Beyond The Headlines: Inkey list AI acne analysis, Estée Lauder Companies’ hair research

12 Apr 2024 --- This week in industry news, The Inkey List released an AI tool to analyze acne-prone skin, and The Estée Lauder Companies presented new hair care findings at the 13th World Congress for Hair Research (WCHR). Meanwhile, Allergan Aesthetics launched two products from SkinMedica, by the makers of Botox Cosmetic.

Beauty tech
The Inkey List launched a new AI-powered service that offers personalized analysis for acne-prone skin. The Acne Analyzer Pro provides real-time facial analysis and visual mapping to assess skin type, acne type and condition. Working closely with skin expert Dr. Kemi Fabusiwa, The Inkey List shaped and built the experience to closely replicate visiting a dermatologist or general practitioner. It uses a combination of AI to detect acne activity levels together with medical skin indicators to identify potential root causes and triggers. During the skin analysis, the platform also accesses a live back-end matrix to build personalized routine recommendations based on an individual’s skin requirements. This matrix is said to be the “first” to exist in this capacity for beauty.

New product developments
Allergan Aesthetics launched two products from SkinMedica, by the makers of Botox Cosmetic. The SkinMedica Acne Clarifying Treatment and SkinMedica Pore Purifying Gel Cleanser provide solutions for people with acne-prone skin. The two products, along with the SkinMedica Pore Purifying Pro-Infusion Serum, used in-office with DiamondGlow, complete the collection. In clinical studies, participants who used the SkinMedica Acne Clarifying Treatment and Pore Purifying Gel Cleanser noticed clearer skin while reporting that the products did not dry their skin out. Additionally, clinical study participants noted the treatment regimen helped calm their skin. 

Kaycee’s, a woman-owned beauty brand, unveiled its Keya skin care product line. Each product in the new Keya collection is formulated with a blend of natural ingredients, patented complexes, peptides and vitamins, all selected for their efficacy and safety. From nourishing botanical extracts to innovative plant-based actives, the ingredients replenish, rejuvenate and restore the skin’s natural balance. Additionally, much of the vegan range is fragrance-, sulfate-, phthalate- and paraben-free,, earning the EU Certified Skincare certification.

Benefit and Scrub Daddy partner to create makeup removing cloth.La Roche-Posay’s healing franchise Cicaplast, a multi-purpose range of barrier-restoring creams, was created to soothe and protect dry and damaged skin. The company released its latest additions to the collection — Cicaplast Lips Hydration Restore Lip Balm, a hydrating lip balm for dry to extra dry lips that provides instant and long-lasting moisture, and Cicaplast Gel B5 Skin Protectant, a protective gel to protect and relieve areas with chapped, cracked skin.

Business news
The Estée Lauder Companies and researchers from the company’s two leading hair care brands, Aveda and Bumble and Bumble, along with Aveda’s research collaborator, the University of Bradford, UK, presented their latest findings at the 13th WCHR in Dallas, Texas, held from April 6 – 9. These updates showcased innovative advancements from across a wide spectrum of research fields tailored to meet the “ever-changing” expectations of personal and professional hair care within the industry. The data from the research included four focus areas: Identifying potent ingredients and analyzing their phytochemical compositions, examining how ingredients and environmental factors affect hair fibers, exploring methods to promote visibly healthier and more youthful scalp conditions and reducing hair color damage to enable self-expression.

Paralyzed Veterans of America hosted its Igniting Change Gala and presented the PVA Disability Innovation Award to L’Oréal USA, the largest subsidiary of the L’Oréal Groupe. L’Oréal USA was chosen as it has been a “leader committed to driving greater inclusion in the beauty industry.” The company supports the veteran community through various community initiatives led by Valor, its employee-led resource group. One initiative is the Have A Beautiful Day event, where veterans and military spouses are invited to enjoy a curated day of beauty services.

The Clarins group announced its acquisition of Domaine Sainte-Colombe, a vast natural area of 115 hectares located in the communes of Saint-Gilles and Générac near Nimes, France. The Domaine has 50 hectares of farmland that is set to become a production and processing site for plants, according to the standards of regenerative agriculture and a laboratory for studying and researching new plant species. Clarins said the project will regenerate and improve the ecological areas on the site to couple biodiversity with the “highest quality production.” It allows the company to pursue its goal of combining the traceability of raw materials with quality, effective formulas and ongoing innovation. With the first cultivation planned for autumn 2024, there will eventually be approximately 50 species of trees and plants grown at the location. Cicaplast Lips Hydration Restore Lip Balm.

Arcade Beauty released a new mission statement: “As a global industrial company, we are committed to providing sustainable solutions through our deep manufacturing and packaging expertise to support the needs of the Beauty Industry.” By 2030, the company will no longer manufacture non-recyclable products. The latest addition to Arcade Beauty’s environmentally conscious lineup was the Paper-Based Samples collection, offering beauty brands four eco-friendly sampling alternatives for makeup, skin care, hair care and fragrance.

Collaborations 
ELF expanded its partnership with professional race car driver Katherine Legge, making it the “first-ever” beauty brand to serve as a primary sponsor of an entry in the Indianapolis 500, the largest single-day sporting event in the world. Legge is set to drive the No. 51 ELF Honda Dallara for Dale Coyne Racing. ELF first partnered with Legge at the 2023 Indy 500 when she set the fastest one-lap and four-lap qualification speeds for a woman in the history of the Indy 500.

Benefit Cosmetics and Scrub Daddy collaborated to create a three-piece pore-clearing skin care kit that includes a custom Scrub Daddy Microfiber Cloth for easily removing makeup at home or on-the-go. The two mini Benefit Cosmetics skin care products in the exclusive kit are designed to help cleanse and minimize the appearance of pores. The kit includes a custom Scrub Daddy Microfiber Cloth, the Benefit Cosmetics Porefessional Deep Retreat Pore Clearing Clay Mask mini, and the best-selling Porefessional Face Primer mini.

By Sabine Waldeck