FEATURE ARTICLES

Since at least the nineties and arguably even before that, the trend has been towards making personal care products that are as natural as possible. The cosmetics business has gone green, both metaphorically and in the case of the labels often literally too.

Global demand for natural, organic and Ayurvedic personal care products continues to grow apace and as such, these sectors always seek alternatives to replace synthetic, petrolatum-based, toxic, or ingredients processed with petrochemicals.

Grooming products specifically designed for the male consumer – from skin care to hair care and shaving – are a booming part of the global personal care landscape. No longer limited to bar soap and deodorant, men’s grooming regimens are growing increasingly complex and becoming more personalised.

Regulation of sunscreens, their classification efficacy support still remains complex, but the work of ISO has brought most sides to the table and allowed science based collaboration, resulting in greatly improved opportunities for test method harmonisation.

Sustainability is one of the megatrends in personal care and cosmetics and it applies to cosmetic consumer products as well as to cosmetic raw materials. According to the standard definition of sustainability, cosmetic raw materials should meet today’s needs without compromising (e.g. due to the process of their production) the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Cosmetics are regulated in the European Union by Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009. The main objectives of this regulation are to create a set of rules that all cosmetics comply with and to ensure a high level of protection for human health.

US health regulator The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)1 has warned that antibacterial ingredients in soaps may pose health risks.

In July last year a major new EU Regulation came into force on the management and transparency of cosmetics product information, which has big implications for any brand marketing its products in Europe.

The Cosmetic Compliance Summit1 was held on 14-16 October 2013 at the Pestana Chelsea Bridge Hotel and Spa, London, United Kingdom.

The market segment ‘natural cosmetics’ still shows strong growth in the personal care market all over the world. Nowadays, consumers are increasingly showing high expectation for personal care products.

The 2013 SCS Formulate was held at the Coventry Ricoh Arena on the 12-13 November. It proved to be another excellent event for formulators across the UK and beyond, offering a wide variety of new ingredients and technology to benefit the next generation of personal care products.

Colour cosmetic formulators continue to seek new, novel ingredients that can allow brands to create differentiated products that meet the requirements of the latest trends in the marketplace.

Making Cosmetics will once again open its doors to the cosmetics and personal care products industry from 25-26 March 2014 at the Ricoh Arena near Coventry, UK.

Waxes are a class of chemical compounds that are formable around room temperature. Typically, they are harder, less greasy and more brittle than fats, and show extreme resistance to moisture, oxidation and microbial degradation.

Skin barrier function, principally the stratum corneum, is the primary line of defence against extrinsic stress such as UV-induced photo-damage, insults from microbial infections and physical deterioration resulting from ageing and environmental exposure.

Known for its scientific and technical excellence and home to cosmetic giants such as Beiersdorf, as well as many other beauty brands and suppliers, Hamburg is the perfect setting for the next edition of in-cosmetics which returns to Germany on 1-3 April 2014.

The history of skin whitening goes back a long way in Asia. It has been deeply ingrained in cultures that fairer skin denotes affluence and an elevated social status, while darker skins denote menial work.

The global market for skin whitening products (also called brighteners, according to the geographical areas) amounts to US$ 13 billion and is a rapidly growing segment in the personal care industry.

The 2013 in-cosmetics Asia show closed on 31 October with a palpable sense of success for exhibitors and attendees alike. The aisles seemed constantly busy with visitors eager to discover more about the latest ingredients and technology, while the educational programme also appeared to hit just the right note with formulators.

The new Product Trail concept featuring at in-cosmetics Asia 2013 gave visitors the ability to match ingredients to major trends and take them straight to the right stand.