Brand Innovation

Shiseido’s new brand WASO launches in US next month

Shiseido’s new brand WASO launches in US next month

By Deanna Utroske

The skin care product line, tailored to meet the needs and expectations of millennials, somehow manages to encompass nearly every trend associated with this unique generation of beauty consumers.

Indie Beauty Profile Lynne Florio, Renee Tavoularis Planted in Beauty

Indie Beauty Profile

Lynne Florio and Renee Tavoularis, Planted in Beauty

By …as told to Deanna Utroske

In their Indie Beauty Profile, Lynne Florio and Renee Tavoularis, founders of Planted in Beauty by Well Within, explain how they’re making good use of the various business services available to startups in and beyond beauty and reveal what they’ve hearing...

Indie Beauty Profile Angela Caglia Skincare

Indie Beauty Profile

Angela Caglia Skincare

By …as told to Deanna Utroske

In her Indie Beauty Profile, skin care brand founder Angela Caglia describes how she leveraged her experience as a facialist to develop an eco-lux brand that resonates with today’s sophisticated consumers, and she underscores just how instrumental the...

Biome-Friendly Shampoo from Mother Dirt gets a longer shelf life

Biome-Friendly Shampoo from Mother Dirt gets a longer shelf life

By Deanna Utroske

Conventional personal care product preservatives can damage or otherwise interfere with the body’s microbiome, so Mother Dirt products are formulated without those ingredients. Now the brand has announced updates to its shampoo that significantly extend...

The top ten most innovative indie beauty products

Special Newsletter - Indie Brands

The top ten most innovative indie beauty products

By Simon Pitman

The indie beauty category has been leading the way when it comes to ground breaking and innovative products, so we at Cosmetics Design thought it a good idea to pick out some of the best.

Cetaphil marks 70-year brand anniversary

Cetaphil marks 70-year brand anniversary

By Deanna Utroske

The Nestlé Skin Health product line got its start in 1947, has expanded over the years to include cleansers, moisturizers, and sun care. And, now the global brand has plans to reach even more consumers around the world.

Indie Beauty Profile Sebastien Tardif Veil Cosmetics

Indie Beauty Profile

Sebastien Tardif, Veil Cosmetics

By …as told to Deanna Utroske

In his Indie Beauty Profile, Sebastien Tardif, CEO of Veil Cosmetics, describes how he translated his experience as a professional makeup artist into a product line suitable for pros and novices alike, and gives a nod to the validation that brand recognition...

Indie Beauty Profile Dr. Conny Wittke nügg

Indie Beauty Profile

Dr. Conny Wittke, nügg

By …as told to Deanna Utroske

In her Indie Beauty Profile, Dr. Conny Wittke, founder of the Beauty Ideas Group and the skin care brand nügg, explains why, in today’s personal care market place, a brand’s unique value proposition should put the emphasis on ‘value’ rather than on ‘unique’...

Indie Beauty Profile Linda Treska Pinch of Colour

Indie Beauty Profile

Linda Treska, Pinch of Colour

By …as told to Deanna Utroske

In her Indie Beauty Profile, Linda Treska, founder of Pinch of Colour, shares her optimism for the future of omnichannel retail and advocates for extreme perseverance in the face of entrepreneurial challenges.

Indie Beauty Profile Natasha Samardzic Folium Medica

Indie Beauty Profile

Natasha Samardzic, Folium Medica

By …as told to Deanna Utroske

In her Indie Beauty Profile, Natasha Samardzic, founder of Folium Medica, shares insight into the market niche she’s found where wellness and beauty intersect and on how carefully her company sources phytomedicinal ingredients.

Indie Beauty Profile Naa-Sakle Akuete Eu’Genia Shea

Indie Beauty Profile

Naa-Sakle Akuete, Eu’Genia Shea

By …as told to Deanna Utroske

In her Indie Beauty Profile, Naa-Sakle Akuete, CEO of Eu’Genia Shea, explains how an indie brand can deliver supply chain transparency and ingredient purity that rivals much larger corporate brands and why asking for help is never a bad idea.

