Suppliers observed that some more conservative manufacturers have lifted travel restrictions, permitting key customers to attend this year's show.
More than 7,800 in-person and 300+ virtual attendees pre-registered to attend NYSCC Suppliers' Day 2023, held May 1-3 in New York. The first day of the exhibition, many companies reported good booth traffic even with attendees spread out across additional exhibit space, compared with last year.
See related: 15+ Trends in Cosmetics Innovation at in-cosmetics Global 2023
Some suppliers observed that more conservative manufacturers have lifted travel restrictions, permitting key customers to attend this year's show. In relation, many companies shared that they had good and meaningful conversations and meetings.
8+ high level key concepts shared and showcased this year included the following.
1. Skin Health and Wellness
- DHA for self- tanning as an alternative to UV exposure
- A phage to target C. acnes, which also relates to the microbiome
- Improving skin glow (not brightening but natural radiance)
- Barrier repair
- "Knowing your skin's boundaries"
- "Forgotten" body parts (i.e., face ingredients moving to the body)
- Peptides for skin
- Live probiotics, postbiotics
- Sleep to improve skin health, immunity through the melatonin pathway
- Boosting innate antioxidants
- Cellular/mitochondria targeting - biological beauty
- Microbiome "exploding" in personal care - used to be niche but is now more widespread (but how to educate consumers?)
2. Replacement Ingredients
- D5 to replace D4
- Natural bakuchiol alternative to retinol
- Bio-based surfactants; for example, one derived from upcycled beet processing waste
3. Emotion in Beauty
- Measuring galvanic response to both products and ingredients
- Including neuro-experts in product testing
- Ingredients to de-stress and focus on psychodermatology
- Product forms to aid in the de-stress process (e.g., lotion beads massaged into skin)
4. Sensitive Skin
- Sensitive skin testing
- Identifying biomarkers for sensitive skin
- Skin model with human nerves
- Skin allergen testing
5. 'Rinse-ability,' Hair Repair and Growth
- "Rinse-ability" claim (e.g., lower carbon footprint, less water use, cooler water required)
- Hair testing for bond-like efficacy
- Hair growth and examining the hair bulb
- Improving hair softness and strength
- Hair conditioning
- Oat peptide for hair damage
6. Indie Focus
- Collections created for indie brands to teach growing brands about ingredients early (before they grow big)
- Indie brands are leading the industry because they are closer to consumers
7. Texture and Sensory
- Emulsifier in gel that can create light, medium and heavy formulas by changing only the water content
- Thickening
- Non-whitening and powdery feel sunscreen
- Shine and softness in hair
8. Sustainable and Natural
- Natural/sustainable + performance/efficacy (sacrificing some naturality for efficacy)
- Sustainability testing
- Testing biodegradability
- "XX% Biodegradable" claim - the numeric value must be given for the Green Deal in Europe - not just a claim of "biodegradable"
- Natural alkyl benzoate
- "Different dimensions of sustainability" - traceability, transparent, etc. - all interpretations must be taken into account in ingredient/formula development
- Water savings
- Upcycled ingredients
- Cold processing
- "Re-imagining natural"
- Responsibility and socially progressive programs
Honorable Mentions
- Azelaic acid
- Skin brightening
- Nutricosmetics
- Synthetic biology/green biotech
- Multifunctionals - e.g., preservative "boosters" that also act as solubilizers; ingredients that work across various product categories for multiple effects
- Inclusivity
- Advocating for sunscreens in the U.S.
- Liposomal delivery - phospholipids
- Interest in scalp care especially in North America
- Lightweight and sensorial sun protection/SPF-boosting
- Digital technology to trace ingredients or select ingredients based on performance parameters, sourcing parameters, etc.
