Expert Viewpoints

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...

Markwins Beauty Brands is taking LORAC global

Markwins Beauty Brands is taking LORAC global

By Deanna Utroske

Late last week, the cosmetics company announced plans to take the color brand global, first expanding its footprint here in North America, and next by using an ecommerce strategy to reach consumers in Asia.

ADF&PCD packaging innovation trade show opens next week in New York City

Event Preview

ADF&PCD packaging innovation trade show opens next week in New York City

By Deanna Utroske

The show made it’s US debut 3 years ago and has since grown to become a destination for beauty manufacturers and brands of all size looking to source the latest and best aerosol and packaging solutions for cosmetics, personal care, fine fragrance, gift-with-purchase,...

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...

This Month in Fragrance: August 2019

This Month in Fragrance: August 2019

By Deanna Utroske

Recent fragrance industry news on the Cosmetics Design sites has been about new molecules, new markets, and new sourcing strategies as well as about acquisitions and product launches. Read on to find out what companies like MANE, Firmenich, and Givaudan...

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,...

Regulatory Update: The California Consumer Privacy Act takes effect soon - insights from Avril Love of Tucker Ellis LLP

Editor's Spotlight

Regulatory Update: The California Consumer Privacy Act takes effect soon

By Deanna Utroske

The new data privacy law goes into effect in January 2020 and could mean a significant change in business practices for any cosmetics or personal care venture that conducts ecommerce with California residents. Late last month, Cosmetics Design spoke to...

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...

Healthy Living and the future of beauty

Healthy Living and the future of beauty

By Deanna Utroske

Healthy Living is one of several megatrends changing consumer goods industries around the world today. In conversation with Cosmetics Design, Kayla Villena, senior beauty analyst at Euromonitor International, explains how this megatrend emerged, how it’s...

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...

This Month in Fragrance: July 2019

This Month in Fragrance: July 2019

By Deanna Utroske

This July, Symrise shared results of its new AI-powered digital perfumer test in Berlin, beauty and fragrance packager Albéa announced plans for a circular packaging strategy, method soap created scents for its latest limited editions, and product discovery...

The industry continues to bolster support of Indie Beauty

The industry continues to bolster support of Indie Beauty

By Deanna Utroske

Late last week in-cosmetics announced that the show is formally expanding its indie brand programing for 2019. This year’s North American edition of the tradeshow will include the new Indie Trail feature as well as dedicated tours and PCPC content for...

Vegan probiotic beauty has arrived, and it’s winning hearts and minds

Vegan probiotic beauty has arrived, and it’s winning hearts and minds

By Deanna Utroske

At Unfiltered Experience, this past Saturday in Las Vegas, Nevada, Dr. Lili Fan was showcasing her newly launched eponymous brand of skin and body care, formulated with lactobacillus—notably, a strain of the microorganism that is not the product of fermented...

Indie Beauty Profile Victoria Fu and Gloria Lu, Chemist Confessions Inc.

Indie Beauty Profile

Victoria Fu and Gloria Lu, Chemist Confessions Inc.

By Deanna Utroske

In their Indie Beauty Profile, Victoria Fu & Gloria Lu, founders of Chemist Confessions Inc., explain how a chemistry blog on IG became a skin care brand, why that makes for a loyal yet quirky consumer base, and that often times as entrepreneurs,...

Uplink Live opens in New York City this August

Uplink Live opens in New York City this August

By Deanna Utroske

Produced by the Indie Beauty Media Group, Uplink Live is a 2-day event where brands at any stage of business can connect with a wide array of service providers. And prominent industry suppliers—like Gattefossé, Lubrizol, Croda, and Symrise—will be on...

Indie Beauty Brand leaders as product knowledge experts

Editor's Spotlight

Indie Beauty brand leaders as product knowledge experts

By Deanna Utroske

Startup founders and independent brand leaders in the cosmetics and personal care business know what’s been missing in the marketplace and they often keep in close contact with consumers both online and in person, making the beauty entrepreneur’s perspective...

Project Beauty Expo moves to Los Angeles, California, for 2019

Project Beauty Expo moves to Los Angeles, California

By Deanna Utroske

Last year, the beauty discovery show and entrepreneur education event, hosted by and for women of color, took place in New York City. For 2019 it’s headed to the West Coast. PBE will take place from September 14 through 16, and a first look at the program...

6 indie brands helping define the mindful beauty movement

6 indie brands helping define the mindful beauty movement

By Deanna Utroske

Mindful beauty is a catchall term that describes the sorts of businesses and brands that conscious consumers want to support. Here, Cosmetics Design takes a look at 6 types of mindful beauty and a small selection of the indie brands that are envisioning...

2019 Indie Beauty Innovators Awards finalists announced by ICMAD

2019 Indie Beauty Innovators Awards finalists announced

By Deanna Utroske

This week, ICMAD, the Independent Cosmetic Manufacturers and Distributors association, released its list of 30+ finalist across 11 categories. Winners will be announced at a celebratory dinner later this month in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Unilever advances zero-deforestation initiative

Unilever advances zero-deforestation initiative

By Deanna Utroske

This week, Unilever published lists of its paper and board product suppliers as well as of its soy suppliers. The beauty maker believes that this sort of transparency will compel partner companies along the supply chain to be accountable for practices...

Society of Cosmetic Chemists preps for annual meeting

Society of Cosmetic Chemists preps for annual meeting

By Deanna Utroske

The 2019 SCC technology showcase and meeting event site is live. And it lists out an agenda full of cutting-edge topics, spanning microbiome beauty; sustainable formulations; clean beauty; and textured hair; as well as all things CBD, hemp, and cannabis....

This Month in Fragrance: June 2019

This Month in Fragrance: June 2019

By Deanna Utroske

This June on Cosmetics Design, fragrance headlines included news of new leadership at Parlux, a licensing deal for Kate Spade scents, a couple big developments for fragrance startup Phlur, and Scentbird’s move into a whole new product category. Read on...

5 ways indie brands are approaching microbiome beauty

Editor's Spotlight

5 ways indie brands are approaching microbiome beauty

By Deanna Utroske

Emerging data on the human skin microbiome is changing the way cosmetics and personal care brands of every size approach product development and formulation. It presents opportunities for new benefits and more ways to design for and deliver conventional...

Why is Algenist going vegan?

Why is Algenist going vegan?

By Deanna Utroske

This week the algae beauty brand announced its new product formulation and marketing strategy, adding the on-trend ‘vegan’ qualifier to its already of very contemporary list of designations: marine, biotech, naturally derived, etc.

Does indie beauty move first? a look at trend-driven innovation in 2019

Does indie beauty move first? a look at trend-driven innovation in 2019

By Deanna Utroske

Ours is a notoriously fast-paced industry. Still, everything new has to start somewhere. And there is a fair amount of work to be done educating consumers, integrating novel ingredient tech, capitalizing on new industrial-scale opportunities. Here, Cosmetics...