Skin care

Skin science: Top stories on cosmetic science, formulation and R&D in the APAC beauty space

21-Oct-2021 By Amanda Lim

In this round-up, we dive into our most-read stories on cosmetics science, formulation and R&D, featuring Shiseido, LG Household & Healthcare, L'Oréal and more.

Price hikes to come: P&G Q1 ‘22 net sales rise but ‘challenging’ costs hit profits

20-Oct-2021 By Kacey Culliney

Personal care giant Procter & Gamble (P&G) has reported a net sales rise for the first quarter (Q1) of fiscal 2022, though profits suffered due to a challenging cost environment – an ongoing issue it plans to overcome with price hikes.

Mindfully made: Spa brand endota targets new market with accessible new range of conscious products

20-Oct-2021 By Amanda Lim

Aussie beauty and wellness company endota has introduced a new clean beauty label that aims to make conscious beauty products more accessible to a wider market.

China’s ‘wanghong’ beauty boom: Ordinary influencers have greater sway as consumers seek functional, personalised products

20-Oct-2021 By Guan Yu Lim

The rise of ‘wanghong’ beauty influencers in China and growing interest for functional and customised cosmetics have been revealed as some of the changing purchasing habits post-COVID-19.

Inside out beauty: NZ’s Me Today prepares to launch into 22 Biople stores in Japan following Ireland expansion

19-Oct-2021 By Guan Yu Lim

New Zealand supplements and skin care brand Me Today is preparing to launch into 22 Biople stores in Japan next month, following the recent expansion into Irish pharmacies.

‘Give more than we take’: Indian D2C brand Pilgrim pledges to become plastic positive beauty brand

18-Oct-2021 By Amanda Lim

Indian clean beauty brand Pilgrim has announced a new partnership that will help it to achieve its goal of becoming a company that has a positive net impact on the environment in terms of plastic footprint.

From the ground up: LG H&H signs deal to upcycle coffee grounds for its cosmetic products

18-Oct-2021 By Amanda Lim

South Korea’s LG Household & Health Care is collaborating with an upcycling start-up to explore how to recycle discarded coffee grounds as raw materials for its cosmetics products.

Could tomato seed extracts be a solution for younger skin?

15-Oct-2021 By Stephen Daniells

Saponins from tomato seeds may improve skin elasticity in healthy women, says a new study from Japanese researchers that could open up opportunities in anti-wrinkle or anti-aging formulations.

Beiersdorf files patent on AI skin profiling and product recommendation method

13-Oct-2021 By Kacey Culliney

International skin care major Beiersdorf has developed a method to profile skin based on moisture levels and geographical location, providing an accurate picture of overall skin condition and enabling personalised product recommendations.

‘Clear trend towards everything Korean’: DTC brand Pilgrim bringing K-beauty trends to India

13-Oct-2021 By Amanda Lim

India-based beauty brand Pilgrim is riding the rising K-wave by tapping into Korean beauty trends and making them accessible to the domestic market.

Blurred lines: Post-COVID consumer concerns shift spotlight onto make-up that works beyond the surface

13-Oct-2021 By Amanda Lim

Concerns for personal health and the health of the environment are blurring the lines between make-up and skin care as consumers seek out colour cosmetics that provide more than just superficial benefits.

‘Little by little’: Intricate local knowledge helping China’s homegrown beauty brands chip away at MNC dominance

12-Oct-2021 By Amanda Lim

International beauty companies are in danger of losing market share to China’s homegrown beauty brands that are more in tune with the needs and concerns of the varying demographics that make up the vast Chinese market, according to an industry analyst.

Biotech startup Sequential Skin raises €1.4m – ‘We want to accelerate the future of skin health,’ says CEO

11-Oct-2021 By Kacey Culliney

UK-Singapore headquartered biotech startup Sequential Skin has secured more funding in its latest seed round that it plans to use for global expansion of its at-home skin diagnostics patch, in both a B2B and D2C capacity, its CEO says.

Just peachy: Amorepacific files patent on sebum inhibiting peach sprout and peony extract

11-Oct-2021 By Amanda Lim

Korean cosmetic company Amorepacific has developed an active ingredient with extracts from peach sprouts and peonies, which it claims is effective in inhibiting and regulating the secretion of sebum on the skin.

‘Create lasting value’: NZ’s Emma Lewisham aiming to cut product carbon footprint ‘close to zero’ by 2030

11-Oct-2021 By Amanda Lim

Emma Lewisham has laid out targets to reduce its product carbon footprint as “close to zero as possible” by 2030 after achieving its goal of becoming a carbon positive beauty brand with a 100% circular designed business model.

