Iridescent promotional banner from Kao Chemicals Europe featuring “Pearled Perfection,” advertising Danox Pearl GS with soft pastel swirls and a “Learn more” button
woman smelling lavender

Testing finds rampant adulteration in Amazon-sold lavender oils, posing potential risks

Testing by Now Essential Oils reveals that a vast majority of the tested lavender essential oils available on e-commerce platform Amazon fail to meet International Organization for Standardization (ISO) criteria. Only three brands out of 28 tested (11%) proved to be authentic Lavandula angustifolia essential oil with no evidence of adulteration.The company expresses that these results are “concerning,” as synthetic fragrance compounds can irritate the skin and airways or can lead to further health complications. 
A woman holding a bottle of serum in front of her face.
Actives evolve around consumer wellness and performance expectations
Active ingredients are essential in personal care formulations. They are a make-or-break when it comes to product performance and brand perception, especially in an era where consumers are more educated and scrutinizing than ever before. Innova Market Insights data indicates that high-performance actives are gaining momentum as consumers embrace science-led skin care. 
Two scientists extracting botanicals.
PhytoGaia discusses how sustainability, performance and transparency shape beauty’s future
The plant-based personal care sector is undergoing a transformative shift, driven by evolving consumer demands for clean, effective, and sustainable products. No longer just a trend, plant-based innovation is now at the heart of product development, as brands work to meet the expectations of an increasingly informed audience. Today’s consumers are seeking natural ingredients and still expecting high performance. They want clinically backed solutions that address both surface-level concerns and deeper biological processes. This demand is fueling advancements in biotechnology, green chemistry, and sourcing technologies, enabling the creation of plant-derived actives that are more potent, stable, and scalable. 
Woman wearing blue traditional attire adorned with white and blue flowers in her hair, statement gold jewelry, and soft glam makeup, with floral-themed branding text beside her.
Harness the power of flowers for beauty
Using proprietary technologies like Zeta Fraction™, PSR™ technology and phytofermentology™, Ashland extracts potent actives from flower sources through eco-friendly processes, ensuring both efficacy and environmental responsibility. Driven by sustainability and technological advancement commitments, this allows development of biofunctionals that harness the power of advanced technologies, artificial intelligence, and plant-based innovation.

This Technical Paper is brought to you by Ashland.
Image
NYSCC Suppliers’ Day 2026: Nouryon explores AI and biobased chemistry
Elke Patteet, VP Personal Care at Nouryon told Personal Care Insights about how biobased and starch-based chemistries are proving that sustainability can deliver high performance. She shared how Nouryon partners strategically with North American brands, how its AI-driven BeautyCreations platform accelerates formulation innovation, and which supply and application trends are shaping personal care products.
Image
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.

Latest headlines

View more
AI powers beauty’s next frontier from retail to longevity science
Woman with futuristic hair and makeup against white backdrop
The beauty industry is deploying AI across various parts of its value chain, with recent partnerships seeing the tech used for both product discovery and product creation. In the European Nordic region, Revieve has partnered with Matas Group to implement AI-powered skin and makeup advisors across Matas and Kicks locations. Evaluating the results, the beauty tech company found that AI tools drove conversion uplifts of 331% for virtual try-ons and increased order values by up to 37%.
Disproquima talks Enzym acquisition: Expanding into Polish personal care
woman smiles at camera
Disproquima has acquired Polish cosmetic ingredients distributor Enzym as part of its personal care expansion strategy. The raw materials and ingredients company says that the move represents a “significant milestone” in its Central European growth plan and will enable it to serve customers with greater proximity, technical know-how, and agility.Enzym is said to be well established in the Polish market with its portfolio of cosmetics ingredient offerings and existing customer relationships. Disproquima states that Enzym’s formulation experience and customer network align with its long-term vision and business values.
Astrea Beauty brings ancestral Indian healing to modern skin care with US entry
Indian woman standing outside in nature
Indian beauty brand Astrea Beauty has announced it is debuting in the US. The brand blends modern clean beauty principles with ancient Siddha medicine, one of the world’s oldest healing traditions originating in South India. Astrea Beauty offers 100% natural, vegan formulations that combine herbal remedies, plant-based actives, and natural minerals. It positions itself at the intersection of cultural heritage, sustainability, and holistic skin care.
Sun safety: La Roche Posay and Primally Pure tackle toxins and melanoma...
campaign photo from Primally Pure, woman sitting in wheelbarrow
La Roche Posay and Primally Pure have launched sun care campaigns for increased awareness in melanoma prevention and ingredient transparency, respectively.While May’s Melanoma Awareness Month draws to a close, skin cancer rates continue to climb. Yet misinformation persists, and sun safety standards remain “outdated.” The campaigns approach the issues of sun and sun care safety from different angles, emphasizing the increasingly pressing matter of public health.
LG H&H sells beverages brand to strengthen K-beauty footprint
K-beauty model
LG Household & Health Care (LG H&H) is sharpening its focus on K-beauty, with the sale of its beverage subsidiary Haitai for more than KRW300 billion (US$2 million). The divestment is said to reflect a broader strategy to streamline its non-core operations and redirect capital toward the company’s core personal care and cosmetics business.Haitai, known for products such as Galamandeun Bae, Podo Bongbong, and Coco Palm, generated revenue of KRW374.1 billion (US$288 million) last year but posted an operating loss of KRW10.1 billion (US$7.8 million). 
Sirio bets on longevity with science-backed ingredients in fun formats
Family on the beach

