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South Korea exports hit record US$7B as US demand surges

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%.
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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.
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BASF explores sustainable natural extraction and skin regeneration
BASF researchers are presenting findings and innovations on sustainable extraction and skin regeneration at the International Federation of Societies of Cosmetic Chemists (IFSCC) Congress 2026, currently taking place (September 28–October 1) in Perth, Australia. The studies highlighted by the global specialty chemicals company underscore three innovations for sustainable skin care: natural extraction technologies, collagen restoration, and balancing skin barrier support with sustainability. 
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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.
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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.
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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 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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ELF enters fragrance and body care with seasonal drop
Northern lights in Norway.
ELF Brands, part of ELF Beauty, is moving into fragrance and body care with the launch of ELF Pop, a collection designed to “transport consumers to sensorial destinations through signature scents.”
Syensqo guar polymer launch boosts fragrance and fabric care
Man smelling laundry.
Syensqo has unveiled Jaguar Care, a guar-based polymer designed to improve fragrance deposition, softness, and fabric protection in laundry detergents.
CeraVe survey exposes skin care’s complexity problem
A man speaking with people beside him.
CeraVe has revealed a gap between consumers’ awareness of the skin barrier and their actions taken to protect it. The research examined how people understand the skin barrier and respond to environmental stressors, showing where brands can innovate to cover industry whitespace. Almost all (90%) of adults surveyed said they are concerned about at least one environmental factor affecting their skin. Nearly half (47%) said their skin is more sensitive than it was five years ago, and 50% report dryness linked to their environment or changing weather.  
Eurofragance explores gourmand fragrance evolution with Atelier Nova
Eurofragance experience booth
Eurofragance has debuted Atelier Nova, a fragrance collection centered around gourmand scent formulations. The launch is structured around four categories: Raw, Ferment, Contrast, and Indulge.The collection was developed based on Eurofragance’s fragrance marketing trends forecasting platform, TrendScenteur. TrendScenteur pinpoints scent trends and translates them into marketing insights and creative trajectories for the Spanish fragrance house’s perfumery. 
Univar Solutions and CABB extend glycolic acid distribution across North America
woman exfoliating with body scrub product
Univar Solutions has entered an exclusive North American glycolic acid distribution partnership with CABB Group. Through its Ingredients + Specialties division, the global chemicals and ingredients distributor is strengthening its North American beauty positioning. According to Univar, incorporating glycolic acid into its offerings aligns with its strategy of investing in areas of growth, bolstering its ingredient portfolio, and enabling differentiated formulations.
CPHI Milan 2026: Bioiberica eyes longevity and GLP-1 as healthy aging becomes...
Bioiberica booth CPHI 2026

Nutrition Insight

In Italy, at the ongoing CPHI Milan 2026 trade show, Nutrition Insight meets with Bioiberica, which is showcasing branded nutraceuticals and a diverse range of active pharmaceutical ingredients, alongside more than 40 ongoing heparin research projects. On the showroom floor, Mónica Gómez Navarro, marketing manager for Branded Ingredients at Bioiberica, tells us about upcoming macrotrends in the nutraceutical industry and the global life sciences company’s business decisions that the market has not yet fully understood. 
Highlighted features
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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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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
Video07:54
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
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Consumer Reports: States urged to regulate braiding hair amid federal silence
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