Hair Care

Should your business get B Corp-certified?

20-Dec-2023 By Kirsty Doolan

With a spotlight being shone on all aspects of environmental, social and governance (ESG), being awarded certifications from a body such as B Corp can help prove your credentials to potential customers and likeminded businesses. We spoke to some brands...

Brand news: Estée Lauder; Coty, Rare Beauty, Zara, Farfetch

19-Dec-2023 By Kirsty Doolan

The latest beauty brand news you'll want to know about...

How can you avoid ‘greenwashing’ accusations?

19-Dec-2023 By Kirsty Doolan

As 2024 dawns among a flurry of new EU regulations designed to make our industry more sustainable, it’s clear that the topic of how to avoid greenwashing claims should be top of every business agenda.

Seeing sense: innovating in sensory beauty

18-Dec-2023 By Kirsty Doolan

The focus on textures and new experiences in beauty products, often driven by TikTok, shows no signs of waning popularity. What’s new in this rising trend?

Exploring EU regulations: Parabens

13-Dec-2023 By Kirsty Doolan

As the first in a three-part series on the most misunderstood cosmetic and personal care ingredients, we explore the current scientific understanding of the use of parabens in cosmetics, with a specific focus on the EU’s Regulation 1223/2009 framework.

Unilever: “surprised” to be investigated for greenwashing claims

13-Dec-2023 By Kirsty Doolan

UK government body the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is investigating the British FMCG company following concerns around how it has been marketing certain products as environmentally friendly.

Beauty Forward 2024: New speakers announced!

12-Dec-2023 By Kirsty Doolan

Our expert line-up will include L’Oréal, Kenvue, Coty, Weleda and many more…

Boots opens first ‘Boots Beauty’ store in London

07-Dec-2023 By Kirsty Doolan

The UK health and beauty retailer has opened its first concept ‘Boots Beauty’ shop in London’s Battersea Power Station.

Spotlight on ‘stress-relief’ beauty

06-Dec-2023 By Kirsty Doolan

Neurocosmetics, psychodermatology, or stress-relief beauty. Whatever you want to call it, there is an uprising of new brands and ingredients that are aiming to help people battle the stress epidemic via their beauty and personal care routines.

The Future Laboratory highlights trends for society in 2024

04-Dec-2023 By Kirsty Doolan

Market intelligence and trends forecasting company the Future Laboratory has advised on the topics that are set to impact the social landscape for the year ahead, and therefore impact consumers' expectations from brands, with a special focus on using...

WGSN reveals beauty trends for 2024 and beyond

02-Dec-2023 By Kirsty Doolan

Trend forecaster WGSN has released its predictions for the cosmetics industry for next year. Scroll through to discover the trends and see the AI-generated images it has used to illustrate them.

CTPA and Cosmetics Europe launch ingredients decoder app for consumers

01-Dec-2023 By Kirsty Doolan

The Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association (CTPA) and Cosmetics Europe have launched the COSMILE Europe app to give consumers instant, scientifically supported information on the ingredients in their cosmetics and personal care products.

Do beauty influencers still have real ‘influence’? And more answers to your ‘selling on social’ questions

29-Nov-2023 By Kirsty Doolan

Recent findings from a study by influencer marketing software Traackr reveals how younger consumers are using social media platforms in 2023 to consume content and purchase new products. We’ve dug deeper to understand what these learnings will mean in...

Beauty Forward 2024: CosmeticsDesign to decode next-gen beauty with digital summit – Register for FREE

28-Nov-2023 By Gary Scattergood

Join Cosmetics Design and a host of experts from companies such as L’Oréal, Coty, Weleda, J&J's Kenvue, HUM Nutrition, and some of the most disruptive startups, to learn more about the future of beauty...

European Parliament updates rules on reduce, reuse and recycle and 'forever chemicals' ban

24-Nov-2023 By Kirsty Doolan

But zero waste groups say the action falls short of expectations, while bioplastics groups say it takes an “over-regulatory approach towards bioplastics.”

“Toothless” ban on animal testing for cosmetics “virtually meaningless” – says Cruelty Free Europe as Symrise is told to test on animals

23-Nov-2023 By Kirsty Doolan

German chemicals company Symrise AG has lost its appeal against the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) at the EU’s General Court for its request to NOT test two chemicals on animals.

6 things beauty consumers will expect in 2024

22-Nov-2023 By Kirsty Doolan

As we head towards a new year, we’ve sought out evidence-based insights from industry analysts to get a glimpse into the mind of beauty consumers. Read on to discover what they will want, need and expect from brands and products in the next year.

“60-70% of the world’s population has texture in their hair.” Innovating in the underserved textured hair care market

20-Nov-2023 By Kirsty Doolan

Award-winning UK hair care brand Flora & Curl has just launched into Boots in the UK. We spoke to founder Rose Ovensehi about why she started the brand six years ago and how the textured hair market still hasn't reached its full potential.

10 beauty technology innovations to watch

17-Nov-2023 By Kirsty Doolan

The technology available to serve the beauty and personal care industry is changing at lightening speed. We’ve rounded up some of the most innovative gamechangers – whether they are disrupting the product development process, overhauling ingredients testing,...

“Stories need to be told; real, raw emotions need to be experienced”: how to PR a beauty brand in 2024

16-Nov-2023 By Kirsty Doolan

Award-winning PR consultant Sophie Attwood has worked with a string of beauty and personal care brands, from St Tropez to Colgate, at her London-based agency. As a seasoned public relations expert, she’s even written a book on the topic: Beautiful PR:...

