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

News in brief

Collagenna Skin Care signs Brazilian distribution agreement

Global General Technologies’ (GLGT) subsidiary, Collagenna Skin Care, has signed an exclusive licensing agreement with Brazilian-based distributor, EF Do Brasil.

Peacekeeper cause-metics gives more to charity with new products

The first all-benefit cosmetics company, Peacekeeper Cause-metics, which donates to women’s health advocacy and urgent human rights issues, has added four lip balm flavors to its product range.

Internet retail could open up male skin care market in China

Online retail could be the key to success for companies trying to tap in to the male skin care market in China.

Weekly comment

Less will be more for cosmetics players in 2010

As the global economy emerges from recession, consumers are embracing more modest consumption patterns, something cosmetics players cannot ignore as 2010 looms.

New cleanliness guidelines for herbal products

Promoting the responsible trade in herbal products and improving the service to consumers are the twin goals behind new guidance policies on microorganisms and mycotoxins and heavy metals from the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA).

Russian cosmetics market continues to grow despite economy

Although the global economic downturn has led to a slowdown in the Russian cosmetics market, growth is still predicted for this year.

Valve closure launched for personal care bottles and tubes

A valve closure from Plasticum that can be incorporated into oval bottles and circular tubes promises to seal off products, protecting against external contamination and leakage.

Nanoparticle toxicity centre opens in Scotland

A new centre to investigate the potential toxicity of nanoparticles has opened in Edinburgh, UK.

Key to growth in naturals and organic market is getting certified

Last week’s Sustainable Cosmetics Summit had a clear message that resounded throughout the proceedings: ‘get certified if you want to ensure future growth’.

Ingredient from milk proteins launched for post-treatment products

PL Thomas is targeting the growing number of women undergoing surgical and non-invasive cosmetics procedures with its new topical anti-aging cosmetic ingredient.

GLGT cancels merger to focus on skin care line

Canada-based Global General Technologies (GLGT) has canceled its merger with ITI Biotech to concentrate on the activities of its now sole subsidiary, Collagenna Skin Care.

US bio-plastics market set to boom

The future of packaging for fast moving consumer goods will lie in bio-plastics, according to Cereplast, a company that is investing heavily in the area.

News in brief

Airless dispensing remains the choice of prestige brands

Bulgari’s new moisturiser with UV protection and tinted foundation products are packaged using Rexam’s airless dispensing tube.

Germany objects to obligatory labelling of nano in cosmetics

Germany has objected to the obligatory labelling of nano ingredients in cosmetics products, a practice required by the new Cosmetics Directive.

Inter Parfums expects increased sales in 2010

Inter Parfums says that it expects to see its sales grow in 2010, in contrast to the shrinking sales experienced by the company during the course of 2009.

News in brief

P&G upgraded on the strength of its brands

Procter & Gamble had its financial rating upgraded by Moody’s from ‘negative’ to ‘stable’ today on the strength of its business prospects.

LG buys up Korean cosmetics player The Face Shop

Korean consumer goods company LG Household and Health Care (LG H&H) has bought domestic cosmetics manufacturer The Face Shop.

First retail launch for Rexam’s EZi foamer

The first retail launch of Rexam’s EZi foamer, a mechanical foam dispenser, has seen kid’s body wash products stocked by US retails giants, Target and Walmart.

PL Thomas enters into joint venture with natural extracts company

A joint venture between PL Thomas and Polifenoles Natural aims to bring standardized and well researched cosmetics and nutraceutical ingredients to market.

News in brief

Murad skin care range given to first class airline passengers

Prestige skin care brand Murad has entered into a deal with United Airlines to offer its products to first and business class customers.

Sally Beauty sales down on currency translations

Annual results for hair care products provider Sally Beauty Holdings suffered from negative currency effects, although sales benefited from a number of acquisitions.

'Fitter' products with fewer ingredients set to be big in 2010, Mintel

A rise in the status of private label brands, ‘fitter’ products with fewer ingredients, and colour coding for convenience are set to be important product trends for 2010.

