It's been nearly two months since we all gathered in Paris for this annual event – the most significant date in the calendar for players in the personal care value chain. The AAK team was present at stand IS110 to introduce our latest innovations (more of that later!) and engage in many fruitful discussions with our customers and partners. We truly appreciated your visits, and it was a pleasure seeing so many new and familiar faces!
We took full advantage of the opportunity to explore everything the show had to offer - from walking the floor to absorb the multiple sights and sounds to attending presentations - taking inspiration from new ingredient and formulation trends and gathering insights into the future direction of the personal care industry. In this post, we are excited to share our collective learning and key takeaways from two focus areas: the Innovation Zone and the Makeup Bar, where we were also active exhibitors!
One thing that stood out in the Innovation Zone is that there is more creativity now than ever, with over 200 new and novel products showcased. We focused on those categorized as functional ingredients, where we saw a high prevalence of products developed to facilitate the green transition.
We observed many products positioned as natural alternatives to silicones, highlighting the ongoing trend for silicone replacement. Kline's presentation, "Where does the personal care ingredients market currently stand, and where is it headed?"1 underlines the growing interest in naturality, paving the way for more natural and derived-natural ingredients. However, it also acknowledges that the anticipated reduction in the usage of certain ingredients, like silicones, has yet to materialize to the extent expected, primarily due to price and cost management issues. We also encountered several natural alternatives to Vaseline, mineral oil and lanolin, reaffirming the industry's interest in natural and natural-derived ingredients.
Another noteworthy trend is the evolution of sustainability into a holistic term, extending beyond preserving naturality and venturing into innovation territory with concepts encompassing byproducts, circularity, and ethical sourcing. So it's one to watch!
Our AAK Innovation Zone entry of LIPEX® SheaLuxe TR™ met the demand for green, sustainable, high-performing ingredients. This fully traceable, shea-based emollient ester is an eco-friendly alternative to non-volatile silicones, ideal for formulating light skin care formulations demanding a soft, silky texture and non-greasy after-feel. Plus, it has the added advantages of being climate-compensated and readily biodegradable. To demonstrate its sensory benefits, we challenged visitors to spot the difference between formulations containing Lipex SheaLuxe TR and dimethicone. Two out of three of you couldn't tell the difference, and several of you who got it right admitted to guessing! You can read more about Lipex SheaLuxe TR on our website, and you can still check out the Innovation Zone section of the in-cosmetics website for a comprehensive list of all the ingredients showcased at the event. Enjoy taking a deeper dive into both.
Now, let's move on to the makeup bar! One trend we noticed, which is also a consistent finding in industry reports, is the shift towards simplifying routines, being more pragmatic, and seeking value in products. This change has led to a surge in multifunctional products and the overlapping of skincare, color cosmetics, and suncare categories. Makeup products with skincare benefits, as well as SPF, were prevalent. We also identified the following three trends as gaining momentum.
There is an increased presence of eco-ethical ingredients in color cosmetics. Although to a lesser degree than in other categories, we saw this reflected in the many natural formulations and natural and natural-derived ingredients being promoted.
The growth of neurocosmetics. The marketing trends theatre hosted several talks on the topic, linking mind, mood, and personal care products, such as how stress affects skin and hair and how to counteract and improve mental and physical well-being with self-care and targeted beauty routines.2 Makeup has long been associated with the feel-good factor, boosting confidence and providing an outlet for creative expression, and this shows no signs of slowing down.
The beauty stick revolution is upon us. Mintel predicted this several years ago3, and we saw plenty of evidence that this trend is not going anywhere soon! There was a definite increase in the number of products launching in stick formats across all sectors, including makeup, thanks, in part, to their portability and fuss-free application.
Our two makeup zone entries, Candy Floss Blush Stick and La Vie en Rose Cream Matte Lipstick, brilliantly demonstrated the combination of LIPEX® SheaSolve™ for effective color pigment dispersion and LIPEX® SheaSoft TR™ for texture, moisturization, and the ability to overcome the crystallization challenges of formulating with high quantities of shea butter in a stick format. And that wasn't just our opinion - we had overwhelming positive feedback from all of you! Both delivered consistent color with a high payoff, lightweight skin feel, sustainably-sourced ingredients, and fabulous, flexible results - from a soft flush of pink to a bold statement cheek and lip – neatly pulling the three trends together!
A special shoutout to Alyssa Elvambuena and Ben Schwartz from the AAK US team, who led the development of these two products. And a big thank you to Mahmoud Shallah and Emelie Grönsterwall for their fantastic work on Lipex SheaLuxe TR. And, of course, to all of you for making in-cosmetics Global 2024 such an enjoyable and successful event – we’re already looking forward to next year!