Iridescent promotional banner from Kao Chemicals Europe featuring “Pearled Perfection,” advertising Danox Pearl GS with soft pastel swirls and a “Learn more” button
Two women with Chinese makeup and traditional wear against a red backdrop

C-beauty expands globally with help from Korea and France

Chinese cosmetics are rapidly gaining traction internationally, with trade figures vouching for the growth. But unlike K-beauty’s competitive rise to global power, C-beauty appears to be reshaping industry alliances and challenging what cosmetic hierarchy looks like. According to China’s General Administration of Customs (GAC), the country’s cosmetic imports and exports exceeded ¥170 billion (US$24.8 billion) in 2025. The same year, China became the world’s largest cosmetics consumer market, with 57.4% of this market consisting of domestic C-beauty brands.
jojoba plant
Jojoba oil emerges as “hero ingredient” for clean label cosmetics
Jojoba oil and its derivatives continue to be a favored ingredient in the personal care industry as they offer sustainable and multifunctional ingredient profiles. Due to its texture that mimics human sebum, the oil is used as a naturally sourced active ingredient with desirable sensory properties.Innova Market Insights says jojoba is gaining momentum in global beauty launches as consumers increasingly seek value-driven, ingredient-led products. The market researcher’s data suggests that between April 2025 and March 2026, skin care was the top subcategory of launches incorporating jojoba oil. 
Person brushing teeth.
TriNutra’s black seed oil benefits gingival function and oral microbiome health, study finds
TriNutra, a company specializing in botanical extracts and operating from the US and Israel, has published a new human clinical study evaluating its patented ThymoQuin-OCare, an ingredient derived from black seed oil extract, for oral health support. The company positions the ingredient as a solution for supporting oral hygiene and overall mouth health.
Woman wearing blue traditional attire adorned with white and blue flowers in her hair, statement gold jewelry, and soft glam makeup, with floral-themed branding text beside her.
Harness the power of flowers for beauty
Using proprietary technologies like Zeta Fraction™, PSR™ technology and phytofermentology™, Ashland extracts potent actives from flower sources through eco-friendly processes, ensuring both efficacy and environmental responsibility. Driven by sustainability and technological advancement commitments, this allows development of biofunctionals that harness the power of advanced technologies, artificial intelligence, and plant-based innovation.

This Technical Paper is brought to you by Ashland.
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What’s Trending in Cosmetics: How neurocosmetics and personalization shape beauty’s future
The cosmetics industry is undergoing a transformation, driven by advancements in science and technology. At the forefront of this shift are neurocosmetics — a growing field that is poised to reshape the personalized beauty market.

In this webinar, Personal Care Insights will explore how the science behind neurocosmetics is driving innovation and fueling the personalized beauty trend. We’ll be joined by Eloïse Gerardin, CEO of Brain Impact Neuroscience, and Dr. Claudia Aguirre, a leading expert in neurocosmetics, for an exclusive conversation.
Nuria Vallespi Salvado, Ashland
In-cosmetics Global 2026: Ashland showcases multifunctional rheology modifier and super-wetter

Nuria Vallespi Salvado, senior marketing manager EMEA at Ashland, explored how the company’s multifunctional starch and super-wetters platforms accelerate innovation in skin and hair care. She highlighted Stabileze S Polymer’s versatile formulation benefits, Easy-Hance’s performance in wetting and surface interaction, and N-Hance CCG 75’s clear, lightweight conditioning.

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Report flags beauty “optimizers” as lucrative market opportunity
Three women together putting makeup on.
Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and Women’s Wear Daily (WWD) have reported that consumers are combining various beauty methods to optimize skin results. This burgeoning approach to beauty may become vastly lucrative in the coming years.Based on a survey of 5,000 US beauty consumers in April 2026, BCG and WWD have released a report titled: Consumers Are Shaping a New Age of Optimization in Beauty. The report reveals how brands and retailers can keep up with evolving demands by considering the “optimizer” consumer. 
Paula’s Choice scores FIFA World Cup sponsorship as sports and beauty converge
Paula's Choice.
Paula’s Choice has been named the Official Skincare Sponsor of the FIFA World Cup 2026 and the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027, as beauty brands increasingly turn to sport to expand cultural relevance and connect skin care with performance, resilience, and wellness.
Tate & Lyle and Ingredion discuss takeover amid personal care push
Tate & Lyle company logo on a computer screen under a magnifying glass
British ingredient supplier Tate & Lyle has confirmed that it is in talks with its US rival, Ingredion, over a potential takeover valued at £2.74 billion (US$3.7 billion). Both companies are primarily known for their activity in the food and beverage (F&B) industry.  However, the potential acquisition would combine their overlapping portfolios and could strengthen their presence in specialty ingredients — a category with significant relevance in cosmetics.
Seppic launches “tail-ored” pet care kit for grooming needs
a dog getting washed
Seppic has introduced “the tail-ored pet care collection,” a six-piece animal hygiene and care formulation kit for dogs, cats, or horses. The kit aims to provide technical evidence and inspiration to help brands develop pet care products. The kit complements Seppic ’s companion animal ingredient collection, Sepifriend, launched in late 2025.The specialty ingredients company states that the estimated number of people who have a pet in their home is over half the global population. The increasing role that animals play in consumers’ day-to-day lives is driving demand for grooming products.
Así Fragrances’ debut spotlights luxury scents for layering, experimentation...
Person applying fragrance.
Así Fragrances has hit the market with a collection of over 50 personal and home fragrance products. The range highlights premium luxury-inspired scents starting at US$39.
Kyowa Hakko highlights Cognizin citicoline’s science-backed cognitive health...
Woman having brain fog

