Ectoin natural skincare ingredient banner by bitop, made in Germany, promoting the active with a “More information” link.
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K-beauty targets India as SWANA volatility reshapes expansion strategies

K-beauty brands are expanding into India as they seek to diversify their markets, following record overseas sales and growing geopolitical uncertainty in the South West Asia and North Africa (SWANA) region. Several brands are using partnerships with major retail platforms and localized distribution strategies to enter these markets. In India, K-beauty tech company APR has launched its Medicube brand through a partnership with Nykaa, the country’s largest lifestyle and beauty platform. The move introduces local consumers to dozens of skin care products through Nykaa’s online marketplace, and APR is eyeing a brick-and-mortar expansion for Medicube in the coming years.
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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.
Hong Pheng Lim, Symrise, PCHi 2026, Skin Care, Active Ingredients, Clean Beauty, Sustainable Skincare, Skin Longevity, Sun Care, Chinese Beauty Market, Natural Ingredients, Low Impact Production
PCHi 2026: Symrise showcases sustainable solutions for skin longevity

On the show floor of PCHi 2026, Hong Pheng Lim, technical director at Symrise, spoke to us about the company's commitment to sustainability and longevity-focused ingredients. He discussed how Symrise creates solutions that promote skin longevity from within with an emphasis on clean, low-impact production methods. Lim also introduced natural and effective beauty solutions aimed at the Chinese market, with a focus on sun care.

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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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Symrise introduces exosome ingredient for deep skin regeneration
closeup of woman
Symrise has launched Cellexora MD, a 100% plant derived cosmetic ingredient based on “true” exosomes, or intercellular messenger cells. The ingredient is said to support long-term skin resilience and longevity. The German chemicals company will present the ingredient at In-cosmetics Global 2026 in Paris, France (14-16 April).The ingredient is launched under Symrise’s holistic care platform, Care & Wellness. The division launched last month and targets the “connected care model” linking skin health, gut microbiome, and holistic well-being.
Givaudan launches PrimalHyal 300 for faster post-procedure skin recovery
closeup of skin with cream on cheek
Givaudan Active Beauty has launched PrimalHyal 300, a hyaluronic acid-based skin healing ingredient for post-procedure recovery. The ingredient addresses the rising demand for recovery care alongside the increasing popularity of aesthetic treatments.The ingredients company has an extensive history of utilizing hyaluronic acid in its solutions and is now honing the moisture-retaining natural sugar molecule for skin repair.
Estée Lauder rethinks global marketing by unifying partner data
ELC store front with large screens
Estée Lauder Companies (ELC) has appointed WPP, a global advertising and marketing services company, as its first global media partner. The partnership will create a unified system for paid media and marketing across ELC’s brands and markets where it operates. The new media system is powered by data and AI, and will replace the company’s decentralized regional approach to advertising.
Clorox completes Gojo acquisition, bringing Purell into portfolio
Person getting a disinfectant wipe from a clorox container
The Clorox Company has completed its previously announced acquisition of Gojo Industries, bringing the Purell hand sanitizer brand and Gojo’s broader hygiene solutions into Clorox’s portfolio. The deal expands Clorox’s presence in the health and hygiene industry, expanding access to its products for everyday consumers and institutional users such as workplaces and health care facilities.
Unilever shifts focus to Home & Personal Care after divesting Foods business
Hands holding a phone that says Unilever on it.
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. 
Checkerspot scales omega-7 via fermentation to end supply bottleneck sustainably
Close Up Of Happy Smiling Asian Woman Taking Supplement Pill And Holding Glass Of Fresh Water

Nutrition Insight

Checkerspot has achieved a “breakthrough” in scaling the production of palmitoleic acid (POA) oil using microalgae — up to 58% content produced sustainably. Nutrition Insight speaks with the biotechnology company to explore how this could benefit brands and near-term opportunities for new health areas. The method in Fermentation details how the new platform produces this omega-7 fatty acid, linked to health benefits like improved insulin sensitivity and skin hydration. POA is an omega-7 fatty acid produced naturally in the body. 
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Regulatory News
Italian authorities probe Sephora and Benefit for marketing...
Italian authorities have launched an investigation into Sephora and Benefit Cosmetics over a claimed use of “covert marketing strategies” to sell adult cosmetics to children. The Italian Competition Authority (AGCM) says that marketing beauty products to minors may be fuelling their growing obsession with achieving “flawless” skin, referred to as “cosmeticorexia,” potentially posing a risk to their health.AGCM calls the LVMH subsidiaries’ marketing tactics “particularly insidious.” The brands have worked with young micro-influencers, which the authority says drives “compulsive purchase of cosmetics” in vulnerable demographics, including girls under the age of 10.
Fingers with Nivea cream on them.
Research & Development
Beiersdorf €100M skin care fund signals big bet on...
Beiersdorf has launched the second iteration of its corporate venture capital fund for skin care innovation with a €100 million (US$116 million) commitment, double the amount from 2020. The German consumer goods giant says the new Skin Care Innovation Fund reinforces venture capital as a strategic lever to drive future growth through science-based innovation. The fund signifies Beiersdorf’s ambition to lead creation in skin care. 
An Estee Lauder building next to a sign saying PCHi.
Personal Care Insights News
March in review: Tariff recoup efforts, Beauty giant...
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. 

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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.

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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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Hong Pheng Lim, Symrise, PCHi 2026, Skin Care, Active Ingredients, Clean Beauty, Sustainable Skincare, Skin Longevity, Sun Care, Chinese Beauty Market, Natural Ingredients, Low Impact Production
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PCHi 2026: Symrise showcases sustainable solutions for skin longevity

On the show floor of PCHi 2026, Hong Pheng Lim, technical director at Symrise, spoke to us about the company's commitment to sustainability and longevity-focused ingredients. He discussed how Symrise creates solutions that promote skin longevity from within with an emphasis on clean, low-impact...

Givaudan Active Beauty, Mathias Fleury, VectorHyal, Active Ingredients, Skin Care, Healthy Aging, Hyaluronic Acid, Ingredient Stability, Skin Penetration, Hydration, Cosmetic Science, Beauty Innovatio
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PCHi 2026: Givaudan launches VectorHyal for enhanced active ingredient stability and penetration
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PCHi 2026: Evonik highlights biotech for localized skin care innovation
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PCHi 2026: Sethic breaks Guinness World Record and unveils glass skin ingredient
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