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Toxic skin-lightening industry drives disproportionate mercury harm
Toxic skin-lightening industry drives disproportionate mercury harm
The skin lightening industry is one of the fastest-growing beauty industries worldwide, according to the Women’s Caucus for the Minamata Convention. Mercury is often used as a skin-lightening agent due to its melanin-blocking properties, but the compound is highly toxic. The caucus warns that women are disproportionately harmed by its inclusion in cosmetics. “Women are the largest consumer group of cosmetics and personal care products. They use an average of 15 different such products every day,” the Women’s Caucus for the Minamata Convention tells Personal Care Insights.
Blue biotech straddles ocean conservation and cosmetic innovation
Blue biotech straddles ocean conservation and cosmetic innovation
The rising demand for ecological cosmetic ingredients is driving beauty brands to expand their sourcing strategies, and marine ecosystems are being revealed as a reliable supply base. Scientific advancements are accelerating the growth of blue biotechnology, but environmental conservation and responsible sourcing remain essential to ensure marine resources are used sustainably. Innova Market Insights data indicate a 13% increase in personal care product launches mentioning marine, sea, or ocean claims and ingredients. Over half of these ocean-derived personal care launches were in Europe.
Bioweg CEO says biotech beauty will move from “interesting to industry standard”
Bioweg CEO says biotech beauty will move from “interesting to industry standard”
Bioweg works to replace microplastics and harmful chemistries in beauty products with bio-based, biodegradable alternatives that perform on par with, or better than, conventional options. It innovates fermentation-derived micro-powders for sensoriality and cellulose-based rheology control. The German biotechnology and material science company states that its solutions are backed by hands-on application support and a clear path to scaling. 
Hormonal beauty - Testing what skin reveals with Eurofins C&PC
Hormonal beauty - Testing what skin reveals with Eurofins C&PC
Hormonal transitions profoundly affect skin and emotional wellbeing. As cosmetic science advances, understanding these changes is vital. Eurofins Cosmetics & Personal Care offers clinical, biological and emotional expertise, empowering brands to create targeted, effective solutions that support women’s skin health and overall confidence throughout key hormonal life stages.

This Technical Paper is brought to you by Eurofins. 
Activeology: Transforming the delivery of active ingredients in personal care formulations
Activeology: Transforming the delivery of active ingredients in personal care formulations
This session dives into how cutting-edge scientific innovation is transforming the delivery of active ingredients in personal care formulations. You’ll gain insights into the intersection of chemistry, formulation science, and evolving consumer needs. Plus, how silicone elastomer technologies are unlocking new levels of product performance.What you’ll learn:
  • Carrier volatility and polarity: How physical properties influence active release and skin absorption.
  • SOEBs vs. SEBs: Why Silicone Organic Elastomer Blends outperform traditional systems in niacinamide delivery.
  • Vitamin C stability and delivery: How anhydrous silicone systems enhance both delivery and stability.
  • Melanin synthesis inhibition: Promising results from silicone-based Vitamin C formulations in brightening applications.
Whether you are in research and development, formulation, or product strategy, this webinar offers valuable insights to help you stay ahead of the curve. 
How Tucuma, Cacay & Jojoba meet consumer expectations for traceability, sensoriality, and proven performance
How Tucuma, Cacay & Jojoba meet consumer expectations for traceability, sensoriality, and proven performance
Today’s beauty consumers seek more than results. They demand transparency, ethical sourcing, and sensorial delight. This presentation reveals how Tucuma, Cacay, and Jojoba embody these values through traceable sourcing, community empowerment, and proven efficacy. Blending nature, science, and ethics, they exemplify sustainable innovation meeting modern expectations in high-performance beauty.

This video is brought to you by Vantage.

