Ashland promotional graphic showing a woman stretching an effisin em natural band with “who is empowered by nature?”
A badger in a cage.

Beauty retailers pressured to drop badger hair brushes after PETA exposé

A PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) exposé depicting the brutalization of badgers in Chinese farms has spurred some retailers supplying makeup and shaving brushes with badger hair to remove the products. In June 2026, an eyewitness reported attending eight farms in China, the world’s leading exporter of badger fur. 
woman in a lake
Carrageenans re-emerge as multifunctional cosmetic formulation tools
The personal care industry is seeing a surge in interest for naturally-sourced, biorenewable ingredients that support multifunctional applications while not compromising efficacy. This shift is creating space for carrageenans — natural polysaccharides extracted from seaweeds — to experience a renaissance for beauty formulators due to their versatility and eco-friendly characteristics.The renewable ingredient, tapped as a thickener, emulsifier, and stabilizer in cosmetics formulations, is readily biodegradable and boasts a versatile application profile, making it an attractive ingredient in the sustainability space.
Face mapping
dsm-firmenich 3D facial microbiome mapping poised to transform common skin conditions
dsm-firmenich’s latest 3D facial skin microbiome analysis tackles some of the longest-standing limitations in microbiome research. While traditional approaches rely on relative abundance data from a limited number of sampling points, dsm-firmenich’s concept introduces absolute quantification of 26 bacterial and fungal species across 24 facial sites with AI models.
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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NYSCC Suppliers’ Day 2026 review: Multifunctional actives and sustainable beauty shine
At NYSCC Suppliers’ Day 2026 in New York, US, personal care innovation focused on sustainability, multifunctionality, and biotech-driven actives. Companies highlighted natural, upcycled, and bio-based ingredients. AI-assisted formulation tools and high-performance solutions for skin, hair, and scalp health also took center stage. Key trends included protective and reparative actives, multifunctional polymers, RNA- and peptide-based technologies, and sensory-focused formulations. The presentations reflected the industry’s push toward eco-conscious, consumer-focused innovation. We round up the event’s key innovators and what they showcased.

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Coty pivots CoverGirl back to Gen X as beauty brands weigh Gen Z strategies
Older woman using her phone to apply lipstick
Coty is repositioning its CoverGirl brand to target Gen X consumers, shifting away from its previous efforts of appealing to Gen Z. The move is part of the company’s wider turnaround plan for its Consumer Beauty division, which has seen slowing momentum in the past few years. 
DACH consumers prioritize performance-led beauty, reveals Revieve
woman with white hair smiling at camera winking, cream on cheek
A Revieve trend report has revealed that DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) consumers are increasingly making science-driven, personalized, and performance-based purchases.Consumers in the region are steadily shifting focus to clinical efficacy, ingredient transparency, personalized recommendations, and digital-first experiences — contrary to product choices motivated by trends and traditional mass-market approaches, 
Belle Brands acquires Versed to grow clean skin care portfolio in mass retail
Versed skin products.
Belle Brands has acquired Versed, a clean, solutions-driven skin care and makeup brand founded by Katherine Power.
Aora México brings plastic-free beauty packaging to Sephora
A group of makeup products on a black surface
Aora México, a color cosmetics brand that uses fully plastic-free and fully recyclable packaging, has launched at Sephora. Aora says it is “the first plastic-free beauty brand” to launch at the retailer, reflecting the beauty industry’s shift toward reduced reliance on single-use packaging. Aora’s products are packaged in tin, aluminum, or wood with zero plastic. Its cosmetic solutions are formulated with Mexican-origin ingredients, including five native chiles, tepezcohuite, and cactus flower. 
Walmart mercury skin cream settlement pressures e-commerce accountability
Woman with red background
A legal settlement between Walmart and the Mercury Policy Project (MPP) is reigniting debates over the responsibility of online retailers in selling unsafe cosmetics. Under the terms of Proposition 65 in California, US, Walmart has agreed to remove mercury-laced skin-lightening creams from its online store. The retailer has now committed to proactively requiring certain third-party sellers to test their merchandise for mercury before it is offered for sale. 
Experts debate plastic food packaging’s health impact, urging new scientific...
Fresh produce in plastic packaging

Nutrition Insight

Amid an ongoing debate on plastic food packaging’s impact on health, experts are discussing what the current science says about its impact on human health. As new evidence emerges, they argue that the current scientific landscape needs standardized testing methods, while urging that new findings on increased plastics in human tissue should not be ignored. Nutrition Insight sits down with toxicology experts from the Plastics Research Council and the University of New Mexico (US), alongside a spokesperson from Earth Action, to dive deeper into plastic packaging and the current scientific evidence of its impact on human health.
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A girl holding a magazine with a Gucci advertisement.
Business News
L’Oréal lands Gucci Beauty early as Coty cashes out for...
One year ahead of schedule, L’Oréal has secured the 50-year exclusive global license agreement for Gucci Beauty. Gucci and Coty have decided to bring forward the redemption date of their existing beauty license agreement, previously due to expire on June 30, 2028. Consequently, the Gucci Beauty license will return to Kering — its beauty unit recently acquired by L’Oréal — for a consideration of approximately US$400 million. 
Woman in a swimsuit standing by the beach
Tech & Innovation
Haut.AI unveils Body Analysis to tackle summer skin anxiety
Haut.AI has launched an AI-powered tool that analyzes the whole body’s skin and suggests personalized body care products accordingly, expanding traditional skin analysis tech beyond the face. The launch coincides with new research that found many women feel anxious about their body skin in the summertime. According to a survey the beauty tech company conducted with women in the US, 80% of respondents experience heightened pressure to have “flawless” or “healthy-looking” skin when warmer weather calls for more exposed skin.
Person showing deodorant stick.
Personal Care Insights News
IFF on deodorant’s “whole-body” shift and scent’s starring...
Deodorant is no longer positioned solely for the underarms, according to findings from International Flavors and Fragrances’ (IFF) recent survey on global usage trends. This evolution is shaping new expectations around enhanced protection, sensoriality, and personal expression in the category.

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Clean beauty boostersJun2026

According to Innova Market Insights, clean beauty is redefining itself. Clean beauty realigns to modern-day needs, with ethical expectations driving new regulatory norms for toxin and microplastic-fre...

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Carrageenans uncovered Jul 2026

Carrageenans are gaining momentum in personal care launches as brands seek naturally derived multifunctional ingredients that enhance texture, stability, and sensory performance. The ingredient is most featured in skin care and hair care products, where it serves as a natural thickener, gelling agent, and moisturizer aligned with clean beauty and plant-based formulation trends.

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...

Kacey Brides, Givaudan, Primalhyal 300, NYSCC Suppliers’ Day 2026, Skin Care, Active Ingredients, Healthy Aging, Cosmeceuticals, Hyaluronic Acid, Skin Repair, Hydration, Sensitive Skin, Aging Skin, Po
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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
Karen Chun, Symrise
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NYSCC Suppliers’ Day 2026: Symrise talks skin barrier, sensoriality and sustainability
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