P&G says it is still looking to boost beauty through acquisitions

Procter & Gamble says it will continue to look out for beauty acquisitions in the coming year, and will most likely be focusing on value-added skin care brands.

Authorities in Peru block ‘human fat for cosmetics’ ring

Police in Peru say they have arrested a number of people on suspicion of murdering people in order to sell on their fat, allegedly to European cosmetic makers.

English perfume house Grossmith revived with luxury launch

The launch of three luxury scents marks the revival of what was once one of England’s largest perfume houses.

Symrise buys into North Africa and Middle East

Symrise has acquired fragrance and flavours maker Futura Labs to tap into opportunities in the fast growing regions of North Africa and the Middle East.

Rumours fly over sale of Reckitt Benckiser

Talk of a multi-billion euro transaction involving Reckitt Benckiser, a global brand owner of personal care and household products, has sent share prices rocketing.

P&G combines Olay brand with washing up liquid

Procter & Gamble has launched an extensive marketing campaign to promote its Dawn Hand Renewal washing up liquid, which combines Olay skin care.

Personal care market set for strong recovery in 2010

An upturn in the US consumer products industry is likely to benefit the personal care sector as 2009 draws to an end, indicating a much stronger year ahead.

News in brief

Verdure Sciences receives provisional patent for pomegranate extract

Verdure Sciences is soon to be issued with a patent for its Pomella Extract ingredient, which can be used in cosmetics applications.

Dispute continues over Polo fragrance

A long running dispute involving the Ralph Lauren Polo brand moves into the fragrance arena as the US Polo Association prepares to launch a perfume collection.

New data on parabens suggests no adverse hormonal effect on the body

The industry awaits the judgement on parabens following the release of further data on skin absorption and the distribution of the chemicals in the body.

Exposure to nano titanium dioxide could up cancer risk, says study

There may be a potential risk of cancer and genetic disorders for individuals working with high concentrations of titanium dioxide nanoparticles, according to US scientists.

FDA expands delivery of consumer health information

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) hopes to extend the reach of its consumer health information through a collaboration with health information website, Everyday Health.

High hopes for its new range leads Nu Skin to up forecast

Direct seller Nu Skin ups its forecast for the year as it predicts strong results from its new anti-aging range as well as an improved performance in Japan.

LG Household share prices jump due to acquisition rumours

Rumours that the Korean consumer goods company is planning a takeover of the country’s third largest cosmetics manufacturer has caused its share prices to rise.

Draft standard for Halal Cosmetics to be released next year

International regulation of the Halal industry, with the implementation of a global standard that includes cosmetics and toiletries, could soon become a reality as the final batch of draft standards are expected to be available for public comment by June 2010.

France's Cosmetics Valley welcomes 12 new members

Cosmetics Valley, the France-based industry association for the cosmetics and fragrance industry has welcomed 12 new members to its competitiveness cluster.

Cosmoprof Asia continues to grow

Cosmoprof Asia 2009, the beauty industry tradeshow for the Asia-Pacific region, witnessed an increase in the number of exhibitors and visitors in comparison to last year’s figures.

News in brief

Study to look at luxury consumers and the internet

Unity Marketing has announced a new market research initiative investigating how consumers of luxury products use the internet.

Cognis modernizes surfactant production in Mexico

The new sulfation facility at Cognis’ Mexico plant will allow the specialty chemicals supplier to produce high quality surfactant ingredients for shampoos and shower gels.

Surfactant coatings alter nanoparticles’ behaviour in water treatment plants

Coating nanoparticles with a surfactant of the sort often found in personal care products may aid their removal from wastewater treatment systems, according to scientists in the UK.

Beverages tipped to be the future of the beauty food segment

Beauty beverages, including juices and flavored waters, are tipped for significant growth in the US and Europe as the beauty from within trend gathers pace.

Consumers plan to make more fragrance buys this holiday season

It has been a bad year for the US fragrance industry but new data from the NPD Group shows that more consumers are planning to buy fragrance in the ramp up to Christmas.

