Mail slow? View this month’s issue, right online!
Our digital version is easy to share with colleagues. See this month’s issue and digital versions of previous issues too.
A one-on-one interview conducted by our editorial team with industry leaders in our market.
Discover the newest promotions and collaborations within the industry.
Easy-to-digest data for your business.
Shampoos, conditioners, colorants and styling products created by leading industry suppliers.
Creams, serums, facial cleansers and more created by leading suppliers to the skincare industry.
Detergents, fabric softeners and more created by leading suppliers to the fabric care industry.
Eyeshadows, lipsticks, foundations and more created by leading suppliers to the color cosmetics industry.
Bodywashes, and bar and liquid soaps created by leading suppliers to the personal cleanser industry.
Hard surface cleaners, disinfectants and more created by leading suppliers to the home care industry.
Eau de parfums and eau de toilettes, body sprays, mists and more created by leading suppliers to the fragrance industry.
UV lotions and creams, self-tanners and after-sun products created by leading suppliers to the suncare industry.
A detailed look at the leading US players in the global household and personal products industry.
A detailed look at the leading players outside the US in the global household and personal products industry.
Looking for a new raw material or packaging component supplier? Your search starts here.
When you need a new manufacturing partner or private label company, get started here.
Who owns that? To keep track of leading brands and their owners, click here.
An annual publication, Company Profiles features leading industry suppliers with information about markets served, products, technologies and services for beauty, pesonal care and home care.
New products and technologies from some of the brightest minds in the industry.
A one-on-one video interview between our editorial teams and industry leaders.
Listen to the leading experts in the global household and personal products industry.
Comprehensive coverage of key topics selected by sponsors.
Detailed research on novel ingredients and other solutions for the global household and personal care industry.
Company experts explain what works and why.
Exclusive content created by our affiliates and partners for the household and personal care industry.
Exciting news releases from the household and personal care industry.
Our targeted webinars provide relevant market information in an interactive format to audiences around the globe.
Discover exclusive live streams and updates from the hottest events and shows.
Looking for a job in the household and personal care industry, search no further.
Get your products and services in front of thousands of decision-makers. View our print and online advertising options.
Follow these steps to get your article published in print or online
What are you searching for?
R&D teams are designing products to work day and night to protect and repair skin, and delight consumers at the same time.
May 1, 2018
By: Christine Esposito
Managing Editor
We live in a 24/7/365 world—and our skin gets battered for it. Between UV, pollution, blue light from smartphones and tablets, and lack of sleep (probably due to those devices!), skin is under attack from free radicals nearly all the time, say dermatologists and skin care experts. As such, consumers rely on everything from basic moisturizers to masks to serums to fend off the signs of aging that are exacerbated by modern lifestyles. The fixation on healthy skin has been a boon for marketers, as sales in both the mass and luxury sectors of the market have been rising during the past year. In the 12 months ending February 2018, US prestige skin care market sales hit $5.8 billion, up 13% versus the prior year, according to The NPD Group. “While masks and alternative skin care products like essences, face mists and boosters are experiencing strong growth, skin care’s rising sales could also be attributed to the more basic categories such as facial moisturizers, which had been declining in prior years,” said Larissa Jensen, beauty industry analyst at The NPD Group. “What is most interesting about the turnaround in moisturizer sales is that existing products are the main contributor to the increase in sales. Consumers are looking toward perennial favorites and products they know work for them in the more classic categories, like moisturizer, that they forge an emotional connection with.” Mass is showing similar traits. IRI reported that sales in US multi-outlets rose 5.3% to $3.77 billion for the 52 weeks ended Feb. 25, 2018. Digging into the data, it appears there are similar shifts in what consumers are purchasing in these outlets, too. For example, while mass market facial anti-aging sales dropped 2.21%, facial