Ashland promotional graphic showing a woman stretching an effisin em natural band with “who is empowered by nature?”
A woman with flowers by her eyes and in her mouth.

How biotech steadies beauty’s ingredient supply chain challenges

Biotech is solidifying itself as a relief and a catalyst for innovation as beauty brands face increasing pressure around sustainability and supply-chain resilience. Meanwhile, microbial intelligence is an emerging biotech trend, and industry watchers are viewing it as a bridge connecting discovery to manufacturing. Personal care companies are looking for ingredients with differentiated performance that maintain resilient supply chains, reduce reliance on natural resources, and develop more cost-efficient production routes. 
A woman swiping a cream on her face while looking in the mirror.
Natural beauty ingredients get biotech rebuild as crop scarcity rises
The personal care industry is changing the way it defines “natural” ingredients from an umbrella term for clean label claims to finetuned demands. Consumers want traceable and trustworthy supply chains, pushing beauty players to distinguish “natural sourcing” from “ethical sourcing.” Innova Market Insights data indicates growth in natural claims, with 32% CAGR from April 2021 to March 2026 in product launches. This is underpinned by consumers increasingly seeking more natural ingredients when shopping for their beauty products. Skin care and hair care had the largest share of natural launches, while body care grew the fastest. 
A woman holding a cherry and a vaginal suppository.
Juice’s vaginal suppository launch sparks debate over intimate care’s beauty pivot
Juice, an intimate care brand marketed as beauty, has debuted with “not something you need, but something you want” positioning. Some have applauded the category convergence, while others have pushed back, seeing the framing as evidence-skirting and a trendy rebranding of female shame. The new brand launched with oil suppositories for the vagina, designed to give hydration and a “subtle scent.” Scented intimate hygiene products have been discouraged by medical professionals due to irritation. For example, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists advises against using perfumed products in and around the vagina. 
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Natural claims for personal care
Innova Market Insights data indicates growth in natural claims, with 32% CAGR from April 2021 to March 2026 in product launches. This is underpinned by consumers increasingly seeking more natural ingredients when shopping for their beauty products. Skin care and hair care had the largest share of natural launches, while body care grew the fastest.
Foaming antibacterial hand wash with aloe beside a blank pump bottle on a counter, with CAMA PHHC logo.
Automating sleeved bottle packaging without compromising pack design
This article highlights the automation of sleeved bottle packaging, transforming a manual process into a high-speed solution while preserving brand identity and ensuring compatibility with both automated and manual operations.

This Technical Paper is brought to you by Cama Group.
 Paulo Teixeira, Melt&Marble
Melt&Marble: Accelerating commercial readiness for personal care products with INCI milestone

Melt&Marble is a Swedish biotech company that uses precision fermentation to produce designer lipids in food and personal care products. The company has secured its first personal care ingredient INCI.  Paulo Teixeira, head of product at Melt&Marble, tells Personal Care Insights more about this regulatory milestone.

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Derma beauty and hair care power L’Oréal to record half-year operating margin
Outside a Loreal building.
L’Oréal has published its 2026 half-year results, where hair care was revealed as a front-runner and its two most clinically oriented divisions — Professional Products and Dermatological Beauty — grew over double the rate of its luxury arm. The beauty giant’s first-half sales reached €23.77 billion (US$27.25 billion) and a record first-half operating margin of 21.3%. Reporting sales were up 6.8% like-for-like (LFL), 6.5% on an adjusted LFL basis, and 5.8% as reported, for the six months to June 30. The adjusted figure strips out the impact of phasing in the company’s IT system in the current and comparable periods. 
P2 Science unveils trend-based sustainable color cosmetics collection
Women wearing colorful makeup
Green chemistry company P2 Science, sourcing its ingredients from circular feedstocks, has launched a sustainable color cosmetics collection, Feel Good Color. The launch is accompanied by a downloadable e-book that pairs three of 2026’s “most influential” complexion trends with formulations containing the company’s CitroSperse bio-based pigment dispersions. CitroSperse is based on polycitronellol as a sustainable, silicone-free alternative emollient.
The rise of refill: Cosmetics industry moves beyond disposability as...
refillable skincare options
The cosmetics industry is increasingly integrating sustainability into the bedrock of its packaging design, with refillable systems rising as a solution to mitigate single-use packaging pollution. At this year’s London Packaging Week (Sep 16–17), refillable solutions are poised to take center stage. Packaging companies like Amcor and Spectra Packaging, and personal care brands such as Paco Rabanne and Cahé Cosmétique, are presenting their latest innovations in the category. 
Johnson & Johnson offers US$5.5B to end ovarian cancer talc lawsuits
Woman looking at a baby powder bottle
Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has proposed to pay US$5.5 billion to settle around 76,000 remaining lawsuits that claim its talc-based baby powder caused plaintiffs’ ovarian cancer. The deal requires the participation of lead plaintiff firms, which represent approximately 95% of the remaining claims. The proposed settlement follows a favorable legal outcome for J&J. On July 22, 2026, a federal judge required plaintiffs to explain why their cases should not be dismissed based on a lack of evidence of how J&J’s talc products caused individual claimants’ ovarian cancer. 
Scientists crack probiotic cosmetics’ preservation problem
Woman with clear skin closeup portrait
Polish scientists have developed and patented microscopic protective capsules that allow live probiotic bacteria to survive in cosmetics for over a year. The breakthrough is considered to overcome one of the biggest challenges of formulating probiotic skin care, and taps into the growing trend of microbiome-targeted cosmetics. The capsule technology solves a central paradox of probiotic cosmetics. Until now, the preservatives a formula would need to keep the product safe from harmful bacteria would also simultaneously kill off any beneficial live bacteria added to it.
Indigenous food knowledge can tackle nutrition and climate crises, review argues
Happy indigenous woman with fresh vegetables in her truck, rural area of ​​​​Guatemala.

