Flavex natural plant CO2 extracts banner linking to in-cosmetics Global 2026 booth 2587 details.
Hands holding a phone that says Unilever on it.

Unilever shifts focus to Home & Personal Care after divesting Foods business

Unilever is set to become a pure-play home and personal care (HPC) business following an agreement to combine its Foods business with McCormick. Post-completion, Unilever will only operate across Beauty, Wellbeing, Personal Care, and Home Care. Unilever has been slowly divesting its food portfolio and highlighting its personal care and home offerings over the past year. A large signifier of this was its SASSY campaign launched last year, which resulted in rolling revamps of heritage brands to cater to a younger and trend-driven audience. 
older couple relax on couch
Home care trends reflect rising demand for comfort and conscious cleaning
Consumers are increasingly drawn to making their houses a space of comfort and health through sensoriality, sustainability, and well-being-focused home care solutions.According to Innova Market Insights, Household Care products are gaining ground, with an average annual growth rate of 18% from 2021 to 2025.
Woman spraying perfume
Aptar Beauty on how regulation and “skinification” shape alcohol-free perfumes
Aptar Beauty says the fragrance market is undergoing a profound transformation. The company believes that regulatory shifts to lower volatile organic compounds (VOC) content, including alcohol, to reduce emissions, are accelerating the move toward other types of formulas across beauty categories.  Consumers are embracing gentle formulations with natural ingredients and added skin care benefits, pushing brands to rethink traditional approaches to perfumery. Aptar Beauty, which is the beauty division of AptarGroup, is a US company that specializes in dispensing systems, packaging, and application technologies for consumer products.
Mane Kancor Technical Paper
A Patented Breakthrough in Scalp Health — Learn more from the clinical study results
Purakan™ is a patented breakthrough in natural scalp care, proven to outperform market leaders on pruritus, dandruff, itching, and flaking. It replaces synthetic options like ZPT and piroctone olamine. Clinical studies show 89.7% of participants experienced reduced dandruff and itching within just seven days.This technical paper is brought to you by Mane Kancor.
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PCHi 2026: Evonik highlights biotech for localized skin care innovation
At PCHi, Evonik presented ingredients under the theme “The Soul and Science of Beauty.” Anne Mu, global head of applied innovation, Active Ingredients at Evonik, says that technologies enabling sustainable alternatives to conventional cosmetic chemicals are driving the market and gaining value among consumers. She tells us how Evonik uses its biotech innovation platform to create localized ceremides for the Chinese market, particularly with the specific vegetable feedstocks available to the region.
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PCHi 2026 review: Clinical-backing and indulgent sensory take center stage
At PCHi 2026 (Personal Care and Homecare Ingredients) in Hangzhou, China, the personal care industry gathered to present an array of beauty ingredient launches. Standout trends included scientifically-backed solutions, eye-catching formulas, and emotion-evoking sensory experiences. The exhibitors featured plant-based ingredients and products that provide a rejuvenated appearance, all based on the demands of Chinese beauty consumers. We look back at the event’s top innovators and their latest innovations.

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March in review: Tariff recoup efforts, Beauty giant acquisitions, PCHi 2026
An Estee Lauder building next to a sign saying PCHi.
This month in industry news, Beauty giants scrambled to reclaim tariff refunds after the Supreme Court ruled that levies imposed under President Donald Trump’s emergency powers were unlawful. Estée Lauder confirmed it is in talks with Puig over a potential merger that could reshape the luxury beauty landscape into a US$40 billion powerhouse. 
Ashland appoints Catalite as distribution partner for cosmetic chemicals in...
cosmetics ingredients
Ashland has announced that Catalite, an affiliate of Azelis Group NV, has been appointed as the distribution partner for its microbial protection solutions in Thailand. The deal will come into effect on April 1.Catalite will be tasked with representing Ashland’s microbial technology portfolio across the skin, hair, oral, and home care markets.
Olay and Kenvue unveil dermatology innovations at AAD 2026
two women with clear skin
Kenvue and Olay are presenting research and derma-cosmetics innovations at the 2026 American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting (AAD 2026) in Denver, Colorado (March 27–31). Olay is focusing on the anti-aging role of cell adhesion in maintaining skin strength and resilience with its proprietary research revealed at the meeting. Meanwhile, Kenvue is showcasing findings and innovations from subsidiaries Neutrogena, Aveeno, and Rogaine in the healthy aging, skin hydration, UV protection, and acne segments. 
Clinical trial finds postbiotic ingredient promotes facial skin elasticity in...
Mature woman applying skin care.
New clinical research has revealed that Kaneka Probiotics and AB-Biotics’ postbiotic Latilactobacillus sakei KABP-065 delivers skin health benefits for healthy women in their 30s and 40s. Skin elasticity and moisture were assessed using clinically validated dermatological methods, which revealed positive results for their postbiotic ingredient.
dsm-firmenich launches climate-protective skin barrier ingredient from Alps
a close up of Scutellaria alpina
dsm-firmenich has launched Alpaflor Neurosooth to aid skin resilience amid rising global temperatures. The bioactive ingredient, sourced from the Alpine plant Scutellaria alpina, interrupts the skin-mind stress loop by lowering irritation and aiding against environmental stress.
March in review: Gut microbiome advances, weight loss innovations & Expo West...
March in Review Nutrition Insight