Nutrition Insight

Amid a trend for healthy aging, Sirio built a longevity platform for daily habits that it introduced at Vitafoods Europe 2026. Nutrition Insight meets up with the company to discuss its take on longevity — science-backed ingredients in fun formats for daily adherence that are marketed responsibly.“We’re really just getting started,” Maria Pavlidou, head of Marketing at Sirio Europe, tells us. “It’s fascinating what is going on with longevity in different fields.”
Highlighted features
suppliers day entrance
Business News
NYSCC Suppliers’ Day 2026: Biotech and multifunctionality...
At NYSCC Suppliers’ Day 2026 in New York, three clear trends dominated supplier showcases: biotech-driven actives, multifunctional ingredients, and advances in sun care. Across the show floor, companies demonstrated how science, sustainability, and consumer needs are shaping the next generation of personal care products.Over the course of the event, Personal Care Insights spoke to suppliers about their latest innovations. They described how biotech is unlocking new mechanisms for skin and hair repair, how multifunctional ingredients are streamlining formulations without compromising performance, and how sun care actives are evolving to meet regulatory requirements and consumer expectations. These conversations highlighted the ingenuity behind the ingredients and the strategies brands are using to translate complex science into real-world, consumer-ready products.
ELC store
Business News
Puig shares drop as Estée Lauder walks away
Estée Lauder Companies (ELC) has pulled the plug on the Puig merger. The companies officially confirmed discussions of the merger on March 23, ultimately resulting in the termination of the talks announced on May 21.Following the announcement that the merger had ceased, Puig’s shares fell about 13% while ELC rose roughly 10% in US premarket trading. Talks of the merger have had a mirror image reflection in the two companies’ stocks.
Two women with Chinese makeup and traditional wear against a red backdrop
Business News
C-beauty expands globally with help from Korea and France
Chinese cosmetics are rapidly gaining traction internationally, with trade figures vouching for the growth. But unlike K-beauty’s competitive rise to global power, C-beauty appears to be reshaping industry alliances and challenging what cosmetic hierarchy looks like. According to China’s General Administration of Customs (GAC), the country’s cosmetic imports and exports exceeded ¥170 billion (US$24.8 billion) in 2025. The same year, China became the world’s largest cosmetics consumer market, with 57.4% of this market consisting of domestic C-beauty brands.

Personal care focus

View more
Image

Jojoba in the spotlightMay2026

Jojoba is gaining momentum in global beauty and personal care launches as consumers increasingly seek value-driven, ingredient-led products. According to Innova Market Insights data, half of the launc...

Brought to you by:

Innova Market Insights

Product innovation

View more
Image

High-performance actives May 2026

High-performance actives are gaining momentum as consumers embrace science-led skin care. According to Innova Market Insights’ 2026 trends, this curiosity is driving experimentation with both advanced lab-grown ingredients and next-generation botanical actives, blending biotechnology with nature for more targeted, results-driven formulations.

Trend analysis

View more
Image

Plant-based innovation trendsMay 2026

Innova Market Insights data indicates a 14% average growth in plant-based claims for personal care launches from 2021 to 2025. Europe accounted for the largest share of launches, with hand, bath, and shower products leading the category. Shower products dominated, while massage oils are gaining traction.

Multimedia

View more
Image
Video05:59
NYSCC Suppliers’ Day 2026: Nouryon explores AI and biobased chemistry

Elke Patteet, VP Personal Care at Nouryon told Personal Care Insights about how biobased and starch-based chemistries are proving that sustainability can deliver high performance. She shared how Nouryon partners strategically with North American brands, how its...

Karen Chun, Symrise
Video04:16
NYSCC Suppliers’ Day 2026: Symrise talks skin barrier, sensoriality and sustainability
Vicki Barboiu, dsm-firmenich, NYSCC Suppliers’ Day 2026, Parsol Shield, UV Filter, FDA Approval, Beauty And Care, Skin Care, Active Ingredients, Healthy Aging, Sun Care, SPF, Broad-Spectrum SPF, Formu
Video06:48
NYSCC Suppliers’ Day 2026: dsm-firmenich anticipates Parsol Shield approval
NYSCC 2026 IFF video thumbnail: IFF trade show booth with attendees speaking at a counter and an inset portrait of a man wearing a lanyar
Video04:29
NYSCC Suppliers’ Day 2026: IFF on how biotech is shaping the future of personal care
Subscribe to our newsletters
PlatformsFood Ingredients FirstNutrition InsightPackaging InsightsPersonal Care InsightsThe World of Food Ingredients
About usContact usAdvertisingPrivacy statementSitemapArchive
Follow us
Image