moisturizer sales rose 10.14% and facial cleansers posted a 14.28% gain. Research Drives NPD While there’s a shift in spending toward the basics (think moisturizers and cleansers), research and development in the skin care space is anything but basic. Teams across the globe are digging deeper into myriad factors that impact skin health and coming up with insights that could very well drive future product development. In March, for example, Amorepacific reported in Science Advances that the higher incidence of skin diseases in more urbanized populations is due to differences in skin microbiomes. While many city residents suffer from skin disorders including atopic dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis and hives, the correlation between the degree of urbanization and skin disease had not been previously revealed. Together with Chung-Ang University College of Biotechnology and Natural Resource, the Amorepacific R&D Center analyzed skin microbiomes of 231 Chinese women. The research was constructed to test the hypothesis: “the reason urban residents have more skin disorders compared to those who do not, is due to the ecology of skin microbiomes.” The collaborative effort between Amorepacific R&D Center, Amorepacific Shanghai R&I Center and the research team from Chung-Ang University’s Department of Systems Biotechnology tested the skin microbiomes of women residing in five cities with a population of more than one million: Beijing, Guangzhou, Kunming, Xi’an and Hohhot. It was found that colonies of microbiomes were more concentrated in more urbanized cities (Beijing and Guangzhou) than those in the less urbanized cities (Kunming, Xi’an and Hohhot). According to Amorepacific, the main criteria in measuring urbanization—population, population density and air quality—had a significant impact on the ecological constitution of skin microbiomes. The discovery explains the higher frequency of skin diseases in city residents compared to non-city residents is caused by the difference in the ecological structure of skin microbiomes. “Finding the correlation between urbanization and skin microbiomes is special as it serves as a basis to the development of solutions for skin problems that modern city residents experience,” said Han Sang-hoon, head of Amorepacific R&D Center, in a statement. Active research into the characteristics of skin, scalp and hair conditions plays an important role in the development of the company’s new products. Amorepacific has been studying skin characteristics of Koreans and Chinese people since 1999, according to Hanbyul Kim, safety and microbiology lab, Amorepacific R&D. “We have tried to develop products that cater to different skin characteristics according to region and age and have different skin characteristics. We have continuously expanded our research area from skin to scalp, hair and so on in various regions…then we became interested in the relationship between skin microbiomes and skin diseases,” Kim told Happi about the genesis of this latest finding. “Skin microbes maintain a stable network and control the homeostasis of the skin. In mega-cities, this network is unstable and is more likely to be exposed to skin disease. Therefore, we may try to develop the technology and products for mega-city citizens to increase the network stability of these microorganisms,” Kim said. The microbiome and skin health is garnering attention, and even investment dollars, among the biggest names in the business. Unilever Ventures, for example, was the lead investor in a recently closed financing round for Gallinée Ltd. The investment marked Unilever Ventures’ foray into microbiome-based products. Launched in 2016 by Marie Drago, a French pharmacist with 15 years of experience working for successful skin care brands, Gallinée was inspired by her own autoimmune diseases and a desire to create products that support the skin’s good bacteria. Drago told Happi that consumers grasp the over-arching concept behind her line. “It is changing so fast, it’s amazing. Two years ago when we launched, we had to explain a lot about pro and prebiotics, but now the consumer is very aware of it, even for the skin,” she said. “The sentence I hear the most is ‘It makes so much sense,’ and I love hearing that!” “We have been impressed by Gallinée’s level of innovation and consistency. It is rare to find such young brands with the right mix of science and consumer focus. I look forward to working with Marie and her team to build upon the company’s momentum and many growth opportunities,” Anna Ohlsson-Baskerville, director with Unilever Ventures, said in a statement. “For a young company like Gallinée, this is an amazing opportunity. We are not even two years old,” Drago told Happi. “We loved the ethics and the transparency of Unilever, and thanks to their investment, we are developing