June brought bold moves and fresh insight across the global cosmetics and personal care industry. From major acquisitions to microbiome research and regulatory momentum in the U.S., here are the top headlines from CosmeticsDesign’s APAC, EMEA, and Americas editions.
CosmeticsDesign APAC
Kao moves to raise KATE’s global presence and sales revenue
The Japanese beauty major has identified KATE as a strategic growth driver within its cosmetics portfolio, and is making “significant investments” to strengthen the brand’s market presence.
According to Iwata Arihiro, brand manager of KATE, the aim is to achieve 1.6 times the total annual global sales revenue — compared to 2023 — by 2030 while doubling the share of overseas revenue.
Since its launch in 1997, the brand has championed the slogan “No More Rules” to empower individuals to express their personality and confidence through makeup, unbound by trends or conventions.
Accessible alternatives: K-beauty majors debut brands, partner budget retailer to capture demand
While the beauty retail market in the country used to be dominated by Olive Young, there has been an emergence of brands launched by cosmetics giants and sold via channels such as Daiso and convenience stores.
In September last year, derma cosmetic brand CNP Laboratory, owned by LG Household & Health Care (LG H&H), introduced a sub-brand called bye od-td and rolled out six products in Daiso.
‘Swift and seamless’: mise en scène brings best-selling DIY foam hair dye product to Singapore
The South Korean hair care brand first expanded to Taiwan through its flagship product, Hello Bubble, in 2018, before entering Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand in 2020.
Since its launch in Singapore, mise en scène has been expanding its range in the market, with the latest being Easy Speedy Foam Colour.
According to the brand, the product is a top-selling foam hair dye for grey coverage in South Korea. Designed for the “time-poor but beauty-savvy,” its formula is claimed to deliver results in 10 minutes.
Caffeine and adenosine shampoo reshapes scalp microbiome, lipid profile to fight hair loss
At the end of the study, the experimental group using the active shampoo showed a significant drop in shed hairs and a boost in hair density. However, what caught researchers’ attention was the parallel shift in scalp biology.
Three microbial species known to be associated with poor scalp health — Pseudomonas, Escherichia-Shigella and Malassezia — saw reduced numbers, while levels of Cutibacterium and Talaromyces rose. These changes may have signalled a rebalancing of the scalp’s microbial community toward a healthier state.
Cosmax to continue investing into localisation on the back of strong growth in SEA
“Based on our diverse and fruitful experiences with both global and domestic clients, we are able to strategically provide services to create local success stories by developing formulations suited to the SEA market, as well as use local market data held by Cosmax and Shopee to ensure steady product supply through local production,” said Kyoung Choi, vice chairman of Cosmax.
The company expects the cosmetics market in SEA to continue booming and will therefore consistently invest into this region.
CosmeticsDesign EMEA
New study links skin microbiome with mental well-being
A new UK-based clinical study published in the British Journal of Dermatology highlights the connection between skin bacteria found on various areas of the body and psychological well-being.
The research was undertaken by scientists at British FMCG company Unilever in partnership with the Microbiome Innovation Centre and the Brain & Behaviour Lab, University of Liverpool.
The study assessed skin microbiome samples from different body areas, including the face, scalp and underarm, along with responses to psychological well-being questionnaires.
Findings revealed that higher levels of a common skin bacterium, Cutibacterium (known as C. acne), were linked with improved psychological well-being.
Self-soothing beauty is the new ‘lipstick effect,’ says Circana
Despite continued frugality due to ongoing economic pressures as well as global conflicts and climate concerns, European shoppers are “splashing out on joy” by turning to mood-boosting, stress-releasing, nourishing products, according to the new report.
The findings also note that European consumers are “become more selective about what they buy, seeking out products and brands that deliver clear value, meaning or emotional return.”
European head of consumer packaged goods at Circana Anne Haine said that long-held ideas about value and necessity are being rewritten as consumers “reassess how they eat, play and look after themselves and their loved ones.”
