Skin care

Special Edition: Cannabis beauty - Innovation and science in CBD and cannabinoids

Beyond CBD? Any of the 100+ minor cannabinoids could be a ‘rock star’ beauty active, says Treehouse Biotech

09-Apr-2021 By Kacey Culliney

Cannabidiol (CBD) may have stolen the limelight in cannabis beauty so far, but there are over one hundred minor cannabinoids worth studying with significant potential for future innovation, says cannabinoid specialist Treehouse Biotech.

Indie Pioneers Episode 18

PODCAST – I predict a riot: Founder of Organic Riot on the hard truths about sustainability

09-Apr-2021 By Amanda Lim

In this episode of Indie Pioneers, we chat with the founder of New Zealand brand Organic Riot about his valiant efforts in furthering the sustainable beauty movement and discuss some hard truths about what it means to be a sustainable and ethical beauty...

Sustainable step change: Can circular beauty become a mainstream reality?

08-Apr-2021 By Kacey Culliney

Many beauty manufacturers, suppliers and retailers have made important sustainability pledges for this coming decade, but as efforts kickstart in shifting linear business models to circular ways of working, there remains a raft of challenges along the...

Get the glow: Emma Lewisham observes gap in market for natural brightening products proven by clinical data

08-Apr-2021 By Amanda Lim

Circular beauty brand Emma Lewisham’s latest launch is seeking to fulfil what the firm believes is growing demand for natural brightening products backed by clinical evidence.

Too complex: Chinese team questions ‘quality and value’ of Asian herb research on skin whitening

08-Apr-2021 By Amanda Lim

A team of researchers from two Chinese institutes have questioned the validity of the existing research undertaken on Asian herbs for skin whitening applications, concluding that the ingredients were “too complex to obtain reliable results”.

‘Botanical powerhouse’: Lotus Herbals launches new premium clean beauty brand with aims to cross $10m mark

07-Apr-2021 By Amanda Lim

Lotus Herbals has launched a new premium clean beauty brand that it believes can surpass $10m this year on the back of the strong market demand for clean beauty products.

Recycled coffee: Hug Browne outlines crowdfunding NPD in bid to cultivate sustainable beauty habits among Japanese consumers

07-Apr-2021 By Guan Yu Lim

Japan-based sustainable beauty company Hug Browne hopes to develop more beauty and cosmetic products from upcycled coffee grounds, following the launch of its first body scrub last year.

Post acquisition expansion: Japan’s Q’sai looks to beauty-from-within and healthy ageing for new growth

07-Apr-2021 By Guan Yu Lim

Japanese health foods and skin care manufacturer Q’sai has launched a skin health supplement, along with new skin care products, and has plans to venture into the healthy ageing segment following its recent acquisition.

‘Adaptive’ single-dose skin care the future of personalisation, says Spanish tech startup Lesielle

06-Apr-2021 By Kacey Culliney

Spanish tech startup Lesielle has created an at-home skin care device that it says takes personalisation one step further, empowering consumers to select bases and actives themselves that are blended and dispensed in single doses according to real-time...

‘A marathon, not a sprint’: Product innovation and aggressive marketing key for success post-COVID-19 – Unilever’s Lifebuoy

06-Apr-2021 By Amanda Lim

Unilever-owned brand Lifebuoy says it will double down on product innovation and aggressive marketing tactics in order to maintain the sales boom seen throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Artificial skin: Shiseido plans to launch highly anticipated ‘second skin’ tech into market this year

06-Apr-2021 By Amanda Lim

Japanese beauty major Shiseido said it plans to launch ‘second skin’ this year, a so-called game-changing new technology which can diminish undereye bags instantly without the use of make-up.

Science driven: Latest FANCL anti-ageing innovation inspired by study confirming key role of IL-1RA protein in wrinkle formation

05-Apr-2021 By Amanda Lim

A study by Japanese cosmetics firm FANCL has confirmed that protein IL-1RA plays a key role in wrinkle formation and has developed a cosmetic formulation with vitamin C to target it.

China CBD crackdown: Ban on cannabis cosmetics will likely halt sales online as authorities push ‘anti-drug’ stance

05-Apr-2021 By Amanda Lim

China’s proposal to ban the use of cannabis and cannabis extracts in cosmetics will likely affect sales via cross-border e-commerce channels as the authorities double down on ‘anti-drug’ education.

‘Skinimalism’ surge: UK prestige skin care sales declined 23% in 2020, finds NPD Group

01-Apr-2021 By Kacey Culliney

UK beauty consumers pared down skin care routines last year, adopting minimalist, back-to-basics approaches that led to a decline in overall prestige product sales, according to the NPD Group.

Beauty Bites Gallery

Foundation for growth: CHLITINA lays groundwork for three-year plan in Vietnam to seize growth potential

31-Mar-2021 By Amanda Lim

Taiwanese beauty company CHLITINA is focusing on strengthening its network in the Vietnam market for the next three years to capitalise on its advancing beauty scene.