new products and are planning for international expansion. I also think it is great to see the big players starting to make moves in the microbiome space.” The funding from Unilever Ventures, and other strategic partners in the round, will be used to develop the Gallinée team, extend the range and finance R&D. Consumer Appeal As companies explore issues such as pollution and microbiome, formulating skin care products that appeal to a wide swath of consumers remains an NPD driver, especially at leading mass market brands. At P&G, for example, the R&D team zeroed in on texture to develop new “Whips” that can be found across the key Olay collections including Regenerist, Luminous and Total Effects. The creation of this new format, which began rolling out in late Q4 2017, stemmed from consumer research into what prevents women from using a moisturizer or skin treatment even when they know better. According to Dr. Frauke Neuser, principal scientist, Olay skin care, skin feel is often the main culprit. While the Olay franchise already enjoys a loyal following, P&G wanted to bring others into the fold, such as those who may not like heavier feel products. “We are very close to our consumers. We want to understand what our consumers are looking for,” Neuser said, noting that the brand has been able to gather key data from its Olay Skin Advisor platform which has had approximately 4 million site visits to date. To develop the new Whips, the Olay R&D team targeted the polymers. “There’s only so much you can do in a classic emulsion,” Neuser said. “We looked at a delivery system that would overcome the film forming sensation. That’s where we looked at different polymers.” The Whip formulations feature a starch-based polymer but the “same active packages” as that of their sister products, explained Neuser, who noted that the brand is keeping close tabs on how consumers react to these new formats as summer approaches. The new, lighter Olay Whip format also boasts UV protection, which could aid in compliance among women who may have shied away from heavy products with much-needed sun protection. Unilever, too, has addressed skin feel with its Dove DermaSeries, which is billed as a completely hypoallergenic and fragrance-free range of products focused on three factors—use of only the mildest skin cleansers, focus on replenishment of skin-natural lipids, and luxurious textures. Moisturizers help seal skin’s moisture, as well as activate PPARs (a protein found in skin) to replenish skin lipids and improve the quality of skin’s outermost layer, according to the brand. Market leader Neutrogena also recognizes its role as an innovator in mass. Neutrogena believes that everyone should have access to efficacious and high-quality skin care solutions, noted Amrika Ganness, facial moisture treatment leader at Neutrogena. “When creating new products, we always look to bring new innovations, ingredients and forms to a mass audience. For example, we were the first to introduce stabilized retinol in a jar to the masses with the launch of Rapid Wrinkle Repair Regenerating Cream. With this launch, Neutrogena scientists discovered how to maintain retinol integrity in a breakthrough form—a super-emollient cream with a rich, melting texture, packaged in a jar container.” According to Anne-Sophie Brillouet, Neutrogena R&D franchise leader, it’s a deep understanding of consumers and their skin care needs and needs that leads Neutrogena to introduce new skin care products—including its new “fragrance free” Rapid Wrinkle Repair Regenerating Cream. “We are constantly investing in education, technology and innovation, to provide consumers with the best products and tools to enable them to live beautifully, especially when it comes to the efficacy and stability of our leading anti-wrinkle technology—retinol. Our delivery and patented system offers the ultimate balance of efficacy, sustained stability and mitigated irritation—three critical factors that we do not compromise on. We continue to invest on future forms relevant for our consumer’s anti-wrinkle skin care regimen,” added Brillouet. Developments at Derm Lines While mass market aisles offer plenty of choices, the dermatologist’s office remains another key outlet for consumers seeking help with their skin. Recently, Obagi’s R&D team was tasked with developing a new line that would expand the company’s reach. Their efforts resulted in SuzanObagiMD, a new range of rejuvenating products specifically designed for two patient categories: those who adhere to a lifestyle that favors more natural alternatives and wish to avoid certain ingredients, yet still won’t entrust their skin to anyone other than a medical brand; and those with skin too sensitive to take the full Obagi Medical regimen, according to Laurence Dryer, PhD, VP of R&D. “Such patients traditionally have no recourse other