Weekly Roundup: Kao expands synthetic fragrance facility to Spain, ELC will convert corporate fleet to electric by 2030

12 Aug 2022 --- This week in personal care news, Kao expanded its synthetic fragrance production facilities in Spain to strengthen its fragrance business in Europe. The Estée Lauder Companies (ELC) declared their intention to convert their whole corporate fleet of vehicles to electric by 2030. Meanwhile, Uber and The Body Shop expanded their on-demand delivery partnership across the US.

Business news
Kao Corporation expanded its production facilities at the Olesa Plant of Kao Chemicals Europe in Spain to preserve and increase its market position in the European market for methyl dihydro jasmonate (MDJ). The latter is a synthetic fragrance compatible with other materials and can be used in many products. Kao is therefore investing in a new production facility to meet the demand that is expected to continue to rise, especially in the European market. The new production facility will be completed by December 2022 and production is planned to start in early 2023, more than doubling Kao’s MDJ production capacity.

ELC declared their intention to convert their whole corporate fleet of vehicles to electric by 2030. ELC also joined the Climate Group’s EV100 program, which brings together businesses committed to speeding the transition to electric vehicles, as part of this pledge, making it the “first prestige cosmetics company to do so.” ELC’s decision to convert its corporate fleet to 100% electric vehicles would help the company reduce its Scope 1 greenhouse gas emissions, which will help it move closer to its 2030 science-based target.

The Comfort Oil is an addition to Luster’s Pink Natural Oil Blends line, which already includes Trueshine Oil Mist and Lush Growth Oil.Uber Technologies and The Body Shop expanded their partnership to include most of the beauty company’s retail stores across the US. This expansion brings new locations to the Uber platform. It allows consumers in new states, including Illinois, Nevada, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Alaska and Hawaii, to shop for The Body Shop products through Uber Eats. This partnership builds on the 2020 launch that brought six pilot locations to Uber Eats and Cornershop apps, offering products from the company’s haircare, body care and skincare lines.

Jessica Alba’s skincare and makeup brand Honest Beauty extended its partnership with Ulta Beauty by launching at more than 635 locations across the US. The brand also introduced its new skincare line, the Honest Beauty Clearing Collection, with Ulta Beauty, both online and in-stores. The collection launch, paired with an expansion into brick-and-mortar stores, solidifies Honest’s omnichannel positioning within the marketplace and delivers greater consumer access to its products. Honest Beauty’s Clearing Collection is scientifically shown to treat and prevent acne. The products in the collection include the Get Clarity Acne Foam Cleanser, the In the Clear Acne Serum and the Spot Stopper Acne Spot Treatment.

Shiseido Company and Boyu Capital established the Shiseido Beauty Innovations Fund with an initial investment in Jiangsu Trautec Medical Technology (Trautec). Shiseido will be the lead investor, contributing around RMB100 million (US$14.8 million). Additionally, Shiseido and Trautec will collaborate in R&D, raw material sourcing and distribution channels to expedite the discovery of new functional skincare areas. Trautec produces recombinant collagen 2-based biomaterials for mainly the medical and cosmetics industries. As one of the pillars of the company’s medium-to-long-term strategy, “WIN 2023 and Beyond,” Shiseido will continuously grow its China business through the fund, fusing the values of both companies and itself to expand its business portfolio in China.

Men’s skincare brand Black Wolf Nation partnered with a bi-coastal PR agency, Push The Envelope (PTE) PR, to elevate brand awareness, expand retail partnerships and increase sales growth. Since its launch, the brand has received increased consumer demand and, as a result, has expanded its product line into personalized hair care and body care. PTE PR will support Black Wolf’s journey in heightening brand awareness by connecting consumers to the brand through marketing.

Launches and releases
Soko’s Beauty introduced its skincare collection, which caters to customers of all ages and addresses various skin conditions. The collection’s product lineup includes snail serums, anti-aging creams and eye creams that are pegged as beneficial for acne, hyperpigmentation, dull skin, enlarged pores, wrinkles and rough skin. The skincare products include the Advanced Formula Snail Serum that may repair and hydrate skin. Also featured in the skincare range is the Soko All-in-one Lifting Cream that minimizes the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines and age spots.

Jessica Alba’s Honest Beauty’s Clearing Collection is scientifically proven to treat and prevent acne.Luster Products expanded its Luster’s Pink product line with the introduction of a Comfort Oil scalp serum and an updated design for its Oil Moisturizer Hair Lotion and Glosser. Luster’s Pink Comfort Oil scalp serum soothes and calms dry, itchy scalps. It is made with a blend of natural oils and botanical extracts. Additionally, the company says it gives dry hair a gloss. The Luster’s Pink Comfort Oil scalp serum may reduce scalp discomfort, lubricate the dry scalp and help to prevent flaking. It is safe for color-treated hair and can be used daily on all hair types and styles.

Research and studies
According to research from Puredia, in addition to probiotics, omega 7 encourages the regeneration of gastric mucosa, which has shown benefits in improving gut health. Omega 7 can help increase the diversity of the gut microbiome by preserving the integrity of the mucosa. According to the study, gut microbial imbalance negatively affects skin function. An unbalanced microbiome can result from inflammatory skin conditions like acne, atopic dermatitis and psoriasis. In addition to supporting microbiome health, omega 7 is a crucial component of skin, hair and nails. In 60 individuals, oral administration of sea buckthorn oil rich in omega 7 increased skin hydration by 49%, elasticity by 26% and wrinkles by 9%.

Environmental endeavors
BASF has achieved its palm commitment to a 100% RSPO-certified palm (kernel) oil sourced in 2021. The company committed to buying 242,946 metric tons of certified palm kernel oil in 2021, which is 100% of the total volume of purchases. Additionally, BASF made advancements in creating transparent supply chains and reduced CO2 emissions by more than 330,000 metric tons compared to conventional sourcing. One of the primary renewable raw materials used by BASF is palm kernel oil and its basic derivatives. They are primarily employed in producing ingredients for the detergent, cleaner and cosmetics industries.Godrej Consumer Products Godrej Magic body wash is considered India’s first ready-to-mix body wash, making it environmentally sustainable.

Godrej Consumer Products unveiled India’s first ready-to-mix body wash. Positioned as an environmentally sustainable product, the Godrej Magic body wash requires 16% plastic in packaging and 19% energy to manufacture compared to a regular body wash. The company adds that the body wash uses 10% of the energy required to make a soap bar. As the gel-based sachets are small and light, more sachets can be transported in every truck, leading to 44% less diesel consumption, resulting in 44% lower carbon emissions, as compared to transporting a regular body wash, the company adds.

Earth Mama Organics received Plastic Neutral certification. The company partnered with rePurpose Global to fund the recovery of as much nature-bound plastic waste as it uses across its packaging and distribution. The move by Earth Mama Organics enables the removal of over 88,000 lbs. of plastic waste otherwise landfilled, burned, or flushed into the oceans every year. Through its partnership with rePurpose Global, the company calculates all the plastic used in Earth Mama’s products and operations. RePurpose Global focuses on removing “low-value” plastic waste in its calculations, like candy bar wrappers and snack bags, since these plastics are most likely to end up in the environment.

By Nicole Kerr