"There is still unnecessary animal testing going on": SenzaGen CEO on genomics and human tissue models

16-Nov-2023 By Kirsty Doolan

Swedish life sciences company SenzaGen has combined its expertise in genomics, machine learning and human tissue models, to develop testing methods that can potentially replace animal experiments for toxicological evaluations of chemicals used in beauty...

Surviving beauty retail in 2024: what businesses need to know

13-Nov-2023 By Kirsty Doolan

In its new retail report, AI and AR tech-based platform Revieve shared key learnings for beauty and personal care retailers next year and beyond…

Simplifying R&D: tech solutions for faster and more efficient NPD

10-Nov-2023 By Kirsty Doolan

Use of new technology to assist the research and development process is becoming more widespread. CosmeticsDesign-Europe examined some new tools that are designed to support R&D experts in their role.

Next-level NPD: new beauty tech innovations

10-Nov-2023 By Kirsty Doolan

The smart beauty and personal care products that are currently disrupting the industry.

What’s coming next? Forecasting the future of tech-based beauty

10-Nov-2023 By Kirsty Doolan

Three industry analysts shared insights on how technology is set to shape the landscape in the upcoming years.

What B2B cosmetics companies need to know about e-commerce

08-Nov-2023 By Cassandra Stern

Amazon and Walmart’s digital storefronts comprise almost half US e-Commerce sales for beauty and personal care products, making it increasingly important that B2B manufacturers and suppliers to these industries understand how to navigate ingredient formulation...

Stay smart, sticky and authentic – the 3 keys to building a successful beauty brand

08-Nov-2023 By Kacey Culliney

Creating a brand from scratch is no easy task, but staying authentic, building a loyal following and making smart distribution decisions is key to success, say experts.

Coty sees sales up 18% and calls off Wella sale

08-Nov-2023 By Kirsty Doolan

Global revenue was up for the first quarter of fiscal 2024, with a particularly strong performance for its Prestige fragrances.

Singles’ Day showdown: China’s e-commerce platforms set to battle it out during the mega sales festival

08-Nov-2023 By Amanda Lim

The rivalries between China’s stalwart and emerging e-commerce players are set to make the upcoming Singles’ Day intensely competitive in the world’s second-biggest beauty market.

"Potential to revolutionise production of natural ingredients": Interstellar Lab

07-Nov-2023 By Kirsty Doolan

L'Oréal-incubated startup Interstellar Lab will start deploying its biopharming platform at French flavours and fragrance company Robertet in early 2024. We spoke to CEO Barbara Belvisi to find out more.

The robots in marketing: smart ways to use generative AI for content creation

07-Nov-2023 By Kirsty Doolan

CosmeticsDesign-Europe examines the use of generative AI for content ideation, quality control and adding an avant-garde edge.

Reliance Retail acquires rights to Sephora in India

06-Nov-2023 By Kirsty Doolan

The Indian retail group has acquired Arvind Beauty Brands Retail, which includes Sephora rights, and is now eyeing expansion in the growing market.

Brand news: John Frieda; Kurkdjian x Dior; The Body Shop, Lush & more

03-Nov-2023 By Kirsty Doolan

The latest beauty brand news you’ll want to know about.

New report suggests the majority of UK consumers find Black Friday deals “misleading”

03-Nov-2023 By Kirsty Doolan

Forecasters expect volume sales to drop in the UK at this year’s Black Friday event and in the run-up to Christmas. How can brands address this?

Estée Lauder Companies Q1 global sales down -10%; lowered forecast

02-Nov-2023 By Kirsty Doolan

Estée Lauder Companies global sales fell by -10% for Q1 2024, reaching $3.52bn for its opening quarter.

Our most-read stories in Europe: October

31-Oct-2023 By Kirsty Doolan

A roundup of the most popular stories on Cosmetics-Design-Europe over the past month.

The evolution of natural cosmetics: Q&A with NATRUE

31-Oct-2023 By Kirsty Doolan

NATRUE’s Director General shared more on the latest trends and innovation in natural cosmetics, as well as the challenges this sector is facing right now.

“Brexit is the problem”: Report shows losses and skill shortages for UK beauty industry

30-Oct-2023 By Kirsty Doolan

According to an Oxford Economics study commissioned by the British Beauty Council, the British beauty industry has lost around £850m in exports to EU countries since Brexit.

Clariant set to acquire Lucas Meyer Cosmetics

30-Oct-2023 By Kirsty Doolan

The Swiss multinational plans to buy Lucas Meyer Cosmetics from IFF and the deal is expected to close in early 2024.

Unilever reveals "action plan" amid underperforming Q3 results & sells Dollar Shave Club

26-Oct-2023 By Kirsty Doolan

Although Beauty & Personal Care sectors saw strong results, Unilever will change its strategy with a new focus, new appointments, plus sale of the Dollar Shave Club.

China focus: Latest developments in China’s booming beauty market

26-Oct-2023 By Amanda Lim

We round up the most recent developments in the exciting Chinese beauty market, including SENSAI’s new Shanghai flagship, Perfect Diary’s latest lip innovation, and more.

Navigating the new beauty and personal care packaging rules

25-Oct-2023 By Kirsty Doolan

With new packaging regulations coming into force in the EU and UK in upcoming years, we spoke to industry experts about what’s being done.

"Carbon is only part of the story": biodiversity loss takes the spotlight

24-Oct-2023 By Kirsty Doolan

Biodiversity loss is a key environmental issue for the planet and one that the cosmetics industry will need to pay more attention to going forward…

FDA proposes ban on cancer-causing chemicals in hair relaxers

24-Oct-2023 By Olivia DeSmit

Certain hair relaxers and smoothers contain formaldehyde or other harmful chemicals, a press release by Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley states*. The FDA has announced a potential ban on these chemicals.