PODCAST – Innovation in progress: Earth Rhythm CEO on why she takes an active role the NPD process

08-Oct-2021 By Amanda Lim

The CEO of New Delhi-based beauty brand Earth Rhythm joins the Indie Pioneers Podcasts to discuss her passion for NPD, the brand’s innovation process and talks about why she takes an active role in the creation of products.

Shopping spree: India’s Good Glamm Group earmarks U$100m to acquire four to six more beauty brands

07-Oct-2021 By Amanda Lim

India’s newly-formed digital cosmetics outfit Good Glamm Group is planning to acquire four to six more digitally-led beauty brands after receiving an infusion of funding.

‘Emerging powerhouse’: Gen Z and millennial insights key to Amorepacific taking 38.4% stake in COSRX

06-Oct-2021 By Amanda Lim

Knowledge of the Gen Z and millennial consumer combined with a burgeoning global reputation are two of the reasons Korean major Amorepacific has taken a 38.4% stake in cult K-beauty brand COSRX, as it looks to expand its own footprint overseas.

Five 2023 beauty ‘personas’ to watch: Think frugality, sustainability, gender fluidity and creativity, says WGSN

05-Oct-2021 By Kacey Culliney

The next two years will see five cohorts of beauty consumers take centre stage - skinimalists, refillutionaries, beautopians, super basics and skillusionists - drawing a sharper focus on core desires around frugality, sustainability, gender fluidity and...

Strengthening the core: Shiseido CEO on why skin care set to become ‘even bigger’ post-pandemic

05-Oct-2021 By Amanda Lim

Japanese beauty major Shiseido is throwing its full weight behind skin care with its CEO believing there are “emerging segments” that it can capitalise on in the next few years.

Special Edition: CIRCULAR BEAUTY – SUSTAINABLE SOURCING, GREEN CHEMISTRY AND ECO-DESIGN

Zero-waste nanoparticle innovation offers green beauty promise: Review

30-Sep-2021 By Kacey Culliney

Nanoparticles made using natural polymers and ingredients from waste materials offer the cosmetics industry great promise in developing active beauty products for skin health that align with green economy goals, say researchers.

Stepping up: Lillycover to expand into hair care and make-up this year following $4m fundraise

30-Sep-2021 By Amanda Lim

Seoul-based personalised beauty start-up Lillycover has announced plans to launch personalised scalp and make-up products this year after raising U$4m in Series A funding.

For families: Aussie mum and baby care firm Lovekins repositioning as ‘lifestyle brand’

30-Sep-2021 By Amanda Lim

Australian mum and baby care brand Lovekins will further expand its product categories beyond its skincare base next year as it works to reposition itself as a family lifestyle brand.

‘Our targets are clear’: Indian beauty brand Earth Rhythm confident that it can surpass $13m revenue goal

29-Sep-2021 By Amanda Lim

India-based beauty and personal care brand Earth Rhythm is on track to surpass $13m in revenue and is gearing up for its series A fundraiser by the end of this year.

Beauty and mental health: Reduced cosmetic habits during COVID-19 lead to increased irritability, stress

29-Sep-2021 By Amanda Lim

Researchers have found that not performing adequate cosmetic care of skin, hair, and could have significant negative psychological impacts amid the pandemic.

Natura &Co sustainability chief: WaterBear will help communicate the ‘seriousness’ of the climate crisis

28-Sep-2021 By Kacey Culliney

Natura &Co says its partnership with Dutch eco video streaming platform WaterBear will help emphasise the seriousness of the climate crisis and shift perceptions around traditional communities to spotlight them as biodiversity guardians.

‘No more unsuitable tools’: MANSCAPED seeking wider Asia expansion for men’s ‘below the belt’ products

28-Sep-2021 By Amanda Lim

MANSCAPED is aiming to tap into what it claims is underserved needs of the men’s personal grooming market in Asia but says it will first take time to understand the nuances of the different markets from its Singaporean foothold.

Beauty Broadcast Video Series

WATCH – ‘Ageless beauty’: Shiseido and Native Extracts on how inclusivity and acceptance is changing skin ageing developments

24-Sep-2021 By Amanda Lim

On this episode of the Beauty Broadcast, we are exploring how the changing perception of ageing is pushing cosmetic companies such as Shiseido and Native Extracts to rethink the ‘anti-ageing’ skin care category entirely.

P&G targets net zero by 2040: ‘The task ahead of us is urgent’, says CEO

23-Sep-2021 By Kacey Culliney

International personal care major Procter & Gamble (P&G) has published a climate transition plan outlining its ambition to be net zero on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2040 and signed up to Amazon co-founded The Climate Pledge.

