Beyond The Headlines: Lotus Herbals’ US$50M fund for Indian start-ups, Simone Biles partners with K18

28 Jun 2024 --- In industry news this week, Lotus Herbals launched a US$50 million fund for Indian cosmetics start-ups, Simone Biles partnered with K18 in a biotech hair care campaign and CeraVe addressed teen skin care concerns.

Business and collaborations
Lotus Herbals launched a US$50 million start-up investment fund to support innovative businesses in the cosmetics sector. The fund aims to invest in two to three patent-driven start-ups annually, focusing on Indian companies. Each selected start-up will receive guidance for five to seven years. Lotus Herbals aims to foster innovation and growth in India’s rapidly expanding beauty market, driven by a young population and increasing rural consumption.

Simone Biles, a professional gymnast, partnered with biotech haircare brand K18 as a brand ambassador for their new inner-strength campaign. The company says it’s a multi-year collaboration emphasizing K18’s commitment to hair health using its patented Peptide technology, which the company says repairs hair damage at a molecular level. Despite the rigors of her training and styling routines, Biles highlighted the benefits of K18 products for maintaining healthy hair. The campaign features Biles’ hair care regimen and includes a national TV commercial.

Cenegenics partnered with Exoceuticals to offer its clients advanced skin care solutions utilizing Exoceuticals’ patented eXo3 exosome technology. The collaboration is said to align with Cenegenics’ holistic approach to health, incorporating both internal and external vitality. By integrating Exoceuticals products, which apparently harness cell-derived nanoparticles to rejuvenate the skin, Cenegenics aims to enhance the overall well-being of its clients. They say the partnership supports Cenegenics’ age management programs, offering a comprehensive path to total body rejuvenation.

The Estée Lauder Companies (ELC) held its inaugural Scientific Advisory Board meeting in Seoul, South Korea, to discuss dermatological science and practices and collaborate with Asia-based dermatologists. The meeting included six renowned dermatologists from Korea and China and ELC’s Asia R&D and Innovation teams. Discussions focused on regional dermatological trends, the role of post-procedure skin care products and future study plans. ELC plans to integrate these insights into its innovation strategy, particularly for brands like Clinique and Dr. Jart+.

Cenegenics partnered with Exoceuticals to offer skin care solutions using Exoceuticals’ patented eXo3 exosome technology.Launches and releases
Tesem launched the “Closing the Loop” project to develop a closed-loop system for high-grade aluminum scrap in collaboration with Constellium, with the luxury beauty packaging industry in mind. The initiative involves sorting and cleaning aluminum scraps, sending them to Constellium to create new aluminum coils of the same purity, and reusing them in manufacturing. Using Autonomous Mobile Robots and a strict cleaning process ensures efficiency. The company says the project reduces its carbon footprint by over 70% and uses only 5% of the energy compared to producing new aluminum.

Zenoti launched AI-powered features, including an AI phone system and the AI assistant Zeenie, designed to enhance the beauty, wellness and fitness industries. The phone system offers real-time guest information and automatic call transcription, while Zeenie provides navigation, personalized marketing campaigns and AI-powered analytics. CEO Sudheer Koneru emphasized Zenoti’s “AI-First” approach, aiming to boost customer engagement and business efficiency. 

Social awareness
Shiseido held various events during Pride month to raise awareness for LGBTQ+ rights. Internal activities included testimonies from LGBTQ+ employees and talks with external experts to foster ally communities. Makeup courses for transgender individuals and the LGBTQ+ community were conducted in Tokyo and Osaka. Shiseido also participated in Nagoya Rainbow Pride, offering skin care tips and personal beauty color diagnosis. 

CeraVe addressed the rising interest in skin care among tweens and teens, focusing on acne awareness. A recent survey by CeraVe highlighted acne as the top concern among parents of kids aged ten to 17. Despite the abundance of skin care advice on platforms like TikTok, parents prioritize information from healthcare professionals, particularly dermatologists. CeraVe said it emphasizes age-appropriate skin care routines, advocating for gentle products like its Acne Foaming Cream Wash with 10% benzoyl peroxide, formulated to treat and prevent acne while maintaining the skin barrier with hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and ceramides.

By Venya Patel