K-beauty rules: Need-to-know updates on South Korea cosmetics regulation for 2021

31-Mar-2021 By Amanda Lim

Changes to customised cosmetics personnel and wider testing exemptions for functional cosmetics are some of the latest need-to-know regulation updates in South Korea.

Skin care ‘kits’ drive education around beauty routines, says SkinCeuticals

30-Mar-2021 By Kacey Culliney

Combining products into skin concern-targeted kits is a smart strategy when trying to educate consumers on the importance of routines, says the retail brand manager of SkinCeuticals.

Epigenetic cosmetics: Beauticians are ‘the main reason we built this product’, says Craith Lab CEO

29-Mar-2021 By Kacey Culliney

Belgium-based startup Craith Lab has shunned the direct-to-consumer (D2C) model for its epigenetic skin care brand, opting instead to distribute products via trained beautician and salon networks – a necessity when working with such complex formulations,...

Beauty disruptor: India’s MyGlamm to invest in NPD, data and offline after funding boost - CEO

29-Mar-2021 By Amanda Lim

The CEO of Indian beauty brand MyGlamm has laid out plans to invest in product and offline expansion as well as data science research after closing Series C funding round.

Silab to quadruple biotech production: ‘This is a capacity and innovation investment’, says exec

25-Mar-2021 By Kacey Culliney

French ingredient major Silab is ramping up its biotechnology capacity to plug rising demands for actives derived from yeast, bacteria and microalgae in skin care and hair care.

Strategic markets: Masstige skin care and sustainable beauty identified as huge opportunities for growth in China – Quadpack

25-Mar-2021 By Amanda Lim

Masstige skin care and sustainable beauty are two of the biggest opportunities for China growth, according to cosmetics packaging firm Quadpack.

‘Second nature’: UK-based, Beijing-born twins taking on major brands in China’s male beauty category

25-Mar-2021 By Amanda Lim

UK-based male beauty brand Shakeup Cosmetics sees ‘huge potential’ for the brand in China where it is going toe-to-toe with heavyweight brands like Chanel and Tom Ford.

Circular Beauty: The future of sustainable sourcing, green chemistry and eco-design

24-Mar-2021 By CosmeticsDesign-Europe Senior Reporter

The global beauty industry is working hard to make circularity a mainstream reality, reinventing and reconsidering all aspects of complex supply chains. But what does the future truly hold as industry tries to close the loop?

Family matters: Filipino baby skin care maker to expand business with products for the whole family

24-Mar-2021 By Amanda Lim

Philippine-based personal care company Read The Label, best known for its baby personal care products, is looking to expand its business by developing specialised products for all members of the family.

Keeping it simple: Capsule Pharma’s new skin care launch goes back-to-basics to target sensitive skin issues

24-Mar-2021 By Amanda Lim

Singapore-based firm Capsule Pharma has launched a new dermatological skin care brand to tackle sensitive skin issues which have risen in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

‘Expand our horizons’: India’s Juicy Chemistry targets US, European and domestic expansion following funding boost

24-Mar-2021 By Amanda Lim

India-based organic beauty brand Juicy Chemistry has its sights set on the US, Europe and domestic expansion, while at the same time exploring a raft of organic NPD opportunities after securing $6.3m in Series A funding.

More than skin deep: Porcelain takes aim at unrealistic beauty ideals with Japanese pottery inspiration

23-Mar-2021 By Amanda Lim

Singapore brand Porcelain says it wants to play its role in beating toxic beauty standards and unrealistic ideals, with a revamped skin care range inspired by traditional Japanese pottery skills.

Bottoms up: Start-up uses milk tea to help consumers overcome hurdle of adding supplements to daily routine

23-Mar-2021 By Amanda Lim

Singapore-based edible beauty start-up is banking the Asian consumer’s fondness of milk tea to help them overcome the hurdles of adopting beauty supplements into their daily repertoire.

Special Edition: CANNABIS BEAUTY – INNOVATION AND SCIENCE IN CBD AND CANNABINOIDS

Cannabis beauty: CBD is ‘an exciting area for innovation’, says expert

22-Mar-2021 By Natasha Spencer

Interest in cannabis beauty continues to rise, fuelled by a tide of interesting cannabidiol (CBD) product launches and fast-evolving science, but there remain challenges ahead for brands operating in the space, an expert says.

Marine therapy: Eczema serum developed with stem cell tech claims to repair skin damage in a week

22-Mar-2021 By Amanda Lim

An eczema serum developed by a Singapore-based start-up claims that its exclusive marine stem cell technology is able to repair the damage of eczema in as little as a week.

Innovation in Action: advances in microbiome beauty

19-Mar-2021 By Deanna Utroske

Personal care and cosmetics consumers are more intrigued and informed about the human microbiome every day. Here, Cosmetics Design takes a look at newly emerging science, brand updates, and other microbiome news worth knowing.

