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Breaking news: Boots sold to Weston family’s Wittington Investments for US$8.9B

Boots has been sold to Wittington Investments for US$8.9 billion. The purchase includes assumed debt. Wittington will acquire Boots’ retail operations in the UK and Ireland, Boots Opticians, No7 Beauty Company, and its Thailand and franchised businesses. 
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Plant-based beauty grows as regulators scrutinize natural sourcing
Plant-based cosmetic claims are evolving from a niche marketing tactic to a central pillar of product innovation. However, with upcoming legislation targeting how plant-based beauty is allowed to go to market, the category is entering a phase of scrutiny. The plant-based movement in personal care is experiencing sustained growth, driven primarily by shifting consumer preferences.
woman wearing high vis by the sea
Algiecel scales microalgae production as fish oil supply pressures mount
Algiecel has inaugurated a microalgae production facility to address the growing need for fish oil ingredient alternatives in the beauty industry. The move arrives as global fish oil supplies suffer from biodiversity devastation caused by overfishing and projected to result from the 2026–2027 El Niño climate event.The facility in Kalundborg, Denmark, enables a fivefold increase in marine ingredient production capacity for the Danish company, which converts industrial CO2 emissions into microalgae for cosmetics. The move marks the company’s shift from pilot-scale testing to industrial-scale supply for marine ingredients that are not reliant on fish-dependent supply chains.
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Sustainable beauty solutions
Innova Market Insights data indicates that new personal care launches with sustainable claims grew at a +31% CAGR from July 2021 to June 2026. While cruelty-free remains a key consumer marker of sustainable beauty, innovation is expanding into areas such as sustainable oils, 2-in-1 formats, recycled materials, and reef- and ocean-friendly solutions.
Woman in a white sleeveless top flexing her arms with a turquoise resistance band against a bright blue background featuring Ashland branding.
Who masters the art of multifunctionality? We do.
Multifunctional ingredients are transforming personal care preservation by combining microbial protection with formulation efficiency, natural-origin positioning, skin benefits, sensory enhancement and easier processing. Ashland’s recent launches illustrate how preservative strategies can deliver added value, helping formulators create safer, more transparent, consumer-relevant products with stronger performance and clearer ingredient purpose.

This Technical Paper is brought to you by Ashland.
Azitra video thumbnail: Laboratory researcher handling a sample beside a microscope, with a black-and-white portrait inset in a pink circular frame
Azitra: Functional human filaggrin for barrier support

Azitra co-founder and chief operating officer Travis Whitfill, discusses the company’s development of functional human filaggrin for topical skin care applications. The biotech-designed protein is engineered for stability and skin penetration, helping support the skin barrier, hydration, and pH balance. Whitfill also shares recent ex vivo findings on skin elasticity, plans for clinical testing on fine lines and wrinkles, and the growing role of biotechnology and the skin microbiome in skin care.

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Pinterest tracks beauty shift from trend-following to trend-editing
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Pinterest has released its first-ever Beauty Trend Report, identifying that consumers are making hyper-personal edits to beauty trends instead of copying them beat for beat. The findings point to an opportunity for brands to invest in modular, customizable, and multifunctional innovations. Pinterest says that searches on the platform are increasingly specific — “not just a red manicure, but a dark-red cat-eye manicure.”
L’Oréal reportedly weighs talc liability exit as lawmakers press Revlon on...
A man putting on makeup.
L’Oréal US has reportedly hired restructuring advisers to explore how to mitigate mounting legal liabilities relating to the use of talc and other chemical ingredients in some of its cosmetics. The alleged move comes shortly after Revlon faced questions by US lawmakers over adequate talc testing of its products. 
Unilever invests US$6M to expand Vaseline production in South Africa
prouction facility inag
Unilever has invested an additional South African Rand 100 million (US$6 million) in the commissioning of a new Vaseline Petroleum Jelly production line in Durban, South Africa. The production line is in Unilever’s Maydon Wharf manufacturing facility and represents an incremental investment to develop local manufacturing capacity, strengthen supply resilience, and bolster international export capabilities.
Croda UK biotech center poised to accelerate beauty innovations
Person with nice hair.
Croda has inaugurated a global research center at Sci-Tech Daresbury, UK, which is positioned to strengthen its capabilities in biotechnology, biocatalysis, and synthetic biology in personal and hair care innovation.
South Korea exports hit record US$7B as US demand surges
korean woman
South Korean cosmetic exports have hit US$7 billion in H1 2026, marking a 27.3% rise year-on-year, according to the country’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. The record-breaking export figures arrive after the US dethroned China as K-beauty’s global growth engine, and US consumers maintain their K-cosmetic appetite.The US accounted for US$1.45 billion, 20.7% of the total South Korean cosmetic exports, and has seen a 41.5% surge from 2025. Meanwhile, China’s South Korean imports fell by 6.6% to US$1.01 billion, compared to H1 2025. China still makes up 14.4% of K-beauty exports and takes second place. Japan came in third with US$580 million, increasing its South Korean imports by 5.9%.
CPHI Milan 2026: Gelita on why gelatin selection makes or breaks softgels
Gelita at CPHI 2026