Nutrition Insight

Kyowa Hakko USA is spotlighting citicoline’s benefits for cognitive performance and long-term brain health through multiple complementary mechanisms. The supplier will exhibit its citicoline ingredient Cognizin at this week’s Complementary Medicines Australia (CMA) Innovation Day 2026 in Sydney, Australia (May 21). CMA Innovation Day is one of Australia’s annual industry gatherings for the nutraceuticals supply chain, showcasing the latest innovations shaping the market for vitamins, minerals, and supplements in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region.
Highlighted features
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Regulatory News
EC Safety Gate: Industry “structural failure” reveals...
The European Commission has found that last year, cosmetics were the most frequently reported dangerous products in the EU. The annual Safety Gate Report has also revealed that a record number of dangerous cosmetics were withdrawn from the market in 2025. In 2025, 4,671 alerts were notified in the Safety Gate system, the highest recorded number since the system was launched in 2003. This is a 13% increase compared to 2024, and more than double the number of alerts reported in 2022. National authorities also issued a record number of follow-up actions, with 5,794 follow-up actions notified, which is a 35% increase compared to the previous year. 
ELC store front
Business News
Estée Lauder faces legal battles over China’s grey-market...
Estée Lauder Company (ELC) has agreed to a US$210 million settlement on a class action lawsuit alleging that the company defrauded shareholders in China, though it still requires approval by US District Judge Arun Subramanian. The suit claims that the ELC was non-transparent about its dependency on grey-market sales in China.ELC denies any wrongdoing as part of the agreement and has stated that its insurance would cover part of the settlement costs.
A woman on her phone looking stressed.
Key interview
Flo Health: Bridging personal and health care for faster...
It takes almost seven years for women to receive an endometriosis diagnosis, but Flo Health has found that when digital tools are used as intended, they can cut that time in half. The female technology (femtech) company has discovered that solutions like its Symptom Checker can reduce getting a diagnosis by over four years (or +50% sooner) and reduce costs by thousands of dollars per patient in the US. 

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Jojoba in the spotlightMay2026

Jojoba is gaining momentum in global beauty and personal care launches as consumers increasingly seek value-driven, ingredient-led products. According to Innova Market Insights data, half of the launc...

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High-performance actives May 2026

High-performance actives are gaining momentum as consumers embrace science-led skin care. According to Innova Market Insights’ 2026 trends, this curiosity is driving experimentation with both advanced lab-grown ingredients and next-generation botanical actives, blending biotechnology with nature for more targeted, results-driven formulations.

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Plant-based innovation trendsMay 2026

Innova Market Insights data indicates a 14% average growth in plant-based claims for personal care launches from 2021 to 2025. Europe accounted for the largest share of launches, with hand, bath, and shower products leading the category. Shower products dominated, while massage oils are gaining traction.

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Nuria Vallespi Salvado, Ashland
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In-cosmetics Global 2026: Ashland showcases multifunctional rheology modifier and super-wetter

Nuria Vallespi Salvado, senior marketing manager EMEA at Ashland, explored how the company’s multifunctional starch and super-wetters platforms accelerate innovation in skin and hair care. She highlighted Stabileze S Polymer’s versatile formulation benefits, Easy-Hance’s performance...

In-cosmetics 2026 Natix video thumbnail: Man in a circular portrait overlay beside white flowering plants in a dark green outdoor setting
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In-cosmetics Global 2026: Natix calls for return to basics with natural enzymes
Isabelle Jaouen and Nawal El Kahlaoui , Alland & Robert
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In-cosmetics Global 2026: Alland & Robert underscores need for multifunctional natural gums
Nisar Amin, Ingredion, In-Cosmetics Global 2026, Skin Care, Hair Care, Beauty And Home Care, Food Science, Clean Beauty, Sustainable Ingredients, Skin Care Formulations, Hair Care Formulations, Sensor
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In-cosmetics Global 2026: Ingredion leverages food expertise for skin care formulations
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