Face it: Australia’s Qr8 MediSkin aiming to offer telehealth and 3D imagery skin care service in SEA

18-Mar-2021 By Guan Yu Lim

Australia-based prescriptive skin care brand Qr8 MediSkin is hoping to serve South East Asian region with its ‘one-of-a-kind’ treatment plan featuring telehealth and 3D imagery diagnosis.

Eco boost: Five recent developments in sustainable beauty across APAC

17-Mar-2021 By Amanda Lim

We round up our five most-read stories relating to one of the hottest topics in beauty today, featuring innovative solutions to the sustainable beauty movement coming from Asia Pacific.

Performance-driven: Aussie skincare brand Ultraceuticals expanding across the US after enduring pandemic setbacks

17-Mar-2021 By Amanda Lim

Australian cosmeceuticals brand Ultraceuticals is moving at full speed with US expansion, with plans to expand nationwide by July, after bouncing back following a series of COVID-19 delays.

‘Ayurveda advancing’: Indian brand SoulTree poised for nation-wide retail expansion focusing on sustainability

16-Mar-2021 By Amanda Lim

Indian Ayurvedic beauty and wellness brand SoulTree is branching out to launch more physical stores in the country, following the unveiling of its inaugural flagship in Gurugram.

Stress killer: Why Asian consumers are ready to tackle anxiety-induced skin ageing – Lucas Meyer Cosmetics

16-Mar-2021 By Amanda Lim

The hectic pace of life, rapid urbanisation and a desire to solve their own problems mean Asian consumers are likely to be at the forefront of the demand for ‘anxi-ageing’ products, claims Lucas Meyer Cosmetics.

PODCAST: A global beauty view on COVID-19 – hottest acquisitions, flashy innovations and biggest challenges

15-Mar-2021 By Amanda Lim

CosmeticsDesign editors break down the beauty and personal care acquisitions, product innovations and challenges that have arisen under the pressure of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Plant power: Alcohol-free disinfectant uses lemon bush and chamomile to help kill COVID-19 virus

15-Mar-2021 By Amanda Lim

An Australian firm has developed an alcohol-free disinfectant that uses native plant extracts, which it claims can help kill the COVID-19 virus within 90 seconds without damaging even the most sensitive skin.

Special Edition: Advances in sun protection - skin science and ingredients innovation

Military precision: Danish startup launches ‘extreme condition’ sunscreen brand

12-Mar-2021 By Kacey Culliney

Danish startup Operators Skincare has developed a line of sun care products to withstand extreme conditions and highly active lifestyles experienced by military personnel and cater to needs in outdoor adventure sports.

Special Edition: Advances in sun protection - skin science and ingredients innovation

A history of sunscreen: Egyptian blends, ultraviolet filters and 'rising' research on visible light protection

12-Mar-2021 By Kacey Culliney

The sunscreen category has slowly advanced over several decades, but the last ten years of research has highlighted a true need for formulas that provide photoprotection beyond ultraviolet rays, notably visible light, according to a review.

Colgate-Palmolive on 2021 design-led innovation: ‘This is a huge change in our approach’, says tech chief

10-Mar-2021 By Kacey Culliney

Personal care giant Colgate-Palmolive is shifting away from traditional line extensions, taking a design-led innovation approach that considers user experience and trends from start-to-finish, with teams focused on opportunities in active oral care, the...

From nice-to-have to need-to-have: Experts say sustainability must be considered a ‘cost of doing business’

10-Mar-2021 By Amanda Lim

Companies need to rethink how they implement sustainability initiatives and should integrate them it into the ‘heart’ of their business models, a panel of experts at the Global Fragrance Summit organised by the International Fragrance Association (IFRA)...

Men’s beauty habits: Age a key differentiator in cosmetic use among Japanese men - survey

10-Mar-2021 By Amanda Lim

Age appears to be a key differentiator for the use of cosmetics among Japanese men, with colour products finding favour with those in their 20s or below, while eye creams are looking strong for those in their 30s, according to a new survey.

Coronavirus crackdown: Japan’s consumer chiefs warn against labelling foods and health products with false COVID-19 claims

10-Mar-2021 By Guan Yu Lim

Japan Consumer Affairs Agency (CCA) is warning general food and health food manufacturers against labelling their products as being effective in preventing or treating COVID-19, to avoid consumer misunderstanding and harming public health.

‘A new era of beauty’: Unilever to remove word ‘normal’ from beauty packaging and ads

09-Mar-2021 By Kacey Culliney

Personal care major Unilever is revamping its packaging and advertising to remove the descriptor ‘normal’ in a move aimed at fuelling inclusivity and positivity across its global portfolio to align better with consumer expectations.

A ‘milestone’ moment: Garnier now Leaping Bunny certified globally

09-Mar-2021 By Kacey Culliney

L’Oréal’s Garnier brand has received Cruelty Free International’s Leaping Bunny approval on its entire global portfolio after months of work with its vast supplier network – a move that proves exactly what is possible on a mass beauty scale, says the...

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