Nutrition Insight

At CPHI Milan 2026, Gelita is discussing the importance of gelatin selection for effective softgel formulation, as misalignment can lead to manufacturing issues such as inconsistent ribbon formation and weak seams. At the show floor in Italy, Nutrition Insight meets with the manufacturer of gelatin, collagen, and collagen peptides to learn about the common issues that arise from fill and gelatin interactions. 
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woman's hands as she harvests argan oil
Personal Care Insights News
TRAFFIC tackles beauty’s wild-harvest sourcing risks with...
TRAFFIC (Trade Record Analysis of Flora and Fauna in Commerce) and Biodiversify have launched the Wild Harvest Improvement Project (WHIP) Framework to improve the sustainability of wild-harvested feedstocks, also used in personal care formulations. WHIP aims to empower communities and businesses to pursue regenerative alternatives in their supply chains by offering them a pragmatic route toward sustainability certification.
September in review with an image of BASF and a woman's back.
Personal Care Insights News
September in review: BASF eyes Evonik, EU Green Transition...
In September, BASF confirmed takeover talks with Evonik, a deal that could consolidate two of Europe’s largest beauty suppliers. In Europe, the Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive came into effect. We spoke to Natrue, the non-profit that sets standards for authentic natural and organic cosmetics, about how it could push beauty brands to substantiate their sustainability messaging. 
Chess pieces in front of the US and China flags.
Policy & regulation news
China to lower tariffs on US cosmetics as trade truce...
China and the US have said they will cut tariffs on US$60 billion worth ‌of goods imported from each other. The announcement encompasses US cosmetics and Chinese hair-removal appliances, among others. Both countries have recommended a more favorable tariff treatment for “non-sensitive” products, which include personal care items. The reciprocal tariff reduction move came alongside an extension of a US–China trade truce. These positions were settled at the summit between President Xi Jinping and President Donald Trump in Washington DC, US, last week. 

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Plant-powered beautyOct2026

Innova Market Insights data indicates that consumers are seeking more natural ingredients in their skin care. As a result, personal care launches with plant-based ingredients are gaining ground with 9...

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Innova Market Insights

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Circular beauty advances Oct 2026

Innova Market Insights data indicates a +56% CAGR in personal care launches with circular claims from July 2021 to June 2026. Innovation is increasingly focused on reducing environmental impact through recycled, recyclable, and refillable packaging, as well as the use of upcycled and renewable ingredients. These approaches highlight how circularity is becoming an increasingly visible part of product development across skin care, hair care, and body care.

Trend analysis

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Sustainable beauty solutionsOct 2026

Innova Market Insights data indicates that new personal care launches with sustainable claims grew at a +31% CAGR from July 2021 to June 2026. While cruelty-free remains a key consumer marker of sustainable beauty, innovation is expanding into areas such as sustainable oils, 2-in-1 formats, recycled materials, and reef- and ocean-friendly solutions.

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Azitra video thumbnail: Laboratory researcher handling a sample beside a microscope, with a black-and-white portrait inset in a pink circular frame
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Azitra: Functional human filaggrin for barrier support

Azitra co-founder and chief operating officer Travis Whitfill, discusses the company’s development of functional human filaggrin for topical skin care applications. The biotech-designed protein is engineered for stability and skin penetration, helping support the skin barrier, hydration, and pH...

Woman wearing glasses and a white shirt beside LENOSE scented hand soaps displayed on green tiles with bubbles.
Video14:36
LeNose targets Gen Z home luxury with perfumer-crafted hand soaps
Vantage body care ad featuring a woman applying a body scrub, with the message “Body care meets faceification. High-performance, head to toe
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Body care meets faceification. High-performance, head to toe
Consumer Reports video thumbnail: Stylist braiding purple extensions into a client’s long black hair, with a circular professional headshot inset
Video12:12
Consumer Reports: States urged to regulate braiding hair amid federal silence
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