Breaking News on Cosmetics Formulation & Packaging - North America EU edition

The dark side of light radiation in teeth bleaching

Light radiation used in teeth bleaching treatments may be both useless and dangerous, according to recent research.

Pierre Fabre invests in dermo-cosmetic production

Pierre Fabre is investing €71m and creating 150 new jobs to increase production of its dermo-cosmetics products.

US FDA issues health warning about topical anaesthetics

Ignited by the global growth in the use of topical anaesthetics for cosmetic procedures, the US FDA has issued a health warning after a study concluded that the drug lidocaine carries risks.

Still opportunities in mass market beauty, conference speaker claims

As beauty consumers are changing the way they shop because of the economic conditions, an expert believes this will create ‘windows of opportunity’.

Colgate-Palmolive confident for the year ahead

Amid a struggling global economy, Colgate-Palmolive has posted strong fourth quarter results and looks forward to higher profit margins in 2009.

Japanese cosmetic firms cut forecasts

Japanese cosmetic manufacturers Kao and Shiseido have both cut their forecasts for the fiscal year in light of the deteriorating economic landscape.

News in brief

HBA postpones X-Ceuticals Synergy Conference

HBA has decided to postpone its X-Ceuticals Synergy Conference until a later date in the year when the health of the economy improves.

New powder ingredients aim to make formulation easier

California-based ingredients provider BiOrganic Concepts has launched a range of powders for both hair care and color cosmetics, said to offer distinct advantages for formulators.

Global toothpaste manufacturer taps into nanotechnology

Toothpaste manufacturer 3M ESPE has incorporated Indiana Nanotech’s calcium phosphate technology into its latest toothpaste launch.

Report underlines global divide for prestige beauty in 2008

A marked division between the performance of established and developing markets in the prestige beauty category in 2008 underlines the impact of the economic crisis.

Lower demand and high costs drag results down for packaging players

Lower demand for packaged consumer goods and rising raw material costs have led to large net losses for packaging giant MeadWestvaco (MWV) and chemicals behemoth DuPont.

Rohm & Haas sues Dow over failure to meet acquisition deadline

Rohm & Haas is suing Dow Chemical to enforce their proposed merger agreement that now appears to be on the brink of collapse.

Fusion looks to break packaging mold with new curvy airless line

Fusion Packaging has launched a range of curvy airless bottles and jars targeted at luxury skincare manufacturers looking to stand out from the crowd.

News in brief

Walgreens president booked for PCPC annual meeting

The Personal Care Products Council (PCPC) has announced that the president of Walgreens will deliver the keynote address at the trade association’s 2009 Annual Meeting next month.

Unilever buys TIGI professional hair care business

Unilever is buying the TIGI professional hair product business from the owners of Toni & Guy for $411.5m in cash.

Weekly comment

Cosmetics regulation: navigating the minefield

European cosmetics regulation has long been a minefield of grey areas and contradictions, a point that is underlined by the struggle to ban the testing of cosmetics ingredients on animals.

Personal care saves the day for Energizer

Household and personal care provider Energizer Holdings says a solid first quarterly performance for personal care has helped buoy an otherwise poor sales performance.

Sustainability is not yet a household term, says Hartman Group

The term ‘sustainability’ is unfamiliar to almost half of US consumers, according to new research from The Hartman Group, and many of those who do know what it means don’t know what companies or products are sustainable.

Cosmetics Compact

Cosmetics Compact: Industry fights back against moisturiser, skin cancer claims

Dodgy statistics and unrealistic models were some of the criticisms thrown at the scientists whose study claimed a link between moisturiser use and tumour formation in mice with a high risk of skin cancer.

MWV closes cosmetics packaging plant in Ohio

MeadWestvaco (MWV) is closing a cosmetics packaging plant in Washington Court House, Ohio, as part of a comprehensive cost cutting program.