than much weaker solutions from drugstores, thus losing an opportunity to receive true Medical assistance for their skin concerns,” Dryer said. The SuzanObagiMD formulas are ideal for all skin types, including sensitive skin; they treat a wide range of skin concerns and types, including the appearance of photoaging, rough or lackluster skin, and delicate or sensitive skin. The line includes Foaming Cleanser, Balancing Toner, Acne Cleansing Wipes, Cleansing Wipes, Soothing Complex Broad Spectrum SPF 25, Intensive Daily Repair (IDR), and Retivance Skin Rejuvenating Complex. According to Dryer, Retivance is “without a doubt the most innovative product” in the new line. “The product features Retinaldehyde, a seldom-used retinoid with all the efficacy without the side effects often encountered by sensitive patients. The retinaldehyde molecule lies closer to retinoic acid than other compounds on the retinoid biosynthesis pathway and thus is thought to provide rejuvenating efficacy without inducing as much irritation. The product was also engineered in an unusual chassis designed to stabilize its core compound as well as provide great aesthetic feel.” Dryer also called attention to the line’s core technology, a specific antioxidant blend that “marries the free-radical fighting power of sulforaphane from Brassica oleracea, to the antioxidant activity of citrus bioflavonoids, and the soothing effect of aloe. This new cocktail packs a punch and aims to rejuvenate skin by scavenging free radicals that may inflict damages,” she said. Another popular derm-dispensed brand, Colorescience, says it has found instant success with its new Total Eye 3-in-1 Renewal Therapy SPF 35, which rolled out in February and promises both immediate and long-term improvement. Formulated to hydrate and improve skin health of the entire eye area, Total Eye 3-in-1 Renewal Therapy SPF 35 is clinically proven to immediately brighten dark circles and imperfections, while improving the overall appearance of dark circles, puffiness, fine lines and wrinkles when used twice daily for just four weeks—all while using a 100% mineral SPF 35 that protects against UVA/UVB rays and environmental stressors that contribute to early skin aging. It also works as a primer to allow for a smoother application of concealer and eye makeup, and can also be applied throughout the day as a midday refresher. In a multi-center study, Total Eye 3-in-1 Renewal Therapy SPF 35 was administered by physicians to 90 patients following a variety of in-office procedures and consultations at 17 centers. After four weeks, 95% of participants reported immediate improvements in one or more eye concerns with 95% claiming their eyes look more rested and youthful and 94% stating that they felt more confident overall. The formulation is fueled by five key ingredients; each serves a specific purpose but work synergistically, according to Patricia Boland, VP of product development. The ingredients are: Actineyes, a combination of sea water and marine microalgae that protects skin from impurities while addressing skin laxity and under-eye bags by helping support the health of collagen and increasing firmness of skin; Lucas Meyer’s Aldavine 5X, which is comprised of two polysaccharides that maintain the health of capillaries to minimize puffiness around the eyes and reduce pigmentation that causes dark circles; Phytomoist, which contains plant-based hyaluronic acid and betaine and is four times more hydrating than hyaluronic acid; Sederma’s Beautifeye, which is composed of two plant extracts working synergistically to reduce the volume and depth of fine lines, wrinkles and crow’s feet, and minimize the fold of the upper eyelid for a smoother appearance; and DSM’s Syn-Eye, which delivers a powerful blend of peptides and vitamins shown to address such concerns as under-eye bags, dark circles, fine lines, wrinkles, and puffiness in as little as seven days with visible results. And, these high-profile ingredients are used at levels where efficacy is guaranteed, according to the company. “In all Colorescience formulas, we only use specialty ingredients at levels where they have been tested,” insisted Borlind. According to Jameson Slattery, VP of marketing at Colorescience, this new eye product has already exceeded the company’s own sales expectations and has become a leading product, topping the brand’s well-known Sunforgtteable brush franchise. This level success has prompted the R&D team to build out the Total Eye Collection with new formats, due out in the near future. Not Growing Old Even as sales are currently shifting toward basic skin care products, anti-aging remains a focus for product development. Pur Attitude, Boca Raton, FL, recently rolled out the new PURenergizer Complete Anti-Aging Kit, which uses a waterless natural polymer system and handheld device that “harnesses