Sustainable beauty takes on multiple formats
Most of the key trends spotted among the finished beauty products at Cosmoprof Bologna this year are related to sustainable, ecological and climate-conscious lifestyles. This megatrend has accelerated during the pandemic and is becoming stronger and more inclusive every year. As a result, plastic-free and zero-waste brand concepts were visible everywhere on the show floor, as were water-conscious products in various iterations. Let us also note that vegan has become the norm for newcomer brands, especially those in the organic and clean beauty space.
Solid care for hair and body. Formats have been dominating beauty releases in recent years. However, many of the new bath and body solids introduced at the show had little to do with the classic boxy shampoo or shower bars, as independent brands and newcomers are increasingly creating more. more sophisticated formulas and product designs.
Korean organic beauty brand natural urangThe new Moringa Healthy Scalp shampoo bar, for example, has been formulated with soap noodles to help create an extra creamy lather and moringa extract to condition the scalp. The ovoid shape of the solid shampoo is comfortable to hold with wet hands and its rough surface foams quickly. Similarly, Lithuanian solid beauty brand Solid Cosmetics uses processed vegetable oils as a base in its thyme body butter (instead of the more commonly used shea butter or cocoa butter) so the easy-to-grip, hexagonal-shaped body moisturizer melts quickly into skin without make it sticky.
There was also a wave of solid face care is launched at the fair. Depending on their positioning, brands are marketing solid face care bars as either plastic-free or reduced packaging alternatives or as more convenient, fun and travel-friendly products. korean beauty brand ketene featured several twisted face moisturizers, including a Multi Balm formulated with avocado oil and macadamia oil. fellow korean beauty brand lovbod introduced its new Dark Spots illuminating stick formulated with soothing bisabolol and sweet almond oil to hydrate and brighten discolored areas of the skin, while Canada’s attitude launched several strong face and body care ranges, including a full line of cardboard-wrapped sunscreen sticks with mineral filters.
Since dry goods are much lighter, require less packaging and have a smaller CO2 footprint in terms of manufacturing and shipping, anhydrous beauty products – in the form of tablets, powders or flakes – were also very popular at the fair. They also provide a fun DIY twist as they are designed to be reconstituted with water by the consumer at home.
lebanese brand direct line received one of the fair’s awards for its new Deodorizing Roll-On, a vegan deodorant tablet that turns into a liquid deodorant formula once dissolved in water. organic beauty brand ben and ana from Germany, which originally started with baking soda deodorants, launched a compressed bar soap available in two fragrance variants that can be used to create liquid hand soaps.
zero waste it also continued to be a popular concept in both product packaging and ingredients/formulations, with more and more brands using ingredients from recycled or salvaged food waste.
UK vegan brand Rising Circle Beauty was one of the first European body care brands to use waste ingredients from the food industry in its products: the company started with bath and body care products formulated from recycled coffee grounds. Today, Upcircle Beauty also uses other byproducts of food waste: the brand’s recently launched body lotion and hand wash duo contains recycled bergamot and kiwi waters. And other British independent brand Fruu Cosmetics formulates its 40-sku range of solid hair, skin and body care products with waste from the food industry, such as fruit peels, pulp, juices and extracts.
Transparency and regional pride fuel ingredient localism
Brands also continued to highlight the key ingredients in their products, especially when sourced locally, combining transparency in terms of ingredient sourcing with localism and a pride in the regional/national heritage.
Newcomer Swiss brand Chiara ZurichThe 6 sku facial care range is based on glacier water that is sourced from the Titlis Mountain near Lucerne, where the brand’s founder hails from. korean independent brand Sioris‘ recently launched The Only One gel-textured facial essence, which is based on Korean bellflower extract. Similarly, the Danish organic company UniqueThe latest launch of the Beauhe:it brand, the vegan and genderless line for face, body and hair care, contains a wide range of typically Scandinavian plant-based ingredients. Eventually, let’s mention the Irish brand green angelThe new Hyaluronic Spheres Serum from Hyaluronic Spheres, which has been formulated with locally harvested algae and seaweed extracts.
This sharper focus on ingredients dates back to the functional beauty trend which was also playing an important role in the fair. Many brands presented active ingredients in the form of intensive serums and ampoules. Classic active ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, retinol or niacinamide were especially visible in the ranges of brands such as the one from Turkey The purest solutions or from the UK nature spell. However, there were also a number of brands that highlighted probiotics and ferments as their key functional asset, such as the South African brand EsseProbiotic Serum from .
Technology drives personalization
Personalization remains a key source of innovation in beauty, particularly in categories like facial care. Cosmoprof Bologna 2022 featured a number of exhibitors showing different angles on product customization. DIY concepts such as active ingredients in serum/booster form to modify beauty products or brands offering a neutral base cream plus suitable actives to customize a face cream remain popular. However, the advent of smart technology, digitization and beauty of DNA it is opening up entirely new possibilities for both consumers and brands.
spanish brand lesielleThe Adaptive Skin Care concept includes a small machine that mixes individual portions of skincare by combining active ingredients with a base cream. Swiss manufacturer of beauty technology reduit received one of the Cosmoprof Awards for its new Booster, an AI-powered manual applicator for creams and lotions that promises more efficient ingredient delivery. Finally, Genetics 23 from Italy offers personalized cosmetics based on DNA analysis, a detailed facial scan analysis and a complete questionnaire.
Source: www.premiumbeautynews.com