All news articles for April 2006

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27-Apr-2006

Colgate reports big jump in profits

Colgate-Palmolive has successfully implemented increased pricing and a greater emphasis on higher margin goods to help boost its first quarter results despite the challenge of facing stiff restructuring costs.

MeadWestvaco acquires Saint-Gobain dispensing division

MeadWestvaco has signed a definitive agreement with France-based Compagnie de Saint-Gobain to acquire Saint-Gobain Calmar, a global manufacturer of plastic dispensing and spraying systems, for $710 million.

Failed merger boosts Regis results

Hair salon operator and hair care provider Regis says its has swung back into profit following a string of disappointing results that led Albert-Culver executives to withdraw from a proposed merger.

26-Apr-2006

France bans vitamin K1 from cosmetic products

French health regulator Afssaps (Agence Française de Sécurité des Produits Santé) has put a total block on the production and distribution of the vitamin K1 for cosmetics products - a move that aims to tackle the problem of the growing number of individuals reporting severe allergic reactions.

L'Oreal CEO steps down, marking the end of an era

After 18 years at the helm of the world's leading cosmetics company, Sir Lindsay Owen-Jones has stepped down in favour of Frenchman Jean-Paul Agon. The question on everyone's lips now is can Agon measure up to the standards of his formidable successor?

25-Apr-2006

So just what kind of money do personal care CEOs earn?

The answers are all to be found in the latest report to tackle this subject. Forbes.com has studied the pay for the CEOs of the 500 biggest companies in the US, finding that seven of the highest paid individuals in the country work in the personal care sector.

EKM updates lab info system

US knowledge management firm EKM Corporation has launched an updated version of its Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS), in a move that aims to increase functionality, accuracy and speed of testing results.

Restructuring forces Avon to fire 1,300 staff

Avon has confirmed that it will fire 1,300 staff by the end of this year as part of the comprehensive restructuring program it announced in November last year.

24-Apr-2006

LVMH results show luxury is still the flavour of the month

Luxury cosmetics and fragrances are continuing to provide some of the biggest sales growth in the industry, as the latest quarterly results from France-based LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton reveal.

Research consortium puts nanotechnology to the test

A German research consortium is investigating the effects of nanoparticles at the research and development stage in an effort to determine its effect on individuals' health as well as the environment.

21-Apr-2006

Dow Cornings launches 'next-generation' thickening agent

Dow Corning has launched a new class of multifunctional silica particles on the worldwide market that are claimed to be efficient oil-phase thickeners as well as sebum absorbers for skin creams.

The simple solution to meeting consumer demands

Meeting consumer demands is surely the most crucial ingredient to success in the personal care industry. Currently health and well-being, anti-aging and both the male and mature markets are the main driving forces, but blindly pursuing these objective is not enough.

Carolina launches new medicated makeup range

In the US, Carolina Pharmacy Systems has unveiled its Meds in Makeup range ofproducts formulated to meet the specific requirements of individuals suffering from skin conditions such as acne, rosacea, eczema and psoriasis.

20-Apr-2006

ISP launches combined thickening and styling agent

The European division of the US-based International Specialty Products group (ISP) is making a number of new launches, including a dual-function thickening and styling agent.

Benefit Cosmetics to be sold through Amazon

Benefit Cosmetics, a subsidiary of luxury group LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, has signed a deal with Amazon to sell its cosmetics products online in the US and UK markets.

19-Apr-2006

Sales of prestige beauty products hit a new high

Anti-aging and celebrity endorsements are continuing to fuel a significant rise in sales of prestige beauty products in the US, with the make-up segment providing the main driving force in a market now valued at $8.2bn.

Complex formulations driving growth in surfactants and silicones

The US personal care market is expected to be the primary driving force between significant growth in the markets for both surfactants and silicones as manufacturers continue their move towards increasingly functional and functional formulations.

Dove launches premium hair care line

Unilever is building on the success of its Dove megabrand with the launch of a series of prestige hair care products backed up with a professional hair care hotline, a move that reinforces the brand's positioning in the fast-growing 'masstige' category.

18-Apr-2006

Oriflame sets sights on Eastern Europe

Sweden-based direct sales player Oriflame says it will continue to focus its plans for sustained growth on Eastern Europe and Mediterranean regions, following the publication of its 2005 financial report.

