The Air Up There Isn’t So Fair

Wildfires in Hawaii and Canada dominated US headlines at both the beginning and the end of summer. In May, East Coast cities from Boston to Washington didn’t see the sun for days due to wildfires in Quebec. Last month, fires in Maui caused more than 100 deaths.

When an eerie orange haze shrouded the Empire State Building, friends in Seattle chided me with “welcome to our world…” Poor air quality is an every-year occurrence in fog-riddled Seattle. In July and August especially, it often forces Emerald City residents to remain indoors or head east to avoid respiratory issues. Air quality is getting worse. As we go to press, the entire capital city of Canada’s Northwest territories has been ordered to evacuate. About 20,000 residents in Yellowknife are being urged to get out of the way of nearly 250 fires in the area.

But poor air quality isn’t limited to the outdoors. According to one study, 81% of Americans report they suffer from “negative” symptoms in their homes. And 80% believe that clean indoor air results in a healthier home environment.
Clearly, air care is in the news right now. Savvy marketers are already taking advantage of this fast-growing segment by rolling out an array of new products designed to do more than just cover malodors. Christine Esposito details the NPD and growth opportunities in this segment starting here.

This month’s cover feature is devoted to the latest developments surrounding skin care ingredients. During the pandemic, skin care was the fastest-growing segment in the beauty space. Growth may have slowed when masks came off, but R&D efforts remain strong. Click here to find out what ingredients have captured the fancy of formulators from companies such as L’Oréal, Estée Lauder and more. According to Melissa Meisel, some of fastest-growing ingredients include stalwarts like vitamins C and E and niacinamide, as well as relatively new actives such as pumpkin enzyme and kangaroo paw flower extract.

When the calendar turns to September, it’s time to hit the road. This month, the Happi staff will be attending the IFSCC Congress in Barcelona, the FLSCC Sunscreen Symposium in Orlando and the Cleaning Products show in Arlington, VA. We look forward to seeing you at one or more of these events. In the meantime, we hope you enjoy this issue of Happi. As always, we welcome your comments and suggestions.

Tom Branna
Chief Content Officer
tbranna@rodmanmedia.com