Anti-aging skincare uses Chinese herb to combat cell degeneration

An anti-aging skincare line that claims to be the first to use a patented Schisandra berry formulation to combat cell degeneration has been launched.

News in brief

Yardley's international personal care business acquired by Wipro

Indian investment firm Wipro has acquired the personal care operation for the Yardley brand in the Asia Pacific and Middle East operations.

Unilever outsources end-user services to Unisys

Unilever says it will secure over €1bn of savings in its IT division from the outsourcing of end-user services to IT services provider Unisys.

HCP packaging to expand production facilities

Global cosmetics packaging supplier, HCP Packaging, is expanding its North American production capacity by opening a new factory in Mexico.

BASF lycopene ingredient fits well with ‘beauty from within’ trend

BASF’s latest lycopene ingredient for beverages perfectly positions the company to take advantage of the growing beauty from within category.

Plastic additive firms face €173m price fixing fine

Dozens of companies that produce plastic additives for food, beverage and cosmetic packaging have been fined more than €173m for their part in price fixing and market sharing cartels over a 13-year period.

Unilever announces consolidation of US personal care operations

Unilever is combining its Chicago-based antiperspirants, deodorant and hair care group with its skin care division as part of its cost saving initiatives.

Expert says online retailing spells cheaper cosmetics but less choice

New research from the University of Illinois suggests that the evolution of online retailing could lead to less choice for product categories including cosmetics.

USDA crackdown on misuse of ‘organic’ not imminent, say standards holders

US organic standards holders are not expecting an imminent USDA crackdown on the misuse of the term ‘organic’ in the cosmetics and personal care sector.

News in brief

Recyclable aluminum spray bottles launched by Qosmedix

New York-based packaging supplier Qosmedix has added aluminum spray bottles to its cosmetics and fragrance packaging line.

Prospects of a global organics standard ‘appear low’

With the proliferation of yet more natural and organic cosmetic standards, analysts say the prospects for a global unified standard are not getting any closer.

Weekly comment

Public dialogue on nano should take a back seat until there is more data

Earlier this week the European Commission published a report detailing progress on its Action Plan on nanotechnology – the use of the tiny particles that are tipped to have huge effects on consumer products and society at large.

Inter Parfums plans Burberry cosmetics launch to drive 2010 sales

New York-based Inter Parfums said the sales decline in its European-based divisions masked a very successful quarter for Burberry, one of its leading brands.

News in brief

Estée Lauder appoints new creative director of make-up

Estée Lauder has appointed make-up artist Tom Pecheux as the brand’s creative make-up director, in a move that is claimed to chart a new course for its make-up division.

P&G consolidates research and development facilities

Procter & Gamble is consolidating two of its research and development facilities in the US as part of aims to move product development closer to the main operations they support.

Index measures digital competence of luxury brands

Despite the increased number of luxury brands that are embracing e-commerce and using social media to market their products, many are failing to exploit the internet’s potential, according to a recent study by NYU Stern School of Business.

Yahoo settles case over keyword adverts with Mary Kay

Internet search engine Yahoo has settled out of court with cosmetics company Mary Kay over the use of keywords to generate ads.

TricorBraun’s interlocking bottles receive patent

US-based packaging designer and supplier, TricorBraun, has received a patent for its interlocking bottle technology.

Massive growth in cosmeceuticals leads to ingredients shortage

Growth in the cosmeceuticals category is not being matched by the launch of new and innovative ingredients to meet manufacturers demands.

USDA asked to crack down on use of 'organic' for non-certified cosmetics

The USDA has been called upon to get tough on the misuse of the term ‘organic’ in personal care and cosmetics products.

Unilever’s personal care division records solid Q3 performance

Unilever continues to weather the economic downturn well, but the company hints that further discounting could be on the horizon.

News in brief

Waitrose launches essential beauty range

UK supermarket, Waitrose, has expanded their Essential range by launching basic beauty products that include shampoos, shower gels and soaps.

