Breaking News on Cosmetics Formulation & Packaging - Europe US edition

Make-up ingredient highlights from in-cosmetics

Suppliers of color cosmetic ingredients presented some of their latest product launches and innovations at in-cosmetics last week.

Polaris extends its range of organic vegetable oils

Polaris has extended its range of vegetable and plant oils and secured organic certification as part of aims to increase its footprint in the natural cosmetic ingredients segment.

L'Oreal pledges to cut emissions in half by 2015

L’Oreal has announced a series of green goals including the halving of greenhouse gas emissions by 2015.

Laboratoires Serobiologiques targets well-being cosmetics

Laboratoires Serobiologiques targets well-being cosmetics with its new dopamine-stimulating ingredient.

News in brief

Biotherm hooks up with Alcan on new packaging

France-based beauty company Biotherm has worked with Alcan to develop the new packaging for its Biophur skin care range.

Top three stories this month

Boots anti-ageing product gets support from long term studies

Long term use of the Boots No7 anti-aging serum has a noticeable effect on facial wrinkles, according to scientists at Manchester University.

Video highlights from the fun side of in-cosmetics

Walking, not quite talking bottles and a pigment stop were just a few of the oddities to be found at this year’s in-cosmetics show in Munich. The CosmeticsDesign.com team walked the floor among the new ingredients and product releases to put together this collection of highlights.

Delfin launches skin testing equipment for colour cosmetics

Delfin Technologies claims to be the first to market portable skin testing technology aimed at measuring the gloss or shine of skin.

Future-Touch predicts men's make-up revolution

Recent sales of male grooming products may be disappointing but cosmetic trend forecasters Future-Touch predict more adventurous buying decisions.

Dow reveals bearing of Rohm and Haas acquisition on personal care

Dow’s acquisition of Rohm and Haas has been a financial drama involving legal bickering and funding uncertainty. Now that the deal is done, CosmeticsDesign.com spoke to the head of personal care at Dow to find out how the acquisition will affect the company's cosmetics business.

Claims about ethical sourcing should be backed up by third parties, says IUCN official

Industry and NGOs addressed ethical ingredients sourcing at the Sourcing with Respect conference held in Munich on April 24. At the event, organised by the Union for Ethical BioTrade, Katie Bird spoke to Juan Marco Alvarez from the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) about the need of the private sector to back up their claims by third parties.

Third party verification strengthens companies’ ethical claims says study

Third party verification is needed to back up claims of ethically sourced ingredients, agreed industry and NGOs at a sourcing conference in Munich.

Colipa announces programme for Scientific Forum

The Colipa general assembly scientific forum will include a spectrum of presentations, from the latest on safety assessments through to nanostructures.

LVMH perfume and cosmetics sales take a dive

LVMH group reported flat reported sales for its first quarter, despite the performance of its perfumes and fragrance division taking a considerable hit.

Texturising agent allows for addition of water to anhydrous formulations

A texturising agent of plant origin allows formulators to mix water-based ingredients into products that would normally not support water, claims Gattefossé.

News in brief

Sabinsa signs distribution agreement in Germany

The European arm of India-headquartered company Sabinsa has signed a distribution agreement with German company Kraemer & Martin.

In-cosmetics panel gets under the skin of the recession

A panel of beauty experts gathered at in-cosmetics in Munich last week to examine the latest data on the cosmetics industry and diagnose its financial health.

Animal testing agreement signed to speed up adoption of alternative methods

International agencies from the US, Canada, Japan and the EU have signed a co-operation agreement to speed up the process for adopting alternative testing methods.

News in brief

Scientists question benefits of açai berry in cosmetics

Scientists have questioned the benefits of açai berries when used in beauty products in a recently published article in the Wall Street Journal.

Forget lipstick, depressed consumers embrace the ‘foundation effect’

New market research suggests that depressed consumers are shying away from a lipstick treat, opting instead for shampoo, skincare products or foundation.

Cognis focuses on green solutions with new launches

Cognis Care Chemicals has launched a series of green-inspired ingredients at this week's in-cosmetics show, including emulsifiers and surfactants.

Maesa appoints new European creative director

Contract manufacturer Maesa has appointed Paul Houlsby as creative director for its European operations as part of aims to develop market-leading private label brands.

Rhodia launches two hair care ingredients at in-cosmetics

French chemical group Rhodia launched two ingredients for shampoos and conditioners at in-cosmetics in Munich this week.

News in brief

Symrise appoints new member of supervisory board

Dr Thomas Rabe is follows in the footsteps of Klaus Kühn, CFO at Bayer, who stepped down the board at the end of last year....

Gattefossé launches mineral extract at in-cosmetics

Gattefossé uses in-cosmetics in Munich as a platform to launch Oli’vîne, a precious stone extract to join its mineral matters range.

