Across APAC, EMEA and North America, companies are protecting intellectual property, pursuing bio-based expansion, navigating shifting colour cosmetics dynamics and facing closer examination of marketing language.
Here’s a look at the most-read stories shaping CosmeticsDesign’s global coverage this month.
CosmeticsDesign APAC
Kolmar Korea wins long-running legal battle against Intercos over sun care tech leakage
Kolmar Korea has won a long-running legal dispute against Intercos Korea over the leakage of proprietary sun care technologies by former employees.
The dispute originated when a former Kolmar Korea employee, who had worked at the company for about 10 years, transferred to Intercos Korea in 2018 and removed multiple core research and development materials, including proprietary sunscreen formulation data and new product development information.
Investigations later revealed that another former employee, who also joined Intercos Korea around the same time, participated in the leakage of “trade secrets.”
CLEAR partners with Red Bull Racing to advance product innovation, elevate brand experiences
The brand, best known for its anti-dandruff shampoo and scalp care products, is the latest to join the emerging trend of cross-industry collaborations between beauty and personal care companies and Formula One (F1) racing teams.
This move marks a new chapter for CLEAR as it looks to reinforce its leading expertise in scalp care while innovating and delivering high-performance solutions aimed at helping people stay confident and focused in stressful situations.
“This partnership reflects our shared belief in precision and performance, and together we aim to inspire people who demand maximum results in every aspect of their lives, while creating experiences that help them show up at their best,” said Mohamed Elsharkawy, global brand vice president of CLEAR.
Taiwanese orchid extract shows promise for skin protection, brightening
Researchers in Taiwan have discovered that exosome-like vesicles derived from the Phalaenopsis aphrodite orchid, commonly known as “Taiwanese Grandma,” could offer a new natural solution for skin protection and brightening.
It marks the first time scientists have successfully isolated the tiny biological packages from this specific orchid species to test their potential in high-end skin care formulations.
The study was conducted by researchers at Pegavision Corp, FacialBeau International Corp, Industrial Technology Research Institute, and National Chung-Hsing University.
CosmeticsDesign EMEA
Solabia buys Mibelle Biochemistry to scale bio‑based innovation
French biotech active ingredients company Solabia Group, which specializes in the health and beauty sector, is set to buy the Swiss cosmetics ingredients company Mibelle Biochemistry from current owner Persán, which had purchased the business in April 2025.
Solabia said the acquisition will strengthen its leadership in natural active ingredients and that the two businesses offer complementary technologies and product strengths, particularly in natural and bio‑based actives.
Puig hits €5bn revenue but forecasts fragrance slowdown in 2026
Marc Puig, chairman and CEO of Puig, said the business had outperformed the general market. He also noted that Puig had completed its previous five‑year strategic plan, communicated in early 2021, which set its ambition to double its 2020 revenue in three years and triple it in five. “We exceeded those goals, more than doubling our revenue by 2022 and more than tripling it by 2025,” he said.
However, Puig issued a word of caution for the fast‑growing fragrance category, stating that he expects growth in the fragrance market to “continue to normalize” and therefore not maintain its recent upward trajectory.
Why some colour cosmetics brands are failing: shifting trends and rising costs
The start of this year came with the sad news that innovative color cosmetics brand Pat McGrath Labs has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Meanwhile, heritage UK-based color cosmetics brand Barry M had to seek out a buyer or face going into administration due to heightened manufacturing costs.
While there are more opportunities than ever to create new cosmetics brands, there is also more competition and a volatile economy to compete with, along with a host of other changes in this category landscape.
CosmeticsDesign North America
VIVA GLAM: M·A·C aims for next $500m in global philanthropy
M·A·C’s VIVA GLAM program has now raised more than $540 million globally since its launch in 1994, according to the brand’s 2025 Impact Report. The update offers beauty industry stakeholders an analysis of how a single product platform has sustained three decades of funding while adapting to shifting social and environmental priorities.
“Together, we’ve built an incredible legacy: $540 million USD raised and over 60 million lives impacted around the world,” M·A·C wrote in the report. “This last year alone, M·A·C VIVA GLAM donated $4.5 million USD to 64 nonprofit partners globally, sharpening our focus on organizations that advance sexual, racial, gender and environmental equality.”
‘100% Mineral’ sunscreen class action spotlights risk around absolute ingredient claims
Filed in California state court in December 2025, the complaint alleges that a range of Supergoop! sunscreen and SPF products marketed as “100% Mineral” or “Mineral” create a misleading impression that the entire formula is mineral-based, when the products allegedly contain non-mineral or synthetically processed ingredients.
While the case centers on sunscreen, the underlying issues may extend well beyond sun care, according to Laura Bentele, a partner and leader of Armstrong Teasdale’s Agribusiness and Food team.
“This lawsuit is structured as a consumer protection class action alleging that Supergoop! marketed a range of products as ‘100% mineral’ or ‘mineral’ in a way that created an overall impression that the products were entirely mineral or natural, even though (plaintiff alleges) the product formulas include non-mineral and/or synthetic/chemically processed ingredients,” she said.
Henkel’s challenge sees mixed NAD decision for Revlon’s ColorSilk
Following a competitor challenge brought by Henkel Corporation, the National Advertising Division (NAD) of BBB National Programs provided mixed recommendations regarding Revlon’s marketing and advertising behind its ColorSilk hair color with Bond Repair Complex across the brand’s packaging, digital channels and third-party retail platforms.
While several claims were found to be supported, others were flagged for modification or discontinuation, underscoring how narrowly advertising language must track underlying evidence.
