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The Formulation Summit 2021 returned to examine industry trends in an age of sustainability and well-being

Marking the in-cosmetics Group’s first physical event to take place in Europe in over two years, the in-cosmetics Formulation Summit returned to London from 29-30 November to examine how R&D professionals and formulators can advance in the age of sustainability and well-being. With a host of leading international experts speaking, delegates from the likes of Unilever, TerraCycle,

Solent Group, Rodial, Rahn, SOLFARCOS, Oriflame Cosmetics

and more gained unparalleled insights into current and future trends, with a focus on ‘COVID Cosmetics’ and ‘Sustainability and Neurocosmetics’.

Delivering the opening remarks and moderating the two-day conference, Dr. Barbara Olioso, Founder, The Green Chemistry Consultancy kicked off the 2021 proceedings by calling on attendees to revisit the themes that had dominated in the past 12 months. Here, self-care proved to be the biggest trend noted among delegates, with anti-viral, holistic beauty, microbiome, sanitiser, wellness and adaptability also emerging as notable topics of interest.

DAY 1: COVID Cosmetics: how the pandemic altered the beauty and personal care space

Shining a light on how the pandemic has impacted the personal care and cosmetic industries, speakers on day one reflected on how the industry – and consumers – have responded to the challenges of the past 18 months.

First to address the challenges of ‘formulating in an age of uncertainty and wellbeing’, Mary Lord, former president of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists (SCS) spoke about the widespread disruption and pressure the pandemic had put on all corners of the industry.

Ahead of her session at the Summit, Mary interviewed four industry leaders, including Emma Hagemo, Vice President R&D, Oriflame; Sam Farmer, Owner, Samuel Farmer & Co Ltd; Sean Monaghan, Operations Director, The Handmade Soap Company; and Heidi Bannister, Founder and MD at Arthur Edward Global Cosmetic Recruitment, to get their views on ‘the good, the bad and the future’.

Among the good, the respondents noted a transition in traditional R&D methods, a strategic shift in digitalisation and a greater understanding of cosmetic claims and formulations among consumers. The interviewees also reflected on the most notable deeper level of transparency along with a greater focus on digital marketing and business process automation.

Following Mary’s session, Samantha Dover, Global Beauty & Personal Care Analyst, Mintel discussed how shifts in consumer behaviours are expected to be habit-forming. Samantha provided a deep dive into post-pandemic beauty and grooming trends across Europe. For example, in Germany, 30% of adults intended to actively look after their mental health, while 29% of Brits planned to limit non-essential spending. In Spain, 66% of make-up users cited skincare as a top consideration when making a purchasing decision.

Samantha also revealed how emerging trends are increasingly blurring category lines, illustrated by Rose Inc’s use of proprietary bioengineered botanicals; and Nue Co’s use of patented olfactory technology that stimulates the neural pathways to boost a consumer’s mental state. In summary, Samantha urged delegates and brand owners to consider and respond to post-pandemic usage trends, pay attention to value perceptions, and cater to the growing audience of consumers online.

Want to learn more about these industry trends