Breaking News on Cosmetics Formulation & Packaging - Europe US edition

Aesthetics before hygiene suggests British oral care report

A white smile is more of a priority for Britons than cavities or receding gums, which means the quest for a whitening products remains the driving force in the oral care market.

P&G in dispute with Reckitt Benckiser over epilator ad

Procter and Gamble (P&G) and Reckitt Benckiser have fallen out over a television advert for an epilator claiming the hair remover plucked out seven times more hair than waxing.

Wider gene range could improve in-vitro skin irritation tests

Investigating the expressions of genes related to inflammation may help the in vitro identification of skin irritants, according to Japanese researchers.

Companies must look out for green packaging traps

Manufacturers must be wary of the environmental credentials of green packaging materials and avoid using them just for their marketing benefits, says one research group.

Alcan innovation director evaluates green packaging pathways

Nicholas Thorne discusses the different methods that Alcan Packaging Beauty is exploring to combine sustainability and luxury.

Fenchem focuses on botanical actives

Tapping into the ever-growing global market for both natural and effective ingredients, the China-based ingredients provider is launching a range of botanical actives for personal care.

BASF’s outlook for 2009 is weak after a difficult fourth quarter

BASF expects a drop in sales and an even greater drop in operating income in the coming year.

Businesses should go ethical despite downturn, says guide

The global recession is the right time to be investing in making companies greener and more ethical, according to a guide released this week for small businesses.

Alcan innovation director discusses marrying luxury and sustainability

Luxury and sustainability may appear irreconcilable but beauty packaging firms are working on ways to combine the two concepts.

Cognis showcases latest innovations for Asian formulators

Cognis and its active ingredients partner Laboratoires Serobiologiques chose this week’s PCHi show in Guangzhou China to demonstrate its latest ingredients and green credentials.

Unnecessarily high preservative levels may cause contact allergies

Some cosmetics products may be over-preserved, which could lead to an increase in contact allergies, according to researchers in Denmark.

ColorMatrix targets cosmetics with colour matching system

ColorMatrix Group is adding features to its new colour match and delivery system targeting the fast-moving plastic beauty packaging market.

National Starch acquisition boosts Henkel's results

Henkel’s acquisition of National Starch in April helped perk up the company’s fourth quarter results.

French company launches home laser epilation system

E-One is claimed to be the first ever laser-based home epilation system to be launched in the fast-growing market for hair removal systems.

Beauty from within is going mainstream, says Euromonitor

Danone may have pulled the beauty yogurt Essensis from French shelves but a Euromonitor analyst insists that the ‘beauty from within’ trend is still heading mainstream.

Fenchem strengthens its position in personal care

China-based ingredients supplier Fenchem says it has launched a new skin whitening technology to tap into the growing global market for this type of product.

French government targets sales of counterfeits on the internet

The French government has launched an initiative to help fight the sale of counterfeit goods over the internet.

Natrue and QAI work towards cross-border recognition of organic standards

Natrue is working on a mutual recognition agreement with Quality Assurance International (QAI) that the certifier hails as a step towards international harmonisation.

Continued growth in China will lead to bigger PCHi show in 2010

Reed Singapharm Exhibitions says continued economic growth in China will lead to a bigger Personal Care and Homcare Ingredients China (PCHi) event next year.

Risdon has no intention of filing for bankruptcy, says director

Risdon International has cut production but denies that it is considering bankruptcy and insists that the cosmetics packaging company is on route to financial recovery.

Weekly comment

Peanut scandal sends a safety warning to cosmetics firms

The scandalous outbreak of salmonella in peanuts flashes up a warning signal about attitudes to risk and safety that cosmetic manufacturers ignore at their peril.

EU readies for total ban of skin irritation testing on animals

The European Commission has drafted a proposed adaptation of the EU’s Test Methods Regulation, which will ensure skin irritancy tests on animals become a thing of the past.

Univar strengthens French site and targets Slovakia

Chemicals distribution company Univar is strengthening its European presence with expansion plans in France and a new branch in Slovakia.

Seminar for modern fragrance formulation and marketing

IFRA is holding a conference in Brussels, Belgium that will take an in-depth look at current formulation approaches and how to market fragrances.

Rexam's sales growth in personal care slows

Rexam says reduced consumer demand in the last two months of the year hit personal care and closures harder than healthcare.

News in brief

Alliance Boots appoints chief executive of its health and beauty division

Alliance Boots has promoted the managing director of Boots UK to chief executive of the health and beauty division making him a member of the board of directors.

The senses take centre stage at innovation and marketing congress

Using the latest research in sensory perception to help cosmetics innovation and marketing is the topic of a congress this summer organised by Cosmetics Valley.

Silab presents skin repair from carob seeds

Silab will be presenting its new skin ingredient Glyco-Repair at the upcoming PCHI show in Guangzhou later this month.

Ageing and vanity lift Croda to high sales growth

Supported by a “vibrant” personal care market, Croda has reported high sales growth in the latest quarter, bucking the downward trend among chemical groups.

French company launches odourless depilatory cream

The main drawback of depilatory creams has always been the pungent odour. But French company Laurence Dumont believes it has come up with an odour-free hair removal cream.

