This October saw a whirlwind of news from across the cosmetics and personal care industry. From regulatory watchdogs sounding the alarm on ingredient issues in France and Australia to predictions from consumer insight firm Mintel on the “Future of Colour Cosmetics,” it was a busy month in the beauty space.
CosmeticsDesign APAC
In the APAC region, ingredient innovations, an SPF scandal, and analysis of Halal beauty’s impact on the space dominated this month’s headlines.
REVIVEBIO to debut next-generation probiotics-derived exosome and commercial application
The start-up was founded in 2023 by the prominent Taiwanese pharmaceutical company Microbio Group, with a focus on NGPs and supported by over 15 years of rigorous scientific research.
“Our proprietary strain Parabacteriod goldsteinii RV-01 (P.Goldsteinii RV-01) for nutraceutical application has already achieved GRAS self-affirmation through a third-party institute, and is currently undergoing GRAS review by US FDA,” Snow Hsieh, Business Development Director at REVIVEBIO, told CosmeticsDesign-Asia.
Halal beauty to reach $118bn by 2028 amid GCC funding and anti-fake push - report
According to the SGIE report, brands that will lead by 2028 would need to do three things well: certify and verify at speed, scale sustainably with smart packaging and refill, and meet consumers where they are — on price, on digital, and on inclusive positioning.
For entrepreneurs in Muslim-minority markets, however, the path can be harder. “In countries where Muslims are a minority, like Japan, the halal business community is still limited. I’ve participated in several entrepreneurship events, but most are general and not specifically tailored to halal,” said Selly Septiani, founder of Hajime Skincare.
AyurScience seeks to drive wider awareness and uptake of Ayurvedic skin care in Australia
While Ayurveda is increasingly appearing in the Australian wellness market, incorporating Ayurvedic principles and medicinal herbs into skin care remains uncommon in mainstream, widespread adoption, said Rajesh Thakorlal, director of AyurScience.
The brand was co-founded by Rajesh and Mitesh Thakorlal, two second-generation pharmacists raised in a family deeply connected to Ayurveda.
Citing data from an Expert Market Research report, Rajesh said that the Australian market for Ayurvedic herbs is already sizeable at about AUD175m, and the broader Ayurveda market, including non-medicinal, non-skin care and services, is even larger.
“Specifically for skin care, even though there are some major international brands that have used the Ayurvedic approach, these are not present in Australia yet. Therefore, while the Ayurvedic product segment is growing from a small base, the focus has been on the use of such herbs in Ayurvedic medicines and not in cosmetics till now,” he told CosmeticsDesign-Asia.
Sunscreen scandal: TGA conducts ‘comprehensive review’ after report exposes overclaimed SPFs
Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is conducting in-depth investigations into sunscreens after a recent report exposed multiple products that did not meet their claimed SPF levels.
TGA first announced in August that Grace & Fire Pty Ltd, parent company of Ultra Violette, is recalling all batches of the brand’s Lean Screen SPF 50+ sunscreen due to an inconsistency in SPF levels. Ultra Violette has also voluntarily cancelled the listing of this product in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG), a public database of therapeutic goods that can be legally supplied in the country.
This comes after Australian consumer advocacy group CHOICE published a report in June 2025, which found 16 out of 20 sunscreens that they independently tested did not meet their claimed SPF 50+ ratings. Among these 16 sunscreens, seven tested above SPF 20, eight tested above SPF 30, and Lean Screen tested as low as 4 to 64.32.
CosmeticsDesign EMEA
Throughout Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, sustainability and ingredient safety were major drivers behind some of October’s biggest news stories in the CD-Verse.
Voshbon launches world’s first freeze-dried waterless beauty range
After six years of research and development, the pioneering brand has launched the world’s first high-performance freeze-dried (Zero-Water Lyophilization Technology) waterless formula range for hair, body, and face wash.
According to the brand, the formulations save 3.5 liters of water per 75g bottle and reduce CO₂ transport emissions by up to 80%. It claims that one 75g bottle is equivalent to 750ml of traditional water-based product, and the freeze-drying process ensures the ingredients remain potent and undiluted, delivering a concentrated treatment that is more powerful than conventional liquid formulas, with less packaging and a longer shelf life.
We spoke to Voshbon’s Evelyn Zhang to learn more about this innovation and what’s next for the brand.
France calls to restrict use of octocrylene in cosmetics
The French government agency for food, environmental and occupational health & safety, ANSES, has proposed that the use of octocrylene in cosmetics should be dramatically reduced to the point where it would lose efficacy in a formulation.
The dossier, which proposes lowering the maximum authorized concentration, has been submitted to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) under the REACH Regulation.