ultra sonic nanotechnology to transform targeted serums into a potent “nano-vapor” that can penetrate more deeply into the skin. “Traditional skin care generally lists water as the first or primary ingredient in a formulation. However, water is not the best way to hydrate the skin,” said David Pollock, the chemist behind PURenergizer. The ultrasonic technology in the device is said to work like a nebulizer. Since the nano-solutions contain phospholipids, when exposed to the physical energy of the infuser, liposomes are created, and the serum is transformed into a quick-absorbing cool vapor, according to the company. “Years ago, liposomes where considered ‘the answer’ for delivery system challenges in skin care. However, liposomes were not stable in emulsions for long periods of time. We have solved that problem by creating liposomes “fresh” at the time of delivery,” said Pollock, who has developed products for many firms, including Bliss, Smashbox, Lancôme, L’Oréal and SkinCeuticals, to name just a few. Also targeting anti-aging is Progenitor Biologics, LLC, maker of DefenAge Skincare. DefenAge’s proprietary ingredient is Age-Repair Defensins, an ingredient said to work via a natural mechanism of action with the body’s own stem cells. Published pre-clinical research shows that defensins activate dormant LGR6-positive stem cells, and after activation, they physically migrate into the basal layer of the skin and create a new epidermis, and eventually, new, younger-acting skin. “Similar to this mechanism are laser and microneeding treatments–they create damage and skin regenerates. Defensins stimulate regeneration without damage. They simply stimulate similar regeneration pathway without entire cascade of skin damages,” said Progenitor Biologic CEO Nikolay Turovets, PhD. DefenAge is stocked more than 300 US-based aesthetic physicians and medi-spas, but Turovets said he’s ready to push the line further based on the strength of a recent participant- and investigator-blinded, placebo-controlled, multi-center trial. “The double-blind study of such size and comprehensive design is really unusual for the skin care industry and more commonly used to evaluate the efficacy of drugs rather than skin care products. Most of skin care brands do not do such studies because it’s too risky,” he told Happi. Sleep It Off Another big area that is being explored by nearly all with a stake in health and wellness is sleep—or, the lack of it. According to the National Sleep Foundation, only 10% of American adults prioritize their sleep over other aspects of daily living such as fitness/nutrition, work, social life, and hobbies/personal interests. While we might not be getting nearly enough shut eye, Dermalogica wants to make the most of that downtime with its new treatment, Sound Sleep Cocoon. “Sleep deprivation can also affect the skin, with just a few nights of missed sleep resulting in dullness, fine lines, puffy eyes, and dark circles. At the same time, skin is best able to repair and regenerate itself at night, so it’s in skin’s best interest to get a good night’s sleep. At Dermalogica, we saw an opportunity to help people understand the importance of active sleep by creating a product that optimizes nighttime skin recovery and promotes a restful sleep,” said Elizabeth Jones, advanced instructor at Dermalogica. Sound Sleep Cocoon is a gel-cream that works with the skin’s natural overnight repair and recovery process to optimize the skin benefits of the sleep one does get. The R&D team harnessed unique ingredients for the formulation, like Albizia Julibrissin Bark (Persian Silk Tree) extract, nicknamed the “night sleeper” because its leaves open in sunlight and close at night; Evodia Rutaecarpa (Fruits of Wu-Zhu-Yu) Fruit extract; Kakadu Plum Extract, noted for its unique combination of hydrophilic and lipophilic antioxidants; and Tamarindus Indicia extract, a naturally occurring polysaccharide with a chemical structure similar to hyaluronic acid. Sleep Sound Cocoon also helps promote sleep through aromatherapy, namely French Lavender oil, sandalwood and patchouli. “Our sense of smell is closely linked to the brain’s limbic system, which controls emotion and behavior…We have specially-encapsulated the lavandin oil in motion-activated biodegradable polymeric microcapsules that allow it to be released throughout the night as clients toss and turn, promoting deep, restful sleep,” said Jones. Maybe Ponce de Leon missed the mark; rather than searching all that time for Fountain of Youth, maybe a good night’s sleep is all that one needs to remain looking young.
Enter your account email.
A verification code was sent to your email, Enter the 6-digit code sent to your mail.
Didn't get the code? Check your spam folder or resend code
Set a new password for signing in and accessing your data.
Your Password has been Updated !