Beauty analyst unmasks the hottest ingredient trends

Mintel beauty analyst Nica Lewis looks into her cosmetics crystal ball and picks out the ingredients poised to shape the industry in the year ahead.

Kimberly-Clark profits slide due to weak currency and soft sales

Kimberly-Clark is the latest personal care player to be hit by the economic downturn as it announces net profits slide by more than 8 percent.

Professional hair care keeps Alberto Culver's sales strong

Alberto Culver reports strong first quarter results on the back of the successful TreSemme and Nexxus brands.

Dove joins TV series on advertising

Leading beauty brand Dove will be taking centre stage in a new TV series about an advertising agency, Trust Me.

Inter Parfums suffers end of year sales dip

Inter Parfums has left its sales forecast for the year ahead unchanged despite reporting a 16 per cent decline in turnover to $100.6m for the final quarter of 2008.

Search tool aims to speed up product to market

Global publisher Elsevier has launched a new search tool that provides instant information about consumer goods launches and resources worldwide.

Beiersdorf should abandon 2010 targets, says report

Bernstein Research has called on Beiersdorf to scrap its 2010 market share and margin targets, or risk damaging the business.

Gilchrist & Soames plans $3m US expansion

Hotel toiletries maker Gilchrist & Soames is bucking the trend for closures and job losses by announcing a $3m expansion plan to expand its Indiana-based manufacturing facilities.

CPL Aromas' US division agrees to buy fragrance firm Hagelin

The US arm of fragrance ingredients supplier CPL Aromas has agreed to purchase the fragrance division of New Jersey-based Hagelin.

Rohm and Haas slashes 900 jobs in second round of cuts

Rohm and Haas is cutting 900 jobs in an effort to protect profits from the hostile economic environment.

Skinvisible and Cambrex joint venture to develop acne products

Pharmaceutical developer Skinvisible and active ingredients specialist Cambrex have joined forces with the aim of bringing new acne treatments to market.

News in brief

Jan Marini criticizes eyelash enhancing drug from Allergan

Jan Marini Skin Research has hit out against the new eyelash enhancing drug from Allergan, which gained regulatory approval from the FDA last month.

Industry responds to research into skin cancer, moisturiser link

A study that suggested common moisturisers may increase the rate of tumour formation in mice with a high skin cancer risk has provoked a storm within the industry.

Analysts divided on health of Avon

Avon releases its fourth quarter results at the beginning of February but analysts disagree on the health of the direct seller in the current climate.

Japanese scientists unravel cognitive secrets to putting on make-up

Scientific research sponsored by Japanese cosmetics giant Kanebo reveal exactly what goes through a women’s mind when she applies make-up.

Angus Chemical opens $10m facility in Louisiana

The supplier of neutralizers and amino alcohols to the personal care market, Angus Chemical, has opened its $10m facility in Louisiana.

Pro-Tect buys nanotechnology method to enhance anti-aging extracts

Pro-Tect has acquired the rights to a nanotechnology method from Medivices Corporation that it plans to use to speed up the penetration of anti-aging ingredients.

BASF announces 'significant decline' in business

BASF has announced that business ‘declined significantly’ in December forcing the company to reduce production and cut working hours.

J&J posts big rise in profits despite sales slump

Health and personal care giant Johnson & Johnson has announced a 14 percent rise in profits despite the big drop in retail sales in the US.

Nu Skin expands operations in China

Nu Skin has gained official approval to begin direct selling activities in Shenzhen City and four other cities in the Guangdong province.

Investigating p53 expression could enhance sunscreen efficacy tests

Looking directly at the expression of the p53 gene may be a more accurate way of testing how well a sunscreen protects against UV damage, according to a recent study.

Athena Cosmetics launches conditioner for thinning hair

California-based Athena Cosmetics has launched a product designed for thinning hair following the release of its thickening eyelash conditioner.

Estee Lauder lowers expectations for fiscal 2009

Luxury cosmetics giant Estee Lauder says it is lowering its expectations for the quarter ending 31 December and the full fiscal year ‘to reflect the deteriorated global economic conditions’.

