4 novel beauty innovations seen at Beauty Squared
The Beauty2 event is a showcase of indie brands from around the continent and around the globe. Tali Almakias traveled from Israel to show her brand Lima Natural Skincare at the event; Sandy Sarafa brought Bee Waxed Cosmetics from Detroit, Michigan; TL Robinson came with her brand Mass Eden from Greensborough, North Carolina; and the list goes on.
Packaging
Asako Takada traveled from New South Wales, Australia, with her brand Botanical Signature. Takada founded the brand in 2016; and the current product line comprises skin care, bath salts, and brewable teas.
Botanical Signature takes a “holistic approach to skin care,” Takada tells Cosmetics Design, adding that the brand is “a mix of East and West.” Takada is an aromatherapist of Japanese decent. Her brand’s products are made in Australia. The secondary packaging, however, is very Japan (as is the Hinoki oil used in the formula of Botanical Signature’s Deep Zen Body Oil).
Each Botanical Signature product is wrapped in one of two different Japanese papers, and stylishly so, making the unwrapping a distinctive experience for the consumer. The teas, for instance, are nearly enclosed in a full sheath of paper with a thin paper-rope pull cord, reminiscent of a firecracker.
Color cosmetics
With pigment limitations on the beauty industry, it can be challenging to do something that’s actually different with color. The founder of Moi Cosmetics, Marissa McGarry is undaunted. She’s bringing the emerging CBD trend to her collection of makeup.
At Beauty2, McGarry is showing prototypes of her best-selling liquid foundation, reformulated to include CBD. And she expects to have it available for retail just 2 weeks from now. Adding in CBD “was a formulation challenge,” acknowledges McGarry, who’s working closely with an a chemist on the new product. But she says it was harder to find a CBD supplier with the right sort of integrity.
Once she has the liquid foundation on the market, McGarry tells Cosmetics Design that she plans to begin work reformulating her pressed powder products to include CBD as well. She expects that it will be even more difficult to add CBD to Moi Cosmetics eyeshadow, blush, and powder foundation; but McGarry intends to do it nonetheless.
Skin care
Dora Sobze has created a truly green skin care and hair care brand. Every product in the espinache portfolio is made with spinach: spinach seed oil, a liquid made of blended spinach leaves, or dry leaves in powdered form, Sobze tells Cosmetics Design.
The hand-made products include spinach for its biotin and other B vitamin content, says Sobze. Facial skin care from espinache includes an Energizing Facial Spray, a Purifying Facial Mask Powder, and a Moisturizing Vegan Lip Balm.
The espinanche brand does extend into body care (body polish, bath soak, etc.) and hair care (a conditioning shampoo that multitasks as a body wash, a scalp scrub, etc.); and there’s an espinache deodorant too.
Personal care
Speaking of deo. Sway is bringing a 3-step skin care routine to underarms. Rebecca So’s Los Angeles, California – based brand is built around an apple cider vinegar (ACV) detox deodorant. But there’s an under arm detox mask as well.
The mask formulation includes ACV as well as charcoal, bentonite clay, and jojoba oil (as well as other ingredients). And promises to deliver the following benefits: “Shortens transition period from chemical to natural deodorant; Clarifies underarms of product buildup; Enhances performance of your deodorant; and Improves color and texture of the underarm area,” according to the online product page.
The deodorant is step 2 in the brand’s underarm care routine. And there’s a dusting powder to round out the routine. Sway dusting powders are made with Sodium Bicarbonate and Arrowroot Powder as well as Sweet Orange Oil and Grapefruit Oil.
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Deanna Utroske, CosmeticsDesign.com Editor, covers beauty business news in the Americas region and publishes the weekly Indie Beauty Profile column, showcasing the inspiring work of entrepreneurs and innovative brands.