Freeman Technology upgrades powder testing technology

UK-based Freeman Technology has launched two new accessories for its FT4 Powder Rheometer, providing automatic testing of powder compacts.

Consumers rank glass as most eco packaging material, says FEVE

Half of those surveyed in a European wide study said that glass has a more positive impact on the environment than other packaging materials such as plastics, metal cans and cartons, according to the European Container Glass Federation (FEVE).

Mintel research claims lipstick effect is a fiction

Mintel has dismissed the lipstick effect in a new report that looks into the buying habits of beauty consumers in the recession.

UV filters could disrupt hormone systems in aquatic life

UV filters used in sunscreeens and other personal care products may have hormonal effects in aquatic systems, according to Swiss scientists.

Australian authorities take action over organic mislabelling

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has taken action against cosmetics maker Natural Products of Australia over its natural and organic claims.

News in brief

Clariant launches natural-based emulsifier at in-cosmetics

Ingredeints provider Clariant has launched a new emulsifier, Hostacerin SFO, which is based on sunflower-oil and boast eco-friendly credentials.

Bayer extends facilities and begins production of Baycusan

Bayer Material Science has extended its facilities in Dormagen, Germany, to bring the Baycusan range of waterborne polyurethane dispersions (PUD) to market.

DSM showcases 24 hours of its ingredients at in-cosmetics

For the first time since purchasing Pentapharm in 2007, DSM is showcasing the full portfolio of skin care ingredients from its own reserves and those from the Swiss skin care specialist.

Deodorants tailored to disguise either male or female underarm odor released

Gender specific fragrances and deodorants that take into account the characteristic underarm odors of males and females are now hitting the market.

GSK pays €2.78bn for skincare maker Stiefel

GlaxoSmithKline has paid $3.6bn (€2.78bn) for US-based dermatology specialist Stiefel, the largest independent company of its kind.

Bio lemon extract can help formulators go organic, says Gattefossé

Water extracted from organic lemons can help formulators increase the organic percentage of their products, according to French ingredients supplier Gattefossé.

News in brief

In-cosmetics opens its doors in Munich, Germany

The in-cosmetics show has opened its doors to the industry in Munich and the CosmeticsDesign-Europe team will be pacing the aisles to bring you all the highlights.

Older generations focus on eco packaging, study finds

A consumer’s age profile can influence whether they base their purchasing decisions on the eco-friendliness of packaging, according to a new survey.

Revlon mulls investor buy-out proposal

Revlon’s board of directors is mulling a proposal by investment group MacAndrews & Forbes Holdings to buy-out shares it does not already own in the business.

Cost cutting sees P&G upgraded by analyst

Procter & Gamble looks well placed to ride the economic storm as a leading financial analyst upgrades the company’s rating on the back of cost cutting measures.

Weekly comment

Why no one is fooled by greenwashing

Trickery and lies are not uncommon in marketing but when selling sustainability bending and twisting the truth has become standard practice.

ISP to unveil new direction for its business at in-cosmetics

Personal care ingredient specialist ISP says it will be lifting the lid on a new direction for the company that focuses on a revitalized research and development programme.

Alcan develops new printing technology for cosmetic tubes

Alcan Packaging Beauty has developed a new printing technology to allow brands to decorate tubes with striking, photo quality designs.

Evonik launches thickening agent at in-cosmetics

Ecocert-certified thickening agent can help moisturise and improve skin feel, says manufacturer Evonik.

News in brief

Rexam appoints new cosmetic packaging development director

Rexam has announced that Gerald Martines has made the move from rival RPC to join its team as director of new product development and innovation for cosmetic packaging.

Cosmetics awash with greenwashing, says report

All too often cosmetics firms are guilty of committing one or more of the seven sins of greenwashing, according to environmental marketing firm TerraChoice.

Beauty sales up in UK but hard times likely to continue

This month’s cosmetic sales in the UK may be up on last year’s figures for the first time since last June, but for the British Retail Consortium (BRC) the worst is not over yet.

BASF closes Ciba deal and starts integration process

BASF has completed the acquisition of Ciba after receiving conditional approval from both the European and US competition authorities.

News in brief

Clinical study suggests IBR-Snowflake slows down skin ageing

Israel-based IBR says recently carried out clinical trials on its IBR-Snowflake ingredient suggest it smoothes skin, reduces wrinkles and slows down skin ageing.

Disagreements in international biodiversity negotiations revealed

Progress has been made towards an international agreement on access the world’s biodiversity, but much remains uncertain.

Aptar sales drop due to low demand in fragrance and cosmetics

A drop in demand from fragrance and cosmetics companies has led to falls in first quarter sales and income for Aptar Group.

