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Biosurfactant partnerships and facility investments push category toward scale

The personal care industry is directing its attention to biosurfactant innovation as consumers demand gentler and more sustainable solutions. Industry players are investing in the category by launching production facilities to expand global reach and venturing into partnerships to bolster surfactant capabilities.British biosurfactant producer Holoferm has partnered with Organica UK to build an end-to-end biotech platform offering ingredient development, formulations, and manufacturing. The company’s partnership with the household-cleaning formulator will enhance production capabilities while consumer demand for fossil-free personal care products continues to grow.
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AI drives beauty innovation but experts flag bias and trust risks
Modern technological advancements are rapidly changing the beauty industry landscape throughout the entire production cycle. While technology is permeating beauty developments in science-driven innovation and personalization, the growing use of AI is also revealing weaknesses.Brands are increasingly integrating tech into every level of their operations, with AI standing at the center of these developments. However, alongside its practical uses, industry representatives warn against AI’s pitfalls and project that the industry’s appetite for the tech will plateau.
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Primient says intimate care safety hinges on formulation, not ingredients
Primient, a producer of plant-based and corn-derived ingredients, has identified that the safety of an intimate product is determined by the finished formulation rather than by any single ingredient. The company reports that women’s health and menopause care are on the rise, leading many brands to tap into the traditionally underserved market. But as the personal care industry embraces intimate health as a stand-out arena for innovation, dealing with such a sensitive area of the body raises formulation challenges that ingredient-level safety data alone cannot answer. 
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Sustainable beauty solutions
Innova Market Insights data indicates that new personal care launches with sustainable claims grew at a +31% CAGR from July 2021 to June 2026. While cruelty-free remains a key consumer marker of sustainable beauty, innovation is expanding into areas such as sustainable oils, 2-in-1 formats, recycled materials, and reef- and ocean-friendly solutions.
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.
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Consumer Reports: States urged to regulate braiding hair amid federal silence

Consumer Reports found heavy metals in nearly all braiding hair it tested, and volatile organic compounds in every sample. James Rogers, director and head of product safety testing at Consumer Reports, tells Personal Care Insights that no US federal agency clearly regulates the category, leaving labeling claims unchecked. He urges manufacturers to test ingredients and final products. Rogers also expects state rules and consumer spending to eventually drive change.

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Monteloeder nutricosmetic found to lift hair follicle cell growth 2.5-fold
Person looking at hair.
Elissara, a nutricosmetic by Monteloeder, was found to exhibit multifactorial activity associated with healthy hair and follicle function. According to a preclinical study examining scalp and hair growth, the four-botanical polyphenol-enriched ingredients featured in Elissara demonstrated support of hair follicle function and resilience.
Core Biogenesis expands longevity concept into eye makeup
Eye shadow close-up.
Core Biogenesis, a France‑based biotechnology company, is extending its longevity-driven innovation platform to color cosmetics with Eye Longevity Shadow, a formulation concept designed to merge makeup performance with skin care benefits.
Cosmetics industry defends essential oils as EU reviews fragrance molecules
A woman smelling an essential oil.
The European Commission has asked the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) to assess the safety of cuminaldehyde and p-cymene for cosmetics. The two molecules occur naturally in essential oils and are used across fragrance and skin care. The commission reports that the industry has accepted that cuminaldehyde and p-cymene should not be added to cosmetics as standalone ingredients. What it seeks is permission for the traces that occur naturally inside cumin, thyme, and other essential oils. A formulator cannot take out the chemicals without removing the oil. 
Hindustan Unilever lifts capex to chase premium beauty in “New India”
A woman with thick swipes of cream on her cheeks.
Hindustan Unilever (HUL) is focusing on the “New India opportunity” and centering its next phase of growth around young consumers, social media, and AI-enabled content. India has emerged as a burgeoning market for the personal care industry as it has been propelling toward premiumization and social-led trends. According to the India Brand Equity Foundation, the country’s beauty industry is projected to grow from US$28 billion in 2024 to US$35 billion by 2028. 
Mane acquires Cvista to expand US citrus fragrance position
Citrus fragrance ingredients.
French-headquartered fragrance house Mane has acquired Cvista, a supplier of citrus oil fractions and essences based in Florida, US. As part of the deal, a Mane Global Citrus and Beverage Center of Excellence will be established in the US, bolstering future fragrance innovation in the region.
Vitafoods Asia 2026: Microbiome, longevity & fun formats reshape nutraceuticals
Vitafoods Asia 2026