News in brief

J&J has permission from EU to acquire feminine care brands

The EU Commission has given the go ahead for Johnson and Johnson (J&J) to purchase two French feminine hygiene companies.

Anti-aging tipped to survive the recession unscathed

Mintel expects anti-aging creams to remain unblemished by the recession following years of market leading growth.

Givaudan struggles but says it will outperform competition

Givaudan’s 2008 results suffered from adverse currency effects, high raw material prices and weakening demand throughout the supply chain.

L'Oreal turns to cheaper products to spur future growth

L’Oreal plans to release lower price products in an attempt to stop consumers swapping to cheaper brands.

Budelpack Holding calls in adminstrators to save leading contract manufacturer from collapse

Budelpack Holding has called in the administrators putting the future of one of Europe’s largest contract manufacturers of cosmetics in doubt.

Risdon International considers bankruptcy

Risdon International is considering bankruptcy and has temporarily shut down cosmetic packaging operations in the US.

DuPont says overmoulding innovation opens up new possibilities

DuPont claims that its new Surlyn overmoulding technology has wider cosmetic applications than previously imagined.

L'Oreal reports drop in sales as results miss target

L’Oreal has reported a fall in sales in the last quarter of 2008 bringing years of high growth rates to an abrupt end.

Weekly comment

The Body Shop’s woes cannot be blamed on the economic crisis alone

The Body Shop needs a health check, judging by L’Oreal’s 2008 financial results. The brand reported a sales drop of 2.3 percent, not accounting for new stores opened during the year.

Botanical actives are leading the ingredients market, says report

Improved performance and consumers' love of all things natural is pushing the trend for plant-based active ingredients, according to a recent Kline report.

New discoveries could improve shampoos for colored hair, says P&G

The presence of liquid crystal structures in shampoos can help polymers protect bleached hair during and between washes, according to new research from Procter and Gamble.

Industry won't stray from sustainability despite recession, say beauty packaging leaders

Sustainability can be expensive but leaders in the beauty packaging industry claim they cannot afford not to go green.

Canada expected to demand data from suppliers of nanomaterials

Canada is poised to become the first country to demand that companies report their use of engineered nanomaterials.

Cosmetics Compact: Essential oils can transform into allergens

Cosmetics Compact brings you highlights of the sites' top science. This week, essential oils are in the spotlight as a Swedish researcher suggests they can become allergenic compounds on contact with air or skin enzymes.

Middle East witnesses a series of shampoo-related scares

Saudi and Dubai health authorities have issued warnings after separate incidences of toxicity in a range of shampoos on sale to the public.

Financial dispute breaks out between Henkel and Budelpack

Budelpack is locked in a financial dispute with Henkel that puts the future of another of its cosmetic factories in doubt.

Nanotech dream will turn to ashes without regulation, says MEP

Nanotechnology’s promise will ‘crumble to ashes’ if regulation doesn’t ensure products are safe before reaching the market, according to a Swedish MEP.

Assets from failed cosmetics plant put up for sale

The assets from the failed contract manufacturer Budelpack Cosi have been put up for sale in an online auction.

Consumer goods sector to up graduate recruitment in 2009

Consumer goods, including cosmetics, may be one of the few sectors in the UK recruiting more graduates this year when vacancies in general are predicted to fall for the first time since 2003.

Oriflame sales rise but profits hit by higher costs

Direct sales player Oriflame has announced a healthy increase in its quarterly and full year sales, but the results indicate that profit is tailing off against rising costs.

Recommendations on European trade mark case are "bad news" for L'Oreal

L’Oreal has suffered another setback in its long-running legal battle against Bellure, the Belgium perfume makers which sold discount scents on their similarity to big brands.

Strong dollar and weaker sales hit profits at Revlon

Revlon said that a strong dollar had a significant negative impact on its international sales, while poor sales of key brands hit results further.

Shiny hair courtesy of the sea beet, says supplier

BiotechMarine’s new ingredient promises to improve hair volume and shine by targeting both the hair shaft and the scalp.

Reckitt Benckiser bucks trend with strong fourth quarter

Amongst the economic doom and gloom Anglo-Dutch personal and household care provider Reckitt Benckiser has posted strong sales growth backed up by impressive profits.

Unilever and L'Oreal battle with retailers as crisis bites

Relations between retailers and suppliers are growing increasingly tense as the financial crisis takes its toll on both parties.

PCD Congress exposes green contradictions

Sustainability was so high on the agenda at the PCD Congress in Paris last week that even the carpets and stands were green.

Organic fine fragrances not sophisticated enough, says expert

Consumers will have to change their expectations before the market for organic fine fragrances can take off, says industry insider.

Bathroom energy drain sparks new product ideas

Above the buzz of conversation at the busy PCD Congress in Paris, CosmeticsDesign.com spoke to Eric Scheid from Henkel to find out how studying the life-cycle of cosmetics can spark green product ideas into life. A shower gel starts life on the factory floor and travels miles to reach consumers but it is in the bathroom where the product does most damage to the environment. Scheid quantifies this damage and explains how waterless soap and new packaging designs can reduce the energy soaked up in the morning wash.

