Brand Innovation

10 top tips: Building a Beauty Startup

Editor's Spotlight

10 top tips: Building a Beauty Startup

By Deanna Utroske

This past Thursday in New York City, the recommendation platform and entrepreneurship community Stacklist hosted a panel discussion among beauty business founders at the Amazon Web Services loft space. Cosmetics Design was there, along with some 250 aspiring...

Indie Beauty Profile Luca Burnett, YANTRA Beauty

Indie Beauty Profile

Luca Burnett, YANTRA Beauty

By Deanna Utroske

In his Indie Beauty Profile, Luca Burnett, founder of YANTRA Beauty, describes a hair care brand that puts the insights and experience of professional stylists into products for everyday consumers.

Indie Beauty Profile Stephanie Kim, Moonlit Skincare

Indie Beauty Profile

Stephanie Kim, Moonlit Skincare

By Deanna Utroske

In her Indie Beauty Profile, Stephanie Kim, Co-Founder of Moonlit Skincare, describes how she and Kriszta Matyi have created a cross-sector beauty brand dedicated to skin care, sleep, and wellness.

What was Belleza Y Salud all about in 2019?

What was Belleza Y Salud all about in 2019?

By Simon Pitman

We spoke to Marcela Sanchez, Belleza Y Salud project manager, to find out what was new and innovative about this year’s event, the 18th annual edition.

Belleza Y Salud 2019, in photos

Belleza Y Salud 2019, in photos

By Simon Pitman

This year's Belleza Y Salud saw a 10% increase in exhibitor numbers and the organizers were expecting a similar increase in visitors. Here we bring you some of the highlights in this photo gallery dedicated to the event.

Evio Beauty: community, color cosmetics, and cannabis

CD Buzz Video

Evio Beauty: community, color cosmetics, and cannabis

By Deanna Utroske

At the start of the current indie beauty movement, Brandi Leifso launched a makeup brand called Evelyn Iona. She has since relaunched the business as Evio Beauty, partnered with Aurora Cannabis, raised millions through seed funding and strategic partnerships,...

Indie Beauty Profile Melanie Cruickshank, da lish cosmetics

Indie Beauty Profile

Melanie Cruickshank, da lish cosmetics

By Deanna Utroske

In her Indie Beauty Profile, Melanie Cruickshank, founder of da lish cosmetics, describes the inspiration and effort behind one of the early color cosmetics brands to compete in the current clean beauty movement. And she makes the case for an entrepreneurial...

TBH Kids: fun, functional personal care for tweens

CD Buzz Video

TBH Kids: fun, functional personal care for tweens

By Deanna Utroske

Kids grow up. And today, they’re growing up with text messages and social media and free-from personal care products. These are the tweens and teens that Risa Barash is reaching with her latest venture TBH Kids. Cosmetics Design spoke with Barash at IBE...

Emilie Heathe: combing art, luxury, and beauty - video interview

CD Buzz Video

Emilie Heathe: combing art, luxury, and beauty

By Deanna Utroske

At this year’s IBE NY event, founder and CEO Emily Rudman spoke with Cosmetics Design about the luxury lifestyle brand she’s building, the custom sculptural packaging she created for Emilie Heathe’s debut nail color collection, the importance of company...

Indie Beauty Profile Susan Im, ATEM / Fifteen Degrees

Indie Beauty Profile

Susan Im, ATEM / Fifteen Degrees

By Deanna Utroske

ATEM is where modern-day entrepreneurship and K Beauty converge. In her Indie Beauty Profile Susan Im, founder of ATEM and co-founder of the skin care brand’s parent company Fifteen Degrees, talks candidly about indie beauty as a consumer-led movement...

This Month in Fragrance: September 2019

This Month in Fragrance: September 2019

By Deanna Utroske

Fragrance makers big and small from Latin America, Asia, and the States were in the headlines on Cosmetics Design this month. Here are the highlights, including an Indie Beauty Profile of Georgia-based Othús Perfumery, 3 new fragrances from Shiseido,...