17-Apr-2006

Wacker unveils skin care and silicone wax ingredients

Wacker Fine Chemicals, a division of Germany-based Wacker Chemicals, has launched a series of new ingredients that include a cyclodextrin complex for wrinkle treatments and sun care products as well as silicone waxes for a variety of conditioners.

In-Cosmetics Amazon focus draws the crowds

Keen interest in the focus on Amazon-sourced cosmetics ingredients at the recent In-Cosmetics show in Barcelona reflects the huge demand for exotic natural ingredients that is currently a major driving force for product innovation right now.

14-Apr-2006

Eastman plunges into natural active ingredients

Within the personal care sector Eastman is a name that has traditionally been associated with packaging materials, but this is rapidly changing as the company hones its personal care portfolio with its first ever natural active ingredient.

Ethical investment firm mounts pressure on CVS

Boston Common Asset Management says its move to make US health and cosmetics provider CVS examine the issue of 'unsafe' ingredients in its private label products will come to a head when the issue is voted by shareholders on May 11th.

PCITX conference lifts lid on new technologies

The PCITX mid-year conference is set to open its doors in New York City next week with a series of presentations that will discuss the latest progress for ingredients together with technologies.

13-Apr-2006

Anti-ageing patches are here!

A partnership between an Israeli and a South Korean company has come up with what is claimed to be a first - anti-ageing patches that target specific areas of the face.

The key word on everyone's lips - Innovation

At last week's In-Cosmetics event there was one word that seemed to dominate amidst all the new product launches, trend surveys and general hype. That word was innovation and it is something that is injecting renewed growth within all sectors of the industry.

12-Apr-2006

Cider by-product provides natural alternative to tartrazine

French researchers say a by-product of the cider industry could provide an alternative to cosmetic synthetic colourants such as tartrazine (E 102).

UK women spend big to look better

Following in the steps of US women, their beauty-conscious British counterparts are spending a whopping £3,000 (€4,300) a year on beauty products and treatments, with 81 per cent of women wearing make-up every day, says a survey commissioned by New Woman magazine.

Kyowa Hakko launches cosmeceutical skin care ingredient

The US division of Japanese biotech company Kyowa Hakko has launched a new anti-aging cosmeceutical ingredient, Lumistor L-Hydroxyroline. Said to be a naturally derived amino acid, its benefits include skin moisture retention and the proliferation of skin cells.

Estee Lauder sells stila cosmetics brand

Estee Lauder Companies has sold the stila color cosmetics brand to Stila Corp, an affiliate of Florida-based equity firm Sun Capital Partners, in a move that aims to concentrate on the more profitable brands in its portfolio.

10-Apr-2006

Barcelona proves a winning venue for In-Cosmetics

The organisers of this year's In-Cosmetics event claim that show attendance rose 67 per cent in the first two days compared to last year's event in Berlin - figures that were confirmed by the throngs of people buzzing around the stands.

06-Apr-2006

Estée Lauder to go to court for 'artificially inflating' share prices

Cosmetics giant Estée Lauder has been accused of artificially inflating its share prices in a lawsuit filed by shareholders who claim they were tricked into investing in the struggling company.

Arden to launch celebrity fragrance- again

Elizabeth Arden is to team up with singer Mariah Carey for the launch of a new line of fragrances. The announcement comes just a few weeks after the company's shares fell on the back of rising competition in the celebrity fragrance market.

PandG files suit against oral firm for toothbrush patent rights

Procter & Gamble (P&G) has filed a lawsuit against a manufacturer of oral care products for infringing on patents held by its Braun brand.

04-Apr-2006

In-Cosmetics 2006 opens its doors in Barcelona

Today marks the opening of this year's In-Cosmetics show. The next three days will see some frantic activity as exhibitors and industry professionals from all over the world clamber through the show's gates to do business.

Retailer moves to wipe out 'unsafe' cosmetics

Bowing to pressure from consumers and lobby groups, US-based retailer CVS Corporation says it is planning to make a proposal to shareholders that will end the sale of products containing ingredients deemed to be unsafe.

Ingredients players jointly develop leave-on skin care materials

Two leading US ingredients players - Abitec and McIntyre - have combined resources to develop a new line of leave-on raw materials delivering emolliency, solvency, pigment-wetting and emulsification properties for a spectrum of topical lotions and color cosmetics.

RFID cost remains difficult to justify - for now

Some industries could achieve a reasonable payback from an investment in radio frequency identification (RFID) by 2008. Other sectors - such as personal care sector - will have a tough time achieving such results, according to a consultancy report.