Huge scope for anti-ageing ingredients, says new research

The global anti-ageing food market shows huge potential, with an increasing number, size and variety of companies registering an interest in moving into the sector, claims a new report.

Consumers and regulation demand scientifically backed beauty foods

A combination of consumer pressure and a regulation overhaul is set to drive a more scientifically substantiated beauty foods, drinks and supplements sector.

P&G acknowledges its top performing global suppliers

Procter & Gamble has honoured some of the world’s leading personal care suppliers at its annual suppliers awards event.

Parlux sales turn the corner, though profits fall

New fragrance launches help to drive sales growth at Parlux, but higher costs mean profits slide for the second quarter results.

First anti-aging serum to combat both oxidation and glycation launched

An anti-aging serum that claims to be the first skincare product on the mass market that fights against both oxidation and glycation has been launched.

Beiersdorf profits tumble but results beat expectations

Beiersdorf is still reeling from the downturn in its non-personal care operations, but the improvement in the group’s business operations overall is quicker than expected.

News in brief

New science and regulatory affairs manager for IFRA

The International Fragrance Association (IFRA) has appointed Aurore Boudet to the position of scientific and regulatory affairs manager.

Kane Biotech registers patent for caries-fighting technology

Canada-based Kane Biotech has been granted a patent by the US authorities for its peptides-based technology on the grounds that it can prevent the onset of caries.

Plant closure expenses drag profits down at IFF

Sales were showing signs of recovery for International Flavors and Fragrances in the third quarter, but profits were dragged down by charges.

NaturalNano readies to break into cosmetics market

New York-based NaturalNano, developer of Halloysite Natural Tubes (HNT), says a recent feasibility study confirms the company's aims to expand in the cosmetics market.

News in brief

MWV appoints new vice president of global innovation

Global provider of packaging solutions, MWV, has appointed Alejandro Cedeño as the new vice president of global innovations.

Johnson & Johnson to cut up to 8,000 jobs worldwide

Consumer giant, Johnson & Johnson, has announced global job cuts as part of its restructuring initiatives.

Microcapsules developed to deliver chemicals ‘on demand'

Scientists in the US have developed phototriggerable microcapsules, which could have implications for active ingredients in personal care.

Nanoencapsulation: difference between ‘making money and breaking even’

Nanoencapsulation can make significant savings for formulators as it can reduce the amount of active ingredients needed, according to Ken Chomistek, a research engineer with Microfluidics.

Nanoencapsulation can bring 'dramatic' savings for formulators

Nanoencapsulation can make significant savings for formulators as it can reduce the amount of active ingredients needed, according to Ken Chomistek, a research engineer with Microfluidics.

Rising to the challenge of formulating with natural preservatives

The forthcoming Sustainable Cosmetics Summit will identify and tackle the core challenges that natural cosmetics formulators encounter, including the issue of preservatives.

Blistex launches first soft lip balm in solid tube

Lip care specialists, Blistex, have launched Lip Massage, the first non-solid lip balm packaged in a durable stick container.

News in brief

Dermatologists launch website to teach kids about skin, hair and nail care

Dermatologists have created a website that provides information about caring for skin, hair and nails for children aged 8-12 years and their parents.

Lifting the lid on what defines the beauty foods category

Beauty foods, beauty from within, nutraceuticals, cosmeceuticals - with so many terms and so many different types of products within this fast-growing category, defining and positioning those products has never been more important.

Revlon profits slide on slow sales and strong dollar

Revlon revealed falling sales during its third quarter, underlining tough retail conditions and the strength of the dollar against international currencies.

Elizabeth Arden nudges back into the back despite sales slide

Ongoing weakness in the North American fragrance market has dragged Elizabeth Arden sales down but profit for the first quarter is up on last year.

News in brief

Prestige Brands Holdings sells three shampoo brands

Prestige Brands Holdings has sold its three shampoo businesses from its personal care segment to Ultimark Products.

Gains from restructuring boost Estee Lauder profits

Estee Lauder results shows a big jump in profits, with strong results in Asia and reduced costs helping to prompt the company to raise its outlook.