DMK Skincare launches probiotic product line

DMK Skincare launches probiotic product line

By Deanna Utroske

This month the paramedical skin care brand launched a collection of microbiome beauty products developed for people with acne, eczema, and other skin conditions as well as for people on long-term antibiotic regimen. The DSK Skincare Enbioment Microbiome...

biophile skincare: because fermentation is the future of beauty

CD Buzz Video

biophile skincare: because fermentation is the future of beauty

By Deanna Utroske

At this year’s IBE NY event, co-Founders Alison Cutlan and Grace Fooden were giving press, influencers, and industry insiders at the show a sneak preview of the probiome beauty brand they are launching this fall. In this video interview with Cosmetics...

Indie Beauty Profile Dr. Marc Ronert and Janna Ronert, Hush & Hush

Indie Beauty Profile

Dr. Marc Ronert and Janna Ronert, Hush & Hush

By Deanna Utroske

In their Indie Beauty Profile, Profile Dr. Marc Ronert and Janna Ronert, founders of the luxury beauty supplements brand Hush & Hush, describe how they identified an opportunity in the wellness supplements market and emphasize how valuable the right...

CEW now accepting 2020 Beauty Awards entries

CEW now accepting 2020 Beauty Awards entries

By Deanna Utroske

The professional organization’s annual Beauty Awards are among the most respected in the cosmetics and personal care industry. This year, CEW has added 6 new categories. And interested applicants have until late October to get submissions in (though any...

The Eco Well launches season 3 with a focus on Indie Beauty

The Eco Well launches season 3 with a focus on Indie Beauty

By Deanna Utroske

Season 3 of The Eco Well podcast kicked off last week with an episode featuring CosmeticsDesign.com Editor Deanna Utroske in conversation with cosmetic chemist and show host Jen Novakovich. The topic: how indie brands can find the path to success in today’s...

Indie Beauty Profile Katherine Tomasso, YON-KA Paris

Indie Beauty Profile

Katherine Tomasso, YON-KA Paris

By Deanna Utroske

In her Indie Beauty Profile, Katherine Tomasso, national director of education at YON-KA Paris, describes a business with decades of market experience, generations of passionate brand leaders, and all the attributes of an on-trend contemporary indie skin...

Indie Beauty Profile Colleen Keenan Nelms, Othús Perfumery

Indie Beauty Profile

Colleen Keenan Nelms, Othús Perfumery

By Deanna Utroske

In her Indie Beauty Profile, Colleen Keenan Nelms, founder of Othús Perfumery, describes a new brand grounded in nature, passionate about fragrance, and crafted with intention. And, she has wise advice to share about how beauty entrepreneurs can envision...

Trend Watch: the new face of acne care - how brands like Squish Beauty, Blume, and Starface are taking the shame out of pimples and breakouts

Editor's Spotlight

Trend Watch: the new face of acne care

By Deanna Utroske

Pimples, spots, blemishes. Regardless of what it’s called, acne happens. And it happens often; “95% of adults will experience acne at some point in their lives, according to recent data shared with Cosmetics Design. Now, a new generation of personal care...

Pattern Beauty: a new day is dawning for textured hair care - Tracee Ellis Ross launches Pattern Beauty brand online and at Ulta Beauty this month.

Pattern Beauty: a new day is dawning for textured hair care

By Deanna Utroske

Next week, the brand created and led by Tracee Ellis Ross will launch with a collection of hair care products developed and formulated for people with curly, coily, or tight textured hair (3B – 4C). Pattern Beauty promises to meet a real need in the marketplace,...

Indie Beauty Expo New York City 2019, in photos

Indie Beauty Expo New York City 2019, in photos

By Simon Pitman

The newly revamped Indie Beauty Expo opened and closed its doors in New York City recently, dedicated solely to indie beauty brands and suppliers. In this photo gallery we bring you some of the brand innovation highlights.

Indie Beauty Profile Tish Bellomo and Snooky Bellomo, Manic Panic

Indie Beauty Profile

Tish Bellomo and Snooky Bellomo, Manic Panic

By Deanna Utroske

In their Indie Beauty Profile, Tish Bellomo and Snooky Bellomo, Founders of the bold, iconic hair color brand Manic Panic discuss their experience of running an independent business (for decades), share the product development advice that they give themselves...