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L’Oréal puts €60M into French facility to boost luxury fragrance production
L’Oréal puts €60M into French facility to boost luxury fragrance production
L’Oréal will invest €60 million (US$69.13 million) in its factory in Gauchy, France, enabling it to double production capacity. The location specializes in manufacturing perfumes for brands in L’Oréal’s Luxe Division. The French beauty giant says the investment is a response to the “strong growth of the perfume business internationally.” The upgrade will empower the facility to produce 200 million bottles annually. 
Robots enter the lash studio with Luum’s advanced AI application system
Robots enter the lash studio with Luum’s advanced AI application system
Beauty-tech brand Luum, behind the “world’s first” AI-powered lash extension robot, has introduced its next-generation system. The new robot will also be released across the US in Nordstrom and Ulta Beauty by the first quarter of 2026, with plans for additional market growth. The Beauty Experience Automation is the Luum’s fastest and most advanced robot yet, with the ability to apply eyelashes to both eyes simultaneously. The brand calls it a “breakthrough” in precision, speed, and scalability. 
Beyond The Headlines: Olive Young to open US store, Kering decreases Gucci...
Beyond The Headlines: Olive Young to open US store, Kering decreases Gucci dependence
In this week’s personal care news, K-beauty retailer Olive Young announced its debut in the US with a store in California. Kering sent a memo to its employees informing them of a reconstruction plan that involves reducing its dependence on Gucci and decreasing the size of its retail network. Meanwhile, Shiseido’s share price dropped 11%.  
African soil grows foreign profit: Closing the equity gap in beauty’s sourcing
African soil grows foreign profit: Closing the equity gap in beauty’s sourcing
Many global beauty companies rely on Africa’s rich biodiversity for fragrances, actives, and botanical extracts, yet the people behind these resources have historically been excluded from the economic value they help create. The UN-backed Nagoya Protocol (NP) was established to fix this imbalance by requiring permission and benefit-sharing agreements before biological resources can be used.
BASF boosts biodegradable surfactant production to meet Asia demand
BASF boosts biodegradable surfactant production to meet Asia demand
BASF has announced its expansion of production capacity for Alkyl Polyglucosides (APGs) in Bangpakong, Thailand, to strengthen regional supply and meet the growing demand for sustainable surfactants.  The move is a strategic response to bolster BASF’s geographical position in Asia and establish a more robust regional network.  
Webinar preview: How Novonesis’ research labs translate HMO science into...
Webinar preview: How Novonesis’ research labs translate HMO science into nutritional solutions

Nutrition Insight

Traditionally, HMOs have been studied for their role in beneficially modulating the microbiome, thereby influencing systemic health through immune modulation, gut barrier support, and potential cognitive benefits. However, emerging research reveals that HMOs can be detected systemically in the blood after oral administration, sparking renewed interest in their potential to deliver measurable health outcomes across various life stages.
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Regulatory News
China reform speeds up cosmetics approvals as global...
China’s government is updating its cosmetics safety and approval policies, which could make the cosmetics market easier to navigate for international brands that have been struggling to keep a stable footing in the country. Amid the regulatory shift, companies operating in the country, such as Cosmax and Clariant, are ramping up investment, innovation, and production capacity. China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) has issued Opinions that focus on accelerating cosmetic approvals, stimulating innovation in raw materials, and strengthening safety oversight. The NMPA’s changes will gradually make China’s cosmetics rules more predictable for global companies amid years of reported slowdowns.
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Tech & Innovation
Symrise speaks decarbonization after revealing AI CO2...
Symrise has launched Houston, a digital tracing platform to track its greenhouse gas  emissions. The digital tool, created in partnership with CO2 AI, helps the global supplier of fragrances and cosmetic active ingredients measure carbon footprints at the product and corporate levels.  During COP30, held from October 10–21 in Belém, Brazil, Symrise demonstrated how digital innovations, combined with cross-sectoral collaborations and practical solutions, can drive meaningful change and measurable progress for the climate.  
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Tech & Innovation
Core Biogenesis offers new path in personal care with...
The personal care industry is exploring ways to enhance environmental sustainability without compromising performance. Core Biogenesis uses molecular farming to create skin care ingredients that offer superior or equal function to their human counterparts, while leaving a reduced carbon footprint.  Personal Care Insights sits down with Tony Abboud, chief commercial officer of Core Biogenesis, to discuss the company’s molecular farming model and the future of biotech in personal care.  

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Ocean-derived beautyNov2025

Innova Market Insights data shows a 13% increase in personal care product launches mentioning marine, sea, or ocean claims & ingredients. More than half of these ocean-derived personal care launch...

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Product innovation

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Herbal hygiene harmonies Nov 2025

Innova Market Insights’ data indicates a 10% year-over-year growth in personal care launches with a botanical/herbal claim, between July 2023 and June 2025. Asia was leading in launches. Facial/neck moisturizers was the top category, while fragrances for women are gaining ground. Products highlighting botanical and herbal positioning increasingly include ethical-animal and natural claims, suggesting consumer demand for cleaner, more conscious beauty formulations.

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Trends in ethical aestheticsNov 2025

Innova Market Insights data shows an increase in cosmetics launches with ethical claims. Specifically, there is a +7% average annual growth in beauty product launches with ethical claims from June 2020 to July 2025. The Face/Body Cosmetic category had the largest share of launches with ethical claims.

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SEPAWA Congress 2025: BASF’s #texturewipes tap Gen Z beauty trends

At the SEPAWA Congress 2025 in Berlin, Germany, Maren Sievert, business director for Personal Care for Central and Northern Europe at BASF, told us about its #texturewipes. Created for younger consumers, the concept offers a range of trending textures powered by innovative technologies. Sievert...

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SEPAWA Congress 2025: Kao Chemicals’ perfumery and home care units’ efforts for sustainability
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How Tucuma, Cacay & Jojoba meet consumer expectations for traceability, sensoriality, and proven performance
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SEPAWA Congress 2025: Berg + Schmidt unveils sensory kit for faster formulations
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