Indie Beauty Profile Camille Varlet All Beauty Inc

Indie Beauty Profile

Camille Varlet, All Beauty Inc

By …as told to Deanna Utroske

In her Indie Beauty Profile Camille Varlet, founder of All Beauty Inc, tells how her years of food and beauty industry experience converged in a single brand and why topical products aren’t the be-all and end-all of skin care.

Indie Beauty Profile Deborah Hernan Ottilie & Lulu

Indie Beauty Profile

Deborah Hernan, Ottilie & Lulu

By …as told to Deanna Utroske

In her Indie Beauty Profile, Deborah Hernan, president of Ottilie & Lulu, talks about finding opportunity in the challenges of a shifting retail market and reflects on just how rewarding entrepreneurship can be.

So what really is the best eye cream on the market?

So what really is the best eye cream on the market?

By Simon Pitman

The category for skin care that targets the delicate eye area has exploded in recent years with a dizzying array of choice that leaves many consumers bemused. So which one rates best?

Indie Beauty Profile Katya Hegg Lyeska skincare

Indie Beauty Profile

Katya Hegg, Lyeska skincare

By …as told to Deanna Utroske

In her Indie Beauty Profile, Katya Hegg, founder of Lyeska skincare runs through the distinctive benefits of her company’s signature ingredient and sheds light onto just how nuanced niche beauty brands can be.

Indie Beauty Profile Maya Crothers Circ-Cell Skincare

Indie Beauty Profile

Maya Crothers, Circ-Cell Skincare

By …as told to Deanna Utroske

In her Indie Beauty Profile, Maya Crothers, founder of Circ-Cell Skincare explains why she believes that brand loyalty isn’t a thing of the past and how putting money into digital can move a brand forward.

Indie Beauty Profile Anna Ayers Rahua by Amazon Beauty

Indie Beauty Profile

Anna Ayers, Rahua by Amazon Beauty

By …as told to Deanna Utroske

In her Indie Beauty Profile, Anna Ayers, CEO of Rahua by Amazon Beauty, shares how she’s built a natural personal care brand around sustainable rainforest-grown ingredients and acknowledges the valuable role philanthropy can play in the global economy.  

OZNaturals skin care features ingredient cold processing on label

OZNaturals features ingredient processing info on the label

By Deanna Utroske

So confident in the value, originality, and novelty of its cold-processed skin care formulations, OZNaturals has created a logo to highlight this feature of its products—a move that puts the indie brand on the leading edge of a transparent manufacturing...

Three beauty players win Nexty Awards at Expo West

Three beauty players win Nexty Awards at Expo West

By Deanna Utroske

The annual natural, organic, and non-GMO cross-industry show wrapped up last week in California. But before Expo West came to a close, one skin care ingredient maker and two beauty brands were honored for their inspiration, innovation, and integrity.  

Indie Beauty Profile Stephanie Additon JAVA Skin Care

Indie Beauty Profile

Stephanie Additon, JAVA Skin Care

By …as told to Deanna Utroske

In her Indie Beauty Profile, Stephanie Additon, founder of JAVA Skin Care explains how one entrepreneurial venture led her to another and underscores just how valuable a trustworthy team can be for a personal care startup.

Is there a digital solution for fragrance retail? Scent Trunk

Is there a digital solution for fragrance retail?

By Deanna Utroske

The newly launched Scent Trunk thinks so. And the team behind this online custom fragrance maker believes they’ve got it. Cosmetics Design connected with William Yin, CEO of Scent Trunk to find out what makes this latest beauty subscription service different.

Indie Beauty Profile Claire Mitchell ECO. Modern essentials

Indie Beauty Profile

Claire Mitchell, ECO. Modern essentials

By …as told to Deanna Utroske

In her Indie Beauty Profile, Claire Mitchell, director of ECO. Modern essential talks about how her international business experience helped her grow the brand’s global reach and how wellness, natural beauty, and consumer trust intersect in today’s personal...