Ghost fragrance has rebranded: here’s why
After more than two decades in business, Ghost’s parent company, UK-based SA Designer Perfumes, has decided to rebrand the iconic label, aiming to capture the hearts of a younger, new consumer base, as well as reignite the passion for original fans.
“For so many, Ghost is tied to memories that really matter... whether that’s first loves, big milestones, or all those unforgettable moments in between,” explained global senior brand and marketing manager at Designer Parfums, Louise Rigley.
L’Oréal to acquire majority stake in Medik8
L’Oréal Groupe said the acquisition will strengthen its Luxe portfolio and dubbed Medik8 a “premium science-backed skin care brand with a proven track record of success.”
It added that the brand had “strong potential for global growth.”
The European mid-market private equity firm Inflexion will remain a minority shareholder and the brand’s founder, scientists Elliot Isaacs, will continue to serve on the board.
THG claims new sorting robots will boost fulfilment capacity by 75%
THG Ingenuity’s fulfilment and courier management division, THG Fulfil, has partnered with robotics provider Libiao to install 430 of its T-sorting robots at the company’s automated warehouse facility in Manchester.
The robots are expected to be operational by September 2025 and will enable THG Fulfil to process approximately one million units per day. The company forecasts that this will boost operational capacity by around 75%.
THG claims the T-sorting system offers a sorting accuracy of up to 99.9% and will help the business “adapt to fluctuating consumer demand, regardless of seasonality.”
CosmeticsDesign Americas
U.S. House bill targets modernization of FDA sunscreen ingredient approvals
The SAFE Sunscreen Standards Act directly addresses long-standing concerns among U.S. cosmetics and personal care product manufacturers and ingredient suppliers regarding delays in FDA approval of new UV filters. The FDA has not approved a new sunscreen active ingredient since 1999, despite Congress passing the Sunscreen Innovation Act in 2014 to expedite the process.
We spoke to the Personal Care Products Council (PCPC), which welcomed the new legislation. Karin Ross, PCPC’s Executive Vice President of Government Affairs, told CosmeticsDesign US that “we have been deeply committed to this issue for more than 20 years, so it’s encouraging to see the proposed bipartisan legislation that could modernize sunscreen regulation.”
Ulta Beauty lifts outlook after strong Q1 FY2025
Ulta Beauty (Ulta) has reported $2.85 billion in sales for the first quarter of fiscal 2025, a 4.5% increase over the same period last year. According to the retailer, comparable sales also rose 2.9%, driven by both increased transactions and higher average spending per customer.
“Fiscal 2025 is off to an encouraging start with stronger-than-expected performance,” said CEO Kecia Steelman in the company’s press release. “Our Ulta Beauty Unleashed plan is resonating with guests,” she added, “energizing our team, and fueling growth.”
Latest chemical listings under Safer Products for Washington program signal rising regulatory pressure for U.S. beauty industry
Washington state’s Department of Ecology has added several chemical-product combinations to its final priority product list, including cyclic volatile methyl siloxanes in cosmetics and BTEX substances in nail products, raising the stakes for manufacturers operating in the personal care sector.
“This action builds on the state’s Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act,” Cheri Peele, director of government and market policy at environmental health research and advocacy organization Toxic-Free Future, told CosmeticsDesign US.
A data-driven look at sustainable beauty: NIQ VP shares insights into consumer behavior
The beauty category continues to grow globally, but growth is increasingly tied to regional expectations around sustainability. “E-commerce is the primary engine of global beauty industry growth,” Anna Mayo, VP of market research firm NIQ’s beauty verticle, told CosmeticsDesign US.
Yet as brands expand into high-growth regions like Latin America, the Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa, consumers are bringing sharper scrutiny to environmental practices.
CDU’s top 3 key insights from the Sustainable Cosmetics Summit 2025 - North America edition
The 2025 North American edition of the Sustainable Cosmetics Summit brought together leaders across the beauty industry to confront the complex realities of driving sustainability in a rapidly evolving market.
From circular packaging models to the future of palm oil sourcing and the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI), the event explored multiple aspects of the clean beauty movement and what it means to be a sustainable stakeholder in the current cosmetics and personal care product space.
