soon all brands will realise that being sustainable is not just a marketing gimmick but a necessity,”​ said Mathilde Thomas.

2 – ‘Not for vanity’s sake’: Biotech firm Renovatio focusing R&D towards therapeutic skin care

Australia-based firm Renovatio​ Bioscience believes skin care innovation is moving towards the development of therapeutic treatments​ for serious skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis.

Renovatio Bioscience was founded in 2016 and has a range of health, wellness and beauty cosmetic products that contain activated phenolics extracted from apples.

This ingredient is extracted using a technique developed by Renovatio founder and technical director Dr Vincent Candrawinata, which extracts the phenolic antioxidants with water. The result is an antioxidant that is water-based and not chemically synthesised.

Last year, the company introduced two new skin care​ products, a face and body cream, under its APSKIN brand. It also inked a A$10m (U$7.39m) deal with supermarket chain Woolworths to stock the brand in around 1,000 stores.

3 – Non-fungible beauty: What is the endgame for beauty NFTs in the metaverse?

LG Household & Healthcare is the latest beauty company to dabble in the NFT craze, but one expert is questioning the future of beauty NFTs​ when considering the grand scheme of the metaverse.

Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are digital assets that are certified and traded on a blockchain. The underlying concept of NFTs is the proof of ownership of something irreplicable.

In the past year, we have seen a flurry of headlines of NFTs being sold for millions. They have made their way into a wide range of industries, including sports, luxury fashion, automotive and now beauty.

On March 14, LG Household & Healthcare (LG H&H) announced it was stepping into realm of NFTs as part of its part of a long-term consumer engagement strategy for its skin care brand belif.

4 – From Azores to Asia: Portuguese beauty brand Ignae eyeing region’s booming luxury niche beauty market

A skin care brand developed with ingredients sourced from the Azores archipelago believes its brand has huge potential in Asia’s high-end niche beauty segment.​

The Portugal-based skin care company traces its roots back to 2009 and was founded by Miguel Pombo, who was previously working in the cosmetics industry dealing with regulation. Pombo, an Azores native, developed his range of skin care products inspired by the unique biodiversity of the archipelago.

The Azores are a collection of nine volcanic islands. With a subtropical climate and rich fertile soil, it is home to a unique assortment of flora, including Europe’s only tea plantations and rainforests.

“The first time I went to Azores, I was immediately struck – it’s like a paradise. Not only is it beautiful, but it has an amazing biological ecosystem. It has thermal water, tea plantations and rainforests. It’s really incredible,”​ said Claire Chung, CEO of Ignae.

5 – Retinol relief: New study highlights how skin irritation could be relieved

A new study has highlighted how formulators could produce anti-ageing products without the trouble​ of skin irritation caused by retinol.

A study​ by Korean firm LG Household and Health (LG H&H) has identified 30 genetic markers related to the susceptibility of individuals to retinol-induced irritation, specifically among Korean users.

Retinol is one of the stronger cosmetic ingredients that promote anti-ageing. However, it exhibits a range of irritation in users, such as scaling, burning and itching.