China expansion: SENSAI leads with e-commerce strategy to accelerate growth of brand awareness

23-Sep-2021 By Amanda Lim

Luxury skin care brand SENSAI has launched a Tmall flagship store as part of its e-commerce-led strategy to accelerate the brand’s presence in the competitive Chinese market.

Duty-free haven: Can beauty expect long-term growth in Hainan when international travel resumes post-COVID?

23-Sep-2021 By Amanda Lim

China’s Hainan Island prospered as domestic travel boomed in wake of COVID-19, triggering staggering growth for luxury beauty brands on the island. But is Hainan’s remarkable growth here to stay when international travel takes flight again?

Strength in skin care: China’s media crackdown on ‘sissy idols’ unlikely to have large effect on robust men’s category

22-Sep-2021 By Amanda Lim

Awareness on the importance of skin care among men is likely to protect the male beauty category from the recent media crackdown China has mandated against those who do not fit into the masculine stereotype.

Oat kernel extract on the rise as ‘star’ prebiotic skin health active: Mintel

21-Sep-2021 By Kacey Culliney

The number of new skin care product launches incorporating oat kernel extracts and oils for their prebiotic properties to make skin health claims is growing year by year, according to Mintel.

Global potential: POLA expecting overseas sales to surpass $270m by 2023 on the back of China demand

21-Sep-2021 By Amanda Lim

Japanese skincare brand POLA has been projected to achieve more than $270m in overseas sales in the next couple of years thanks to the strong demand from China’s luxury beauty market.

‘Sensiti-Ageing’: Sensitive skin category lacking solutions to tackle vulnerability to premature ageing

21-Sep-2021 By Amanda Lim

The skin care market is lacking anti-ageing solutions for consumers with sensitive skin even though they are more susceptible to premature ageing, says a South Korean ingredient manufacturer.

Hemp exports: India Hemp Organics opens up food and cosmetics trade with North America, Oceania and GCC

21-Sep-2021 By Guan Yu Lim

One of India’s pioneering hemp companies, India Hemp Organics (IHO), is gearing up to export its nutritional, medical and skin care products containing hemp and CBD products this year.

Beauty giants to form consortium for ‘brand-agnostic’ and 'transparent' global environmental impact system

20-Sep-2021 By Kacey Culliney

Henkel, L’Oréal, LVMH, Natura &Co and Unilever are forming a global beauty consortium to co-develop an industry-wide environmental impact assessment and scoring system for cosmetics.

Overseas debut: Japan’s Athletia landing in UK this October to start European expansion push

20-Sep-2021 By Amanda Lim

Skin care and lifestyle brand Athletia is set to make its international debut this October in the UK, where it hopes to orchestrate future European expansion plans within the next three years.

‘Zero tolerance’: E-commerce firms urged to combat sale of mercury-laden whitening products and plastic pollution

20-Sep-2021 By Amanda Lim

E-commerce companies such as Shopee and Lazada are being urged to lead the fight against the sale of adulterated whitening products and the problem of plastic waste pollution.

The skin microbiome brainstorm: Tech, claims and trend-driven NPD

16-Sep-2021 By Kacey Culliney

Skin microbiome science and innovation is fast-evolving, with a plethora of tools, ingredients and research efforts spotlighting key areas of opportunity. But where exactly is the sector headed? And what might next-generation NPD look like?

Customised for India: Quench Botanics launches K-beauty-inspired products tailored for local consumers

15-Sep-2021 By Amanda Lim

Quench Botanics is tapping into the rising K-wave with Korean-inspired beauty products that have been tweaked to better suit Indian consumers.

Brave new digital world: Incoming tech such as smart glasses will take beauty retail ‘beyond our imagination’

15-Sep-2021 By Amanda Lim

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the development of new retail experiences such as virtual stores, but one expert believes this is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the potential of extended reality in the beauty space.

Pandemic skin care: Shiseido's AQUALABEL launches range focusing on skin health and fermented ingredients

13-Sep-2021 By Amanda Lim

Japanese beauty giant Shiseido has launched a new range of skin care products under the AQUALABEL brand that was developed in response to skin care needs and concerns that have been influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic.

‘Brimming with opportunities’: Chlitina to focus on health-related product development to strengthen R&D capabilities

13-Sep-2021 By Amanda Lim

Taiwanese beauty company Chlitina will be shifting its product development to focus on areas such as the microbiome and regenerative medicine in order to tap into the increasing emphasis on health post-pandemic.

PODCAST – ‘Skin care should be fun’: Founders of 5 to 5 weigh in on the debate between ‘clean’ and ‘science-based’ beauty brands

10-Sep-2021 By Amanda Lim

The founders of 5 to 5 Skincare drop by the Indie Pioneers Podcast to give their two cents and more on the controversy stirring up between clean beauty brands and the cosmetic science community.

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