Octocrylene, which is widely used in cosmetics as a solar filter, photostabilizer, and UV absorber, can be found in many sunscreens, color cosmetics, day creams, and fragrance formulations. In fact, according to ANSES, more than 1,500 tonnes of octocrylene are used in cosmetics products across Europe each year.
Can Sculptra reverse GLP-1-related facial aging? Experts say yes
At the recent Aesthetic & Anti-Aging Medicine World Congress (AMWC) in Dubai, Galderma presented six scientific posters, one of which showcased results from an expert consensus on its regenerative biostimulator, Sculptra.
Sculptra has been a game-changer in addressing beauty-related side effects caused by GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs used for weight loss. Three-month data on Sculptra reinforces its synergistic effect when combined with another Galderma product, Restylane Lyft or Contour, to treat aesthetic concerns related to medication-induced facial volume loss.
Kate Somerville acquired by Rare Beauty Brands as Unilever refocuses strategy
British FMCG company Unilever is selling luxury skincare brand Kate Somerville to Rare Beauty Brands, as it continues to divest from underperforming assets.
Founded by Los Angeles aesthetician Kate Somerville, the brand became known for its innovation and performance, and was acquired by Unilever in 2015. Its portfolio includes skincare, body care, and a clinic on Melrose Place. However, in recent years, it has struggled to maintain relevance in a saturated market.
According to Mary Carmen Gasco-Buisson, CEO of Unilever Prestige, the team has worked diligently over the past 18 months to accelerate Kate Somerville’s turnaround. “As the brand enters a new chapter, we believe its continued growth and success will be best supported by new ownership better aligned to its evolving needs,” she said. “We are confident that under Chris Hobson’s leadership and the Rare Beauty Brands team, Kate Somerville has a bright future ahead.”
CosmeticsDesign Americas
In the Americas, technology dominated this month’s headlines, from an eye-opening report on AI’s influence on beauty consumer purchasing habits to a newly published study on smart modeling for fragrance safety testing.
Report: 76% of beauty consumers open to AI shopping
Accenture’s Consumer Pulse Research, which surveyed over 18,000 global consumers, including approximately 1,400 focused on beauty, found that among active gen AI users, 83% reported relying heavily on AI-driven results when forming product opinions.
Additionally, 78% described the content they receive as personalized, and 87% found it helpful.
“Until a few years ago, consumers typically discovered and purchased beauty products and services by visiting store counters, engaging with social media content and creators, or searching online using brand names or product details,” Audrey Depraeter-Montacel, Accenture’s global beauty lead, told CosmeticsDesign.
Ulta Beauty launches UB Marketplace
Ulta Beauty highlighted the speed-to-market potential of emerging brands through the UB Marketplace model. In addition to rapid onboarding, the platform connects brands to Ulta’s 45+ million Rewards members and leverages Mirakl-supported data and fulfillment tools.
“The launch of UB Marketplace is certainly a bold play,” Will Glynn-Jones, co-founder of Send Me a Sample, told CosmeticsDesign. “Looking at its intended proposition (from what we know so far), it’s looking to give brands a curated storefront, using Ulta’s credibility as a halo.”
Key takeaways from Mintel’s ‘Future of Colour Cosmetics’ global webinar
Today’s color cosmetics consumers are increasingly demanding durability, multi-functionality, sensory appeal, and sustainable sourcing. At Mintel’s recent Future of Colour Cosmetics webinar, presenter Clare Hennigan, principal analyst – beauty and personal care global platform, outlined the direction the category is heading.
We spoke with Hennigan to gain her insights on the most important takeaways for U.S. manufacturers and suppliers.
Q&A: How smart modeling is making fragrance ingredients safer—without animal testing
As regulatory bodies place greater emphasis on demonstrating that test substances reach relevant target tissues in toxicological studies, the absence of toxicokinetic (TK) or plasma exposure data in older genotoxicity studies presents a growing challenge.
The Research Institute for Fragrance Materials (RIFM) has addressed this issue through a pilot study that applies physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PB/PK) modeling to fragrance ingredient safety assessments.
The study, which uses the Certara Simcyp Simulator platform, enables researchers to simulate the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of a substance in the body, providing a scientific basis for evaluating target tissue exposure. According to RIFM, this approach “provides a scientifically robust and ethically responsible alternative to additional animal testing.”
CosmeticsDesign spoke to Dr. Yax Thakkar, principal scientist and genotoxicity lead at RIFM, who discussed the methodology behind the pilot, the implications of the findings, and how PB/PK modeling could be applied more broadly across ingredient safety assessments.