Elizabeth Arden holiday sales expected to fall by 13 percent

Elizabeth Arden is the latest cosmetics company to cut its sales and earnings forecast, leading its share price to plummet to the lowest it has been in 9 years.

Givaudan opens creative fragrance center

Swiss fragrance giant Givaudan has opened a new Consumer Products Fragrance Creative Center in East Hannover, New Jersey, aimed at creating innovative and multi-functional fragrances.

Weekly comment

Beauty industry is not looking as ugly as it appears

Estee Lauder and Elizabeth Arden have endured a dismal holiday season but the beauty industry is not looking as ugly as the figures may suggest.

Nestle should resist the temptation to acquire L'Oreal, says report

Nestle can’t, shouldn’t and probably won’t mount a takeover bid for L’Oreal, according to a new report from Bernstein Research.

News in brief

MWV slashes workforce and closes factories

Under rising economic pressure, MeadWestvaco (MWV) is closing 12 to 14 manufacturing plants and cutting 2,000 jobs, 10 percent of its workforce.

News in brief

J&J gains clearance for Mentor acquisition

Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has announced that it has received regulatory approval for its $1.07bn acquisition of breast implant specialist Mentor.

LibraGen launches range of stable polyphenols for cosmetics

France-based LibraGen is looking for partners to help develop its range of stable polyphenol compounds for cosmetics products.

Report slams L'Oreal management and predicts tough 2009

L’Oreal has been trading on past glories and is beginning to pay the price for years of mismanagement, according to a new report from Bernstein Research.

Direct sellers stand to benefit in a recession, says trade association

Direct sellers stand to benefit during a recession as recruiting sales representatives gets easier and consumers turn to low price products, according to the US Direct Selling Association (DSA).

HBA conference hones in on X-Ceuticals

HBA is hosting a conference dedicated to the growing market for products that break down traditional boundaries between food, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

P&G aims to add volume to hair care sales with new Herbal Essences line

Procter and Gamble (P&G) intends to rejuvenate its hair care fortunes with a new Herbal Essences line that combines two shampoos in twisting swirls.

Study points to risk of cancer in alcohol-based mouthwash

Studies carried out at the University of Melbourne suggest that many commonly available mouthwashes may pose medical risks such as cancer.

International survey uncovers cosmetic resilience

An international survey of buying habits suggests the economic downturn will not take a large bite out of the global cosmetics market but revealed very different attitudes across countries.

Virtual mirror allows consumers to experiment without trying

EZFace claims its virtual mirror that allows consumers to virtually try color cosmetics before buying can help retailers improve sales.

Personal care bucks downward retail sales trend

The December trade retail sales figures from the US Department of Commerce reveal that the personal care category is a shining star amid poor overall figures.

Skin care firm Freedom2 merges with eFoodSafety

Freedom2 has merged with eFoodSafety.com to create a new company serving the health and skin care markets and help fund the development of applications for its encapsulation technology.

InterMed investment targets Malaysia’s functional secrets

A provider of proprietary developments for nutraceutical and cosmeceutical ingredients has extended an existing cooperation for discovering new functional materials sourced from the jungles of Malaysia.

Weekly comment

Not all nanoparticles are created equal

It is clear that nanoparticles may behave differently from their macro counterparts; however, the tendency to lump them all together is misguided.

Coty and ck one bring in a new year with a new campaign

Coty is starting the New Year with an aggressive new advertising campaign for ck one from Calvin Klein.

Parlux sales still up despite fall in international markets

Parlux preliminary sales rose six percent during its all-important third quarter, but the company aims to cut costs to offset a sharp fall in sales to overseas customers.

Retailers give away millions of dollars of cosmetics in legal settlement

Beauty consumers affected by a price-fixing scandal will have the chance to get their own back on leading retailers in a $175m cosmetics giveaway this month.

