Top 5 most-read stories September 2022: L’Oréal on live bacteria, skin glow, beauty tech future and the metaverse

A round-up of CosmeticsDesign-Europe’s most-read news from September 2022 shows interest in L’Oréal’s thinking on the potential for live bacteria when targeting the skin microbiome, consumer perceptions around skin glow, big brands brainstorming the future of beauty tech, and insights on the metaverse.

Skin, skin, skin…​

L’Oréal’s principal scientist and head of its microbiome laboratory Dr Magali Moreau shared the company’s vision on the potential for live bacteria in the future of new product developments. Moreau told attendees at the IFSCC Congress 2022 in London, UK, that incorporating beneficial live bacteria into formulations was the dream, but it came with plenty of challenges around maintaining stability and being able to assess the affect on the resident microbe.

During the same Congress, principal scientist at Swedish cosmetics firm Oriflame Cyril Messaraa also shared thoughts on the skin – detailing findings from consumer research the company had conducted around skin glow. Interestingly, Messaraa said consumers had wide and varied perceptions around skin glow, that also differed according to country, which opened promise for the beauty industry to more carefully consider product positioning and claims.

Tech, tech, tech…​

News of CosmeticsDesign’s Beauty 4.0 – Tech, Tools and Future Trends webinar also garnered plenty of interest, pooling executives from Sephora, Shiseido and Orveon together to brainstorm the future of beauty technology. The webinar addressed opportunities for growth and innovation in the space but also addressed complex challenges facing industry and ideas on how collaboration could help overcome some of these. The webinar is still available to watch on-demand for free HERE​.

During British Beauty Week, Meta executives told attendees at a digital event that 2022 marked the start of things to come for the metaverse. Ian Edwards, global connection planning director at Meta, said the company believed this year marked “the start of the beginning”.​

“…2022 is the beginning of the change, not then change itself, and that is really, really important context,” ​Edwards said.

But virtual platforms weren’t the only space for beauty tech, according to Mintel, with in-store opportunities crucial too. Samantha Dover, category director for beauty and personal care at Mintel, said consumers were looking for technology in-store as well to improve overall shopping experiences, which provided significant opportunity for brands and retailers.

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