Cosmetics Valley focuses on international markets at in-cosmetics

French industry support body Cosmetics Valley says it will be promoting twelve French companies under its umbrella at the forthcoming in-cosmetics show in Munich.

News in brief

Gucci eyes colour cosmetics launch

Italian fashion house Gucci says it considering a launch into the world of cosmetics with a newly created high-end make-up range.

BASF’s cosmetic actives promise to ‘Photoshop’ the face

The cosmetics arm of the Germany-based chemicals giant has launched two ingredients designed to tighten pores, reduce oiliness and increase skin radiance.

Ekato develops hot/cold mixer for cosmetics production

German company Ekato has developed a new cosmetics mixer for oil and water based ingredients that promises to save both energy and time.

Eckart launch new colour pigments at in-cosmetics

Eckart Effect Pigments hopes to provide luxury, glamour and sparkle with a number of new pigments that will be launched at in-cosmetics next week.

J&J sales fall but forecast remains unchanged

Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has announced a sharp fall in first quarter sales for both its consumer and pharmaceutical businesses.

Rahn launches UV protection ingredient at in-cosmetics

Topical ingredient Celligent both prevents UV damage and helps DNA repair, claims ingredients supplier Rahn.

PZ Cussons enters bidding for Sara Lee

PZ Cussons is reportedly among the bidders battling it out to buy the household and body care business at Sara Lee.

Momentive launches silicone products for cosmetics

Momentive Performance Materials is presenting four new ingredients for the personal care market at In-Cosmetics next week.

Weekly comment

Personal care pollution should be on your radar

Personal care pollution should be on your radar A rash of highly publicised scientific studies has served to underline growing awareness of pollution from personal care products. Justified or not, it will become an increasingly important issue for the industry.

Keller Rohrback investigates baby personal care formulation

Keller Rohrback has become the second law firm in the US to become involved in the controversy surrounding potentially dangerous baby personal care formulations.

Global Palm oil prices soar as stocks fall

Oilseed analysts are predicting a squeeze on supply of Malaysian palm oil for months to come, as prices are pushed up by farmers’ inability to invest in inputs and poor extraction rates – while demand for fried and oily food is not abating.

Color cosmetics expected to make up for overall beauty weakness

Mintel has released new market forecasts suggesting that some sectors of the cosmetics industry could benefit from the recession.

Silab sets up ethical sourcing partnership in French Guiana

Ingredients provider Silab has set up a sustainable partnership with the local government in French Guiana in the hope of sourcing ingredients from the region.

Nestle and Bettencourt announce continuation of L'Oreal relationship

Nestle and the Bettencourt family have announced that Nestle will maintain its stake in L’Oreal after 29 April.

Beraca launches new range of active ingredients

Brazilian natural ingredients specialist Beraca is launching a new range of active ingredients, which includes a biofunctional Buriti tree extract.

Colipa gears up for 2009 general assembly in Slovenia

European industry association Colipa has announced the programme for its 2009 general assembly, to be held in Bled, Slovenia, 27 – 29 May.

News in brief

Cosmetic Valley extends its reach further

French industry association and representative body Cosmetic Valley says it has further extended its geographic reach and membership.

Henkel 'not satisfied' with start of 2009

A respectable performance from Henkel’s cosmetics and laundry sectors could not make up for struggles in the company’s adhesives business.

DSM presents new 24 hour skin care line up

DSM Nutritional Products will unveil its new 24 hour skin care protection range at the forthcoming in-cosmetics show, in Munich, Germany.

Alcan Packaging CEO steps down

Ilene Gordon has stepped down as head of Alcan Packaging to take up the reigns at Corn Products International.

Consumers want to know more about natural ingredients sourcing says study

Over two thirds of consumers would like to know more about how companies in the cosmetics sector source their natural ingredients, says a recent survey.

News in brief

Fenchem launches organic aloe vera extract

China-based ingredient provider Fenchem is launching an organic aloe vera extract that combines a variety of active components aimed at natural skin care formulations.

Cosmetics industry left behind by international negotiations on biodiversity

Negotiations on the trade in biodiversity-based products that will impact how cosmetic companies source their natural ingredients were continued earlier this week in Paris.

Economic distress in chemicals spells acquisition opportunity

Hidden gems lurk under the surface of chemicals for those prepared to ferret them out, according to Kline & Company.

NUK baby powder under question in China

Baby care powder manufactured under the German brand NUK has been removed from shelves in China under suspicion it contains asbestos.

Maesa Group launches private label range for French supermarket

Contract manufacturer Maesa Group is launching a private label bodycare range for French supermarket chain Auchan.

Safic-Alcan UK launches an oil thickening agent

Safic-Alcan UK has launched an oil thickening agent on the back of the success of its water based thickener.