Nutrition Insight

March saw developments in AI-driven microbiome testing, postbiotic developments, and nutraceutical solutions for GLP-1 nutrient gaps. Meanwhile, industry challenges in supply chain disruptions, growing labeling scrutiny, and a demand for transparency accelerated innovations in nutrient-dense formulations, from supplements to functional foods and ready meals. In our March review, Nutrition Insight dives into some of the month’s biggest stories, including our live coverage at the Natural Products Expo West 2026 trade show and how nutrition and supplements can solve nutritional gaps linked to GLP-1 use and rapid weight loss. 
Highlighted features
A hand holding a Olaplex hair care product.
Business News
Henkel to acquire prestige hair care brand Olaplex for...
Henkel will take over prestige hair care brand Olaplex for a total transaction value of US$1.4 billion. The consumer goods giant’s offer price of US$2.06 per share is approximately 55% over the brand’s closing stock price as of Wednesday. However, at its initial public offering in September 2021, Olaplex’s shares were valued at US$21.00, suggesting a valuation of approximately US$14–16 billion. 
PCHi banner in a hall.
Personal Care Insights News
PCHi 2026: Beauty innovation steered by sensory experience...
Chinese beauty consumers often respond to the visual and sensory appeal of beauty products, but these factors alone do not contribute to purchasing decisions — solutions must be backed by science. Last week, at PCHi 2026 (Personal Care and Homecare Ingredients) in Hangzhou, China, exhibitors released an array of evidence-based ingredients and presented innovative textures. The common thread between each showcase was the importance of a pleasant sensory experience and proven data to validate product performance. 
Woman in front of a circular light and pink backdrop
Tech & Innovation
Revieve unveils ChatGPT tool for beauty brands amid AI...
Revieve has launched a tool that lets beauty brands and retailers guide how consumers discover skin care products inside generative AI platforms, with its AI Skin Advisor for ChatGPT. Consumers’ beauty discovery journeys are rapidly evolving beyond traditional channels like web search and social media. As beauty shoppers increasingly demand personalized routines, tools such as ChatGPT have gained increased attention. However, generative AI tools often provide generic answers, leaving distinct brand voices out of the discovery journey.

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Skin barrier breakthroughsApr2026

Innova Market Insights data shows that consumers increasingly look for barrier-repair benefits when choosing moisturizers. From 2021 to 2025, personal care launches with microbiome-related claims grew...

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Next-gen neurocosmetics Apr 2026

Innova Market Insights’ survey data indicates that 39% of global consumers are interested in clinical beauty. As demand for stress-relief and mood-enhancing beauty rises, neurocosmetics are emerging, blending wellness positioning with measurable skin performance.

Trend analysis

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Botanical flower powerApr 2026

Innova Market Insights data indicates that in the past three years, there has been a 15% increase in growth for personal care launches with botanical/herbal claims. This aligns with consumers’ interest in products with botanical ingredients. Asia led these launches, while gotu kola extract launches show potential for innovation.

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Video04:58
PCHi 2026: Evonik highlights biotech for localized skin care innovation

At PCHi, Evonik presented ingredients under the theme “The Soul and Science of Beauty.” Anne Mu, global head of applied innovation, Active Ingredients at Evonik, says that technologies enabling sustainable alternatives to conventional cosmetic chemicals are driving the market and gaining value...

Jean-Yves Bruxer, Sethic, PCHi 2026, Glass Skin, Skincare Ingredients, Active Ingredients, Fermentation Technology, Multi Strain Fermentation, Chinese Beauty, Science Backed Skincare, Longevity Skinca
Video05:15
PCHi 2026: Sethic breaks Guinness World Record and unveils glass skin ingredient
Nikita Radionov, Eurofine
Video06:06
PCHi 2026: Eurofins discusses demonstrating product efficacy to secure consumer trust
Beto Pino, Vantage
Video14:50
PCHi 2026: Vantage targets visual product appeal and skin rejuvenation
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