Are multifunctional grooming products the key to men’s skin care?

CD Buzz Video

Are multifunctional grooming products the key to men’s skin care?

By Deanna Utroske

Jesse Jimz made its industry debut at Cosmoprof North America last month. And the new premium men’s skin care brand is all about multitasking products that men are already using in their grooming routine, like an aftershave that doubles as a moisturizer,...

D’Alchémy: a natural skin care brand inspired by medieval chemists

CD Buzz Video

D’Alchémy: a natural skin care brand inspired by medieval chemists

By Deanna Utroske

Polish beauty entrepreneur Anna Mamczur is on a mission to build a brand with the best anti-aging product in the world. She founded Phenome Organic Skincare in 2009 and D’Alchémy just 2 years ago. At Cosmoprof North America last month, Cosmetics Design...

My Magic Mud: the indie beauty brand using dirt to get people clean

CD Buzz Video

My Magic Mud: the indie beauty brand using dirt to get people clean

By Deanna Utroske

This week, My Magic Mud is exhibiting at the Indie Beauty Expo in New York City. But Cosmetics Design caught up with CEO Jessica Arman last month in Las Vegas, Nevada, to learn how this dirt-based beauty brand that launched with a single product—a tooth...

Indie Beauty Profile Jasmine Lawrence, EDEN BodyWorks

Indie Beauty Profile

Jasmine Lawrence, EDEN BodyWorks

By Deanna Utroske

In her Indie Beauty Profile, Jasmine Lawrence, Founder of EDEN BodyWorks, shares insights and highlights about the hair care brand she launched 15 years ago this month. She’s grown the brand in that time to some nine product lines (including body care...

Beauty Tech Launch: the Atolla Skin Health System hits the market

Beauty Tech Launch: the Atolla Skin Health System hits the market

By Deanna Utroske

This week the Brooklyn-based beauty tech venture headed up by Meghan Maupin and Sid Salvi officially launched. The new personalized skin care system makes use of an at-home testing kit, mail-order custom serums, and machine learning to document and adapt...

HERgonomics: 3 women reinventing the gestures of beauty

HERgonomics: 3 women reinventing the gestures of beauty

By Deanna Utroske

Skin care tools, makeup applicators, and cleansing devices are fairly commonplace in consumer beauty routines. And when something is common and familiar it can be difficult to imagine things differently. But that’s exactly what beauty entrepreneurs Angela...

5th annual IBE NY event attracts indie beauty brands from around the world

Editor's Spotlight

5th annual IBE NY event attracts indie beauty brands from around the world

By Deanna Utroske

This year’s New York City edition of the Indie Beauty Expo will take place August 21 and 22 at Pier 94 on Manhattan’s West Side. And, brands from nearly every continent will be exhibiting at show – more than 225 of them, all hoping to capture the attention...

Indie Beauty Profile Michele Gilfoil, Planet Botanicals

Indie Beauty Profile

Michele Gilfoil, Planet Botanicals

By Deanna Utroske

In her Indie Beauty Profile Michele Gilfoil, founder of Planet Botanicals, describes building an accessible personal care brand with sustainably sourced natural ingredients. And, while sharing her story and advice of entrepreneurship, she notes that building...

Yubi Beauty: because there’s more than one way apply makeup

CD Buzz Video

Yubi Beauty: because there’s more than one way apply makeup

By Deanna Utroske

Adiya Dixon Wiggins has reinvented the most common of beauty tools: the makeup brush. “Yubi slides onto your fingers to become an extension of your hand,” explains Dixon Wiggins in this video interview with Cosmetics Design, filmed at the recent Cosmoprof...

3 beverage industry trends inspiring beauty product development, seen at Cosmoprof North America 2019

3 beverage industry trends inspiring beauty product development

By Deanna Utroske

Snacks and drinks and dietary trends regularly influence consumer expectations and new personal care and cosmetics product launches. At Cosmoprof North America last month in Las Vegas, Nevada, Cosmetics Design noticed this selection of beverage-inspired...