Nutrition Insight

Healthy longevity emerged as the key theme at Vitafoods Asia 2026 in Bangkok, Thailand (Sep 2–4), where industry experts highlighted innovations in metabolic health, the gut microbiome, muscle preservation, delivery formats, and protein for sports recovery. On the show floor, Nutrition Insight spoke with experts from Ujala Life Sciences, Novonesis, OmniActive Health Technologies, Lallemand Bio-Ingredients, AceBiome, and Valio. Nutraceutical expert Silvi Siddhu, who represented Ujala Life Sciences at the show, pointed to healthy longevity as the main trend at Vitafoods Asia. She noted this includes cellular aging, metabolic health, and muscle preservation. 
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Personal Care Insights News
GLP-1 and menopause beauty boom outpaces clinical care,...
Women are navigating a much more complex personal care, health, and wellness marketplace than they were a few years ago. GLP-1s, menopause care, supplements, telehealth, and digital wellness tools have created more pathways for consumers to take. However, the influx of options has not produced better care, according to LucyRx chief commercial officer Susan Thomas. LucyRx is an independent pharmacy benefit manager that acts as an intermediary between health plan sponsors, pharmacies, and patients. 
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Business News
C-beauty growth splits domestic brand strategies home and...
China’s beauty market is forecast to grow 6% annually through 2028, according to a report by consulting firm McKinsey, but recent earnings from two of the country’s largest domestic players tell different stories about who is capturing that growth. Proya, touted as China’s biggest beauty company, is struggling at home with an H1 2026 7% sales decline for its namesake brand, which it is now pivoting to the US market through an Ulta Beauty launch. 
woman applied sunscreen on shoulder
Policy & regulation news
Bemotrizinol US FDA approval spurs sunscreen innovation
Earlier this summer, sunscreen active ingredient bemotrizinol (BEMT) received US FDA approval, marking a major milestone for sunscreen innovation in the country. It became the first new sunscreen active approved in the US in over 25 years. BEMT’s US approval was inaugurated alongside the green lighting of dsm-firmenich’s BEMT ingredient Parsol Shield. BASF followed soon after last month, with its own BEMT ingredient marketed as Tinosorb S. The ingredient has launched in the US under a supplemental license agreement with dsm-firmenich’s parent company, DSM Nutritional Products.

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Home fragrance trendsSep2026

Innova Market Insights data indicates that more than half of global consumers are motivated by scent when purchasing household fresheners. The market is responding with new product launches, with air ...

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K-beauty’s global impact Sep 2026

K-beauty is moving beyond the glass-skin trend to shape beauty innovation across makeup, hair, and body care. From fermented ingredients and barrier-focused formulas to cooling pore sticks, peeling foot masks, and sensorial hair rituals, Korean beauty concepts are being reimagined for a global audience.

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Sustainable beauty solutionsSep 2026

Innova Market Insights data indicates that new personal care launches with sustainable claims grew at a +31% CAGR from July 2021 to June 2026. While cruelty-free remains a key consumer marker of sustainable beauty, innovation is expanding into areas such as sustainable oils, 2-in-1 formats, recycled materials, and reef- and ocean-friendly solutions.

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Consumer Reports video thumbnail: Stylist braiding purple extensions into a client’s long black hair, with a circular professional headshot inset
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Consumer Reports: States urged to regulate braiding hair amid federal silence

Consumer Reports found heavy metals in nearly all braiding hair it tested, and volatile organic compounds in every sample. James Rogers, director and head of product safety testing at Consumer Reports, tells Personal Care Insights that no US federal agency clearly...

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