Sweetch Impact Beauty banner promoting bio-based ingredient technologies, featuring a woman seated among wildflowers.
A woman smelling an essential oil.

Cosmetics industry defends essential oils as EU reviews fragrance molecules

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. 
young man with futuristic orange plastic covering face
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.
A woman in her underwear hugging herself while sitting down.
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. 
Image
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.
Consumer Reports video thumbnail: Stylist braiding purple extensions into a client’s long black hair, with a circular professional headshot inset
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.

Latest headlines

View more
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. 
ChapStick pushes into skinified lip care with flavor-forward HydraBalm tubes
Person applying lip care.
ChapStick is expanding its everyday lip care lineup with the launch of HydraBalm tubes. The convenient new formats are available in cherry, vanilla, watermelon, guava, and unscented flavors.
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.
Bormioli Luigi rolls out mini on-the-go fragrance bottles
glass bottle display against faint purple background
Bormioli Luigi has expanded its standard range of fragrance glass bottles with two mini formats for on-the-go consumer habits. The Axis and Pocket 10 mL fragrance bottles aim to offer flexibility, enabling consumers to choose between perfumes according to season or time of day. 
Rising INCI scrutiny leaves consumers short on ingredient context
Person looking at beauty products.
Consumers are scrutinizing beauty labels more closely, with many turning to ingredient-scanning apps for help. Although these tools provide rapid access to ingredient information, Eastman, a global specialty materials company, argues that these tools lack essential context: why those ingredients matter, how they contribute to a product’s performance, or their sustainability profile.
Research links xylitol to higher heart risk, but EUFIC urges caution
jar filled and labelled with xylitol

Nutrition Insight

An observational study has indicated that higher circulating xylitol levels are linked to an increased risk of major adverse cardiovascular risks, such as heart attack, stroke, and death. In response to the study, the European Food Information Council (EUFIC) has issued a note, cautioning that the results of the study on the sweetener are observational, unpublished, and not absolute. 
Highlighted features
Older woman looking at herself in the mirror.
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. 
A model in black and white staring into the camera.
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.

Personal care focus

View more
Image

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 ...

Brought to you by:

Innova Market Insights

Product innovation

View more
Image

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.

Trend analysis

View more
Image

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.

Multimedia

View more
Consumer Reports video thumbnail: Stylist braiding purple extensions into a client’s long black hair, with a circular professional headshot inset
Video12:12
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...

 Paulo Teixeira, Melt&Marble
Video15:19
Melt&Marble: Accelerating commercial readiness for personal care products with INCI milestone
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
Video03:10
NYSCC Suppliers’ Day 2026: Givaudan highlights PrimalHyal 300 for skin repair
Image
Video05:59
NYSCC Suppliers’ Day 2026: Nouryon explores AI and biobased chemistry
Subscribe to our newsletters
PlatformsFood Ingredients FirstNutrition InsightPackaging InsightsPersonal Care InsightsThe World of Food Ingredients
About usContact usAdvertisingPrivacy statementSitemapArchiveEditorial Team
Follow us
Image