Beyond The Headlines: France provides €16.4M funding for isobutene plant, Katy Perry fronts D&G’s new perfume

13 Oct 2023 --- This week, Dolce & Gabbana Beauty announced Katy Perry as the face of its new fragrance, Devotion Eau de Parfum. The Estée Lauder Companies (ELC) and NYKAA have revealed the finalists for Beauty&You 2023 India, while Valentino Beauty teamed up with Her Campus Media on a campaign targeting college students and Gen Z.

Business developments
Solvay introduced an automated system for calculating the product carbon footprint (PCF) across its Novecare business, encompassing various markets. The digital tool utilizes approved PCF and digital principles, fostering integration with suppliers to evaluate the PCF of its entire product portfolio, meeting customer demand for accuracy and regular updates. This data aids in identifying emission reduction opportunities and supports supply chain collaboration to develop climate-friendly solutions. The automated PCF calculations align with ISO 14067 and industry guidelines, facilitating integration into corporate greenhouse gas inventories, particularly in Scope 3 Category 1 emissions. As part of its 2030 commitment to reducing Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions by 24%, Solvay is piloting the project at five Novecare sites before expanding it across all locations.

Dolce & Gabanna Beauty announced Katy as the face of its Devotion Eau de Parfum campaign, shot in Capri, Italy (Image credit: Dolce & Gabanna).ELC and NYKAA have revealed the finalists for Beauty&You 2023 India, a program aimed at promoting emerging Indian beauty brands. Beauty&You, in its second edition, invited founders and innovators to apply for the award, offering not only prize money but also mentorship from industry experts. With over 600 entries from 150+ cities, the application pool encompassed various beauty categories, including skin care, hair care, fragrance, and color cosmetics. Notably, 68% of the applicants were women founders, and 62% of them had a sustainability mission. Skin care was the dominant category, making up 75% of the applications, highlighting the program’s impact on the Indian premium beauty segment’s growth and evolving consumer preferences.

Minerals Technologies announced that its subsidiaries, Barretts Minerals (BMI) and Barretts Ventures Texas, have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the US Bankruptcy Court to address liabilities associated with talc. The debtors plan to continue their normal business operations during the Chapter 11 process. Other subsidiaries and business units are unaffected. Minerals Technologies stands by the safety of BMI’s talc products and believes the lawsuits are without merit. BMI aims to sell its talc assets to resolve its liabilities, with proceeds funding the Chapter 11 case and a trust. They have secured US$30 million in debtor-in-possession financing from JMB Capital Partners Lending, pending court approval, to sustain operations during this process.

Beauty subscription service IPSY introduced the Icon Box by Pat McGrath, curated by the celebrity makeup artist and founder of Pat McGrath Labs. Available exclusively to Glam Bag and BoxyCharm members, this quarterly Icon Box includes eight premium beauty and lifestyle products, handpicked by McGrath, with a total value of up to US$350. It features Pat McGrath Labs products like Dark Star Mascara, Divine Rose Luxe Quad: Eternal Eden and MatteTrance Lipstick, along with selections from brands like Tatcha, Drunk Elephant and Laura Mercier. IPSY members also have the opportunity to choose three of these products via IPSY’s AI technology, IPSY Match. In conjunction with the launch, IPSY is running a TikTok campaign with a custom AR filter inspired by Pat McGrath’s makeup looks, enhancing user-generated video content and engagement.

Brand activities
Dolce & Gabbana Beauty selected Katy Perry as the face of its new fragrance, Devotion Eau de Parfum. This perfume was created by master perfumer Olivier Cresp in Italy. It is described as an olfactory creation that embodies the “quintessence of Italianity” with “luminous top notes” and “sensual base notes,” combining the freshness of orange flowers and the sweetness of Madagascar vanilla with candied citrus for a gourmand touch. The fragrance comes in 30, 50, and 100 ml sizes, presented in a refillable glass bottle adorned with a metal sacred heart symbol. The campaign was launched on October 2, featuring Perry roaming the streets and waters of Capri, Italy, interacting with a local fisherman played by Italian actor Michele Morrone, creating a storyline of destiny and devotion.

KISS Products announced celebrity makeup artist Sir John as their KISS Lash Ambassador to promote their strip lashes and adhesives. Serving as Makeup Artist Ambassador, he will share exclusive content, tutorials and testimonials on the brand’s homepage.

Celebrity makeup artist Sir John was announced as KISS Lash Ambassador for KISS Products (Image credit: KISS Products).Shiseido, in collaboration with its India distributor, Baccarose Perfumes & Beauty Products, appointed Bollywood star Tamannaah Bhatia as its first brand ambassador in the country for the Shiseido Skincare range. The range is marketed as an “induction into the skin care regimen which is simple and has a proven efficacy after detailed testing on Asian skin.”

Valentino Beauty teamed up with Her Campus Media, a media platform for college students and Gen Z. Their collaboration aims to expand Valentino Beauty’s brand influence on West Coast campuses, starting with the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) on October 12 and 13. Her Campus Media’s expertise in connecting brands with Gen Z leverages the reach of UCLA’s Her Campus chapter, student ambassadors and on-campus influencers. The aim is to provide in-person product experiences and create engaging moments for students, emphasizing the importance of sampling and aiming to generate positive awareness for Valentino Beauty within this demographic. This initiative represents Valentino Beauty’s first interaction with Gen Z on college campuses, aiming to engage students and influencers to introduce the brand to a new, younger consumer audience.

Government-led initiatives
The French government, under the “Première Usine” call for projects as part of the France 2030 plan, is providing €16.4 million (US$17.3 million) in non-dilutive funding to support the construction of a plant capable of producing 10,000 metric tons of isobutene and its derivatives annually. This facility, developed by Global Bioenergies, is intended to enhance the cosmetics industry to enhance the naturalness of its formulas and the aviation industry to reduce its reliance on oil without compromising performance or requiring equipment adaptations. The plant is scheduled to commence operations in 2027, and this support is a key component of the overall project financing. The initiative aligns with the goals of France 2030 to identify, mitigate risks and promote disruptive technologies for decarbonizing various industrial sectors, ultimately contributing to regional resource utilization and economic development.

By Benjamin Ferrer