Largest US co-op opts for NPA standard

Seattle-based food and healthcare co-operative PCC Natural Markets has instructed all its suppliers of personal care products to comply with NPA standards.

Two new members appointed to the CIR Expert Panel

The Personal Care Products Council has announced the appointment of two new members to the Cosmetic Ingredients Review (CIR) Expert Panel.

Q2 sales revenue falls by 4 percent for Regis

Second quarter sales fell by 4 percent for hair care provider Regis, as the deconsolidation of its European franchise hit hard, further impacted by the economic climate.

Industry needs a universal way to communicate UVA protection, says Professor

Unlike the SPF value, there is no universal index to convey a product’s UVA protection to the consumer. Brian Diffey, an emeritus Professor of Photobiology at the University of Newcastle, argues that harmonization is long overdue and gives details on a new method he has published in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science.

Natural and organic cosmetics tipped to resist downturn

Industry insiders predict that natural and organic cosmetics will hold up well in 2009 even if they do not enjoy the dramatic sales growth of previous years.

Aerosol specialist acquires German filler Czewo

ColepCCL, which supplies the personal care industry with aerosol based products, has completed the acquisition of Czewo Full Filling Service in order to fulfil the growing demands for outsourcing.

Financial crisis snuffs out perfume retailer

The economic downturn has continued to eat into British town centers taking the perfume retailer Passion for Perfume as its latest victim.

News in brief

Gottschalks's future looks uncertain

Department store chain Gottschalks has reported an 11.5 percent drop in total sales for December to $99.8m compared with the previous year.

Beauty retailer suffers weak sales in holiday period

After a disappointing holiday period, cosmetics and beauty retailer Ulta has reduced its annual guidance figures.

Helen of Troy posts sharp fall in quarterly sales and profits

Helen of Troy has reported a slump in sales and profits that it blames on deteriorating economic conditions and the strength of the dollar.

Packaging launch promises to reduce costs of new designs

Sun Chemical and Keating Specialist Cylinders have launched a concept after years of research and development to help brand owners to apply different packaging effects more cost-effectively.

Thistle helps skin recover after cosmetic treatments, says supplier

Cotton thistle extract can help repair and restructure damaged skin, according to French ingredients supplier Gattefossé.

Estee Lauder in trouble over 'instant' wrinkle filler

Estée Lauder is the latest company to run into trouble with the UK advertising standards agency (ASA) for making claims about its product that could not be supported.

Organic Beauty magazine launched for New Year

The first issue of a magazine dedicated to natural, eco-friendly and organic beauty products hit stands on New Year’s Day.

Settlement reached by P&G in patent infringement case

Fruit of the Earth has agreed to remove products from its portfolio that were deemed to infringe a number of Procter & Gamble (P&G) patents.

Religion turns people off nanotechnology, says study

Europeans are more open to nanotechnology than Americans, according to a report published in Nature Nanotechnology journal.

French direct seller is saved from bankruptcy

After nearly 18 months of difficulties the French direct seller Lexel Cosmétiques has found a partner and can continue trading.

Sniffing out the science behind the ‘Lynx effect’

The famous ‘Lynx effect’ may not be mere marketing according to researchers looking into the psychology of deodorant and fragrance products.

New biodegradable floss pick launched with Cereplast bioplastic

Cereplast is the new supplier of bioplastic for the world’s first biodegradable and compostable floss pick.

New lipstick pigment adds shine and disguises wrinkles, says Shiseido

A new lipstick pigment combines vivid shine whilst helping to diminish the appearance of lip lines and wrinkles, says manufacturer Shiseido.

New labeling rules for cochineal bug coloring

Cosmetic, food and beverage manufacturers that color their products with carmine and cochineal extract must now declare the ingredients on the label under a new Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ruling.

Cosmetics inspired by cartoon glamour girl

Too Faced Cosmetics is hoping to attract girls of all ages with its Smurfette Color Cosmetics range.