Sephora test launches Biossance skin care from Amyris

Sephora launches Biossance skin care from Amyris

By Deanna Utroske

The biotech firm has been forging strategic partnerships across sectors and making headway in the cosmetics and personal care industry for some time. Now, Amyris has its new Biossance branded skin care line at select Sephora doors.

Indie Beauty Profile Brian Duangpichakul Kinx

Indie Beauty Profile

Brian Duangpichakul, Kinx

By …as told to Deanna Utroske

In his Indie Beauty Profile, Brian Duangpichakul founder of Kinx explains how an industrial products pro gets into the beauty business and gives a glimpse of how his brand envisions cosmetics and fitness overlapping in the marketplace.

MonoSol launches first pod-pac personal care product - shaving cream

MonoSol launches first pod-pac personal care product

By Deanna Utroske

The polymer-film making company behind such household goods as Cascade Action Pacs and Tide Pods announced this month a first product in this category—a single-use dissolvable pod pac of shaving cream.

Indie Beauty Profile Marie Drago Gallinée

Indie Beauty Profile

Marie Drago, Gallinée

By …as told to Deanna Utroske

In her Indie Beauty Profile, Marie Drago, founder of Gallinée shares advice on who to talk to before taking a personal care product line to market and rattles off an impressive list of consumer media press hits that her nimble team has already secured.

Beverage maker Vita Coco will soon sell coconut - based personal care

Beverage maker Vita Coco will soon sell personal care products

By Deanna Utroske

This week, reports are circulating that Vita Coco has plans to become a billion dollar brand, making and selling more products in more sectors. What began as a coconut-water business is poised to evolve into an all-things-coconut business.

Indie Beauty Profile Cynthia Besteman Violets Are Blue

Indie Beauty Profile

Cynthia Besteman, Violets Are Blue

By as told to Deanna Utroske

In her Indie Beauty Profile, skin care brand founder Cynthia Besteman tells Cosmetics Design about the distribution deal that had her walking on air, reveals just how practical she really is when it comes to her desert-island product pick, and much more!

Is there room for innovation in the deodorant category?

Is there room for innovation in the deodorant category?

By Deanna Utroske

Natural, niche, and startup personal care brands regularly advance new deodorant formats and formulations. Among the latest attempts to disrupt the deodorant market is Switch Fresh, a patented redesign of the conventional container that could significantly...

The pick of the technology crop, from CES Las Vegas

The pick of the technology crop, from CES Las Vegas

By Simon Pitman

This year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES), held in Las Vegas January 4 - 8, featured eight companies at the event’s dedicated ‘Beauty Tech’ marketplace space, all demonstrating a variety of advanced technologies. 

Sunday was National Winter Skin Relief Day

Sunday was National Winter Skin Relief Day

By Deanna Utroske

It seems there’s a day of celebration for nearly everything. And now, thanks to the parent company of CeraVe Skincare, January 8 has indeed been officially declared National Winter Skin Relief Day.

Burt’s Bees launches beauty-from-within product line

Burt’s Bees launches beauty-from-within product line

By Deanna Utroske

The personal care and cosmetics brand announced this week its move into the functional food category.  It’s a significant initiative for the Clorox-owned brand, one that could help determine what a successful beauty-from-within brand looks like in the...

Outstanding beauty and personal care brand innovations of 2016

Outstanding beauty and personal care brand innovations of 2016

By Deanna Utroske

Cosmetics Design has gathered up the most compelling products and technologies we’ve covered over the past year. It’s an assortment of innovations in fragrance, color cosmetics, and skin care developed by multinational corporations, startups, industry...

Has the next generation of makeup applicator arrived?

Has the next generation of makeup applicator arrived?

By Deanna Utroske

Molly Cosmetics would like to think so. That company’s SiliSponge is making waves in the popular beauty press and generating quite a bit of buzz in the digital and social spaces where women talk makeup.