Nutrition Insight

A systematic review has revealed how traditional Indigenous knowledge can help resolve global challenges, such as poor health and nutrition, climate change, and biodiversity loss. It argues that improving population nutrition and health requires integrating food system literacy on a community level.Researchers from the University of East Anglia, UK, examined 39 peer-reviewed studies across the world, finding an increased respect for traditional and Indigenous food knowledge’s potential to address global crises. However, top-down and medicalized approaches currently dominate nutrition education and practice.
Highlighted features
A man smelling a Dove deodorant.
Health and Beauty
Greenpeace urges Unilever to adopt refillables and ties...
Greenpeace US has called on Dove and parent company Unilever to phase out plastic packaging amid the FMCG giants’ partnership with the FIFA World Cup 2026. The environmental organization cites research suggesting microplastics are turning up in men’s reproductive tissue, and contrasts it with Dove–FIFA campaign slogans such as “protect your sensitive parts.” 
A woman looking to the side and getting an injection in her face.
Policy & regulation news
US FDA peptide decision could create marketing challenges...
Yesterday and today, the US FDA Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee (PCAC) is discussing adding injectable peptides to the agency’s list of bulk drug substances permitted for use in compounded medicines. While the meetings will not end in a binding legal outcome, the recommendation is expected to inform the FDA’s final decision. Personal Care Insights discusses what the impact on the personal care industry would be if the injectable peptides are allowed, with the Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies (ASOP), American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), and the intelligence platform Cafeteria. 
Woman getting injection for hair growth.
Policy & regulation news
US FDA panel weighs injectable peptides as experts demand...
The US FDA Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee (PCAC) is currently convening over whether to add injectable peptides to the agency’s list of bulk drug substances permitted for use in compounded medicines. Today and tomorrow, the FDA is hosting a panel meeting to review seven peptides: BPC-157, emideltide (DSIP), epitalon, KPV, MOTS-c, semax, and TB-500. BPC-157 and TB-500 are popular “biohacking” solutions in the online wellness community. Currently, all of the listed substances are prohibited from being made by compounding pharmacies in the US. 

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Women’s wellness trendsJul2026

Innova Market Insights presented the Top Personal Care Trends 2026 with “Tailored Touchpoints” taking the top spot, followed by “New-age Longevity,” and “Crunch Over Fluff.” These trends are reshaping...

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Biotech beauty breakthroughs Jul 2026

Biotechnology is redefining beauty innovation, enabling brands to deliver targeted, science-backed performance across skin and hair care. From biotech collagen and neuropeptides to microbiome-supporting actives and marine-derived ingredients, new product launches are combining advanced technologies with high-efficacy formulations to address hydration, firmness, skin renewal, and healthy aging.

Trend analysis

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Natural claims for personal careJul 2026

Innova Market Insights data indicates growth in natural claims, with 32% CAGR from April 2021 to March 2026 in product launches. This is underpinned by consumers increasingly seeking more natural ingredients when shopping for their beauty products. Skin care and hair care had the largest share of natural launches, while body care grew the fastest.

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 Paulo Teixeira, Melt&Marble
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Melt&Marble: Accelerating commercial readiness for personal care products with INCI milestone

Melt&Marble is a Swedish biotech company that uses precision fermentation to produce designer lipids in food and personal care products. The company has secured its first personal care ingredient INCI.  Paulo Teixeira, head of product at Melt&Marble, tells Personal Care...

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NYSCC Suppliers’ Day 2026: Givaudan highlights PrimalHyal 300 for skin repair
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NYSCC Suppliers’ Day 2026: Nouryon explores AI and biobased chemistry
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NYSCC Suppliers’ Day 2026: Symrise talks skin barrier, sensoriality and sustainability
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