Rising cost of non-organic crops bodes well for organic ingredient providers

The rising cost of chemical fertilizers is likely to give organic ingredients providers pricing advantages, the UK Soil Association says.

Parlux signs unusual licensing deal with Jay-Z, Rihanna and Kanye West

Parlux Fragrances has signed an unprecedented licensing deal that will see the earnings of stars Rihanna and Kanye West tied to the company share price.

Organic beauty sales buck downward UK retail trend

Organic beauty sales rose 63 per cent in the UK during 2008, defying the economic crisis that crippled many retailers during the latter half of the year.

Cosmetic Lab Gercal secures investment for expansion

Niche naturals player Cosmetic Lab Gercal says it wants to build on a steep increase in sales during 2008 with the help of outside investment.

Allergic reactions to fragrances are falling, says professor

Allergic reactions to fragrances and perfumes have been steadily decreasing over the past decade, according to evidence presented at an IFRA seminar last week.

Weekly comment

New genetic tests for active ingredients should not replace trials in real people

The sequencing of the human genome has provided powerful new tools to investigate the effect of active ingredients on the body; but, there are limitations and these tools cannot replace tests in real people.

News in brief

SGD Group calls in the bankers to renegotiate debt

Creditors of SDG Group, French glassmakers for the beauty and pharmaceutical industries, are in talks to hire debt advisors in order to renegotiate terms for the loans taken out to buy the company two years ago.

Baby and toddler personal care market looks robust says analyst

The baby and toddler personal care market may withstand economic pressures better than other sectors as parents are unwilling to compromise on quality for their children.

ECJ rules on marketing and medicinal claims

Those writing about products on the frontier with pharmaceuticals risk having their articles interpreted as illegal marketing materials, according to a European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling yesterday.

Fragrance sales down for Givaudan in first quarter

Fragrance sales for Switzerland-based Givaudan struggled in the first quarter and the sector is not expected to recover before the end of 2009.

Bioderma withdraws anti-stretchmark cream on allergy fears

French premium cosmetics player Laboratoire Bioderma has withdrawn its ABC Maman Vergetures cream from stores in France after reports that it led to allergies.

MWV launches new airless dispensers at Cosmoprof

MeadWestvaco (MWV) launched three new airless dispensing systems at Cosmoprof, Bologna, along with showcasing new design possibilities for its fragrance bottles.

Cremer Care develops vegetable alternative to petroleum jelly

Cremer Care has developed a vegetable alternative to petroleum jelly for natural cosmetics manufacturers.

News in brief

Beiersdorf opens third ‘Nivea Haus’, in Berlin

Beiersdorf has opened its third Nivea Haus retail outlet in Berlin, Germany, as part of moves to turn Nivea into a global super brand.

Probiotic ingredient could reduce oral cavities, says BASF

BASF and OrganoBalance have developed a probiotic ingredient for oral care products that they claim helps fight against dental caries.

Dry shave cream combines anti-ageing and naturals

UK personal care provider Ulltra has launched a three-in-one dry shave cream that combines naturally derived ingredients alongside anti-ageing properties.

Rovi Cosmetics launches active ingredients line

Rovi Cosmetics is branching out into active ingredients with the creation of a new range Cellular Actives.

Sales remain steady at Gerresheimer

Gerresheimer has held its sales steady in the first quarter but suffered a drop in operating profit due to capacity adjustments and the poor performance of the Technical Plastics segment.

Shiseido develops skin moisturizing and protection ingredient

Shiseido says research into the skin barrier function has led to the development of a new ingredient to tackle dryness and UV absorption.

Symposium for cosmetic chemists to be held in UK in May

Cosmetic chemists prepare to investigate the new generation of anti-ageing products and the potential of natural ingredients at the upcoming UK SCS annual symposium.

Trade body fights back against criticisms of new EU rules

CTPA has fought back against criticisms made by the BEUC of the new EU rules on nanomaterials in cosmetics.

Lipotec launches ingredient to fight against extreme dryness

Lipotec’s new moisturising ingredient Xpertmoist promises to restore skin health even in cases of extreme dryness.

Growing body of research points to personal care pollution hazards

A series of recent studies conducted both in the US and Europe points to a growing awareness of the potential hazards from compound traces found in cosmetics.

3D nanotoxicity tests more accurate than 2D, says study

Using 3D tissue models may be more accurate than 2D when testing the toxicity of nanoparticles, say scientists in the US.

News in brief

Indian personal care maker hunts for major acquisition opportunities

Godrej Consumer Products is on the acquisition hunt with a war chest of up to $1bn to invest with.

Scientists claim fragrance and hair care ingredients cause eczema

A study conducted by the University of Gothenburg suggests that a significant number of individuals have allergic skin reactions to the fragrance ingredient linalool.