Naturals may save the day for European personal care players

Riding a wave of extraordinary market growth, the naturals personal care category could be one of the few areas where growth will continue amidst the economic gloom.

Chinese dental market tipped to continue great leap forward

Rising income levels and government awareness campaigns are poised to feed continued high sales growth for dental products in China, according to Freedonia Group.

Europe outlaws two chemicals from cosmetics in Directive amendment

A recent amendment to the European Cosmetics Directive has outlawed two ingredients from cosmetics and restricted the use of three others.

Are cosmetics labeling violations in Canada rife or rare?

CanWest News Service recently ran an investigative story into widespread cosmetics labeling violations in Canada but the authorities insist that the vast majority of products comply with all legal requirements.

Weekly comment

Failure of Danone beauty yogurt is a learning opportunity

Danone pulled beauty yogurt Essensis from French shelves last week and left behind a lesson in how not to market edible cosmetics.

GSK aims to increase its global oral care sales

UK-based pharmaceutical and health care player GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has announced strong oral care results and says it will target further growth with a raft of new product launches.

News in brief

Cosmetics should be banned, says Baroness

In an interview with the BBC, prominent Muslim feminist Baroness Haleh Afshar has suggested abolishing cosmetics because they perpetuate a myth of eternal youth.

Sephora and fragrances help drive LVMH performance

A combination of good product diversity, further boosted by strong personal care sales helped give LVMH a solid performance during the fourth quarter and 2008.

BASF readies itself for Ciba integration

BASF will be reorganising its business segments this spring to prepare for the integration of Ciba into the company.

Marketing of green packaging should be avoided, says professor

Green marketing of sustainable packaging materials can be a boomerang that comes back to hit brands in the face, says professor.

Unilever profits boosted by sale of operations and higher turnover

The Anglo-Dutch consumer goods maker has announced strong results on the back of the sale of food operations and increased selling prices during its fourth quarter.

Essential oils can become allergens on contact with air and skin, says researcher

Essential oils may become allergenic on contact with oxygen in the air and certain skin enzymes, according to recent research.

Charles Worthington launches new range of BAFTA styling products

British hair care brand Charles Worthington will be launching the VIP Results styling range as part of its partnership with the British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA).

PCD Awards picks out the bold and the brave from 2008

Classical designs sat alongside bold innovations in the winner’s circle at the Perfumes, Cosmetics and Design (PCD) Awards held in Paris yesterday.

Canadian government bans two chemicals from cosmetics

Health concerns have prompted Canadian authorities to ban two chemicals from cosmetics as part of a major review of potentially dangerous substances.

Dermatological specialist Sinclair Pharma completes Nova acquisition

Dermatological and oral care specialist Sinclair Pharma has expanded its European footprint by acquiring the remainder of Spanish company Laboratorios Nova Pharma.

Fenchem research shows low molecular weight HA is more effective

China-based ingredients provider Fenchem says the anti-aging ingredient hyaluronic acid (HA) is more effective at low molecular weight (LMW).

Internet marketing has big potential for small companies

Internet marketing provides opportunities for smaller companies when print and TV advertising is out of budget, according to industry insider.

Tupperware sales suffer from strong dollar

Tupperware’s beauty business suffered significant losses over the quarter prompting a change of leadership in an attempt to ‘reinvigorate’ the segment.

ENSO targets green packaging trend

In line with the trend for natural ingredients, consumers are also demanding green packaging, something that ENSO Bottles it tapping into.

Dr Scheller to sell production facility to Weckerle

Germany-based personal care provider Dr. Scheller says it is in advanced negotiations to sell its Eislingen production facility to contract manufacturer Weckerle Cosmetics.

Chinese medicine inspires Mibelle’s sensitive skin ingredient

Switzerland-based ingredients supplier Mibelle has looked to the East for its new ingredient for sensitive skin.

Middle East market touted as safe haven during slump

The forthcoming Beautyworld Middle East event is set to capitalise on the fact that the market in the region is continuing to grow, its organiser claims.

Beauty yoghurt turns ugly for Danone

After little more than two years, Danone has pulled its beauty-from-the-inside spoonable yoghurt, Essensis, from French retail shelves, despite a re-launch in 2008.

Restructuring saves the day for Avon

Although sales slipped 9 percent in its fourth quarter aggressive restructuring has helped to boost profits by 80 percent.

Industry voice needed in benefit sharing negotiations

Industry can still make its mark on negotiations that will clarify a company’s responsibilities to indigenous communities when sourcing biodiversity-based products.

P&G shows early scars from economic blows

Founded in a period of economic upheaval in 1837, Procter & Gamble has thrived in good and bad times but in the latest quarter the company has struggled to avoid the fallout from the spreading recession.

Economic hardship means margin pressures will hit cosmetic players

Continued pressure on margins is likely to be one of the biggest challenges faced by the personal industry as a direct result of the worsening global economy.

Weekly comment

The definition of a cosmetic may need some treatment

The approval of an eyelash enhancing prescription drug from Allergan suggests the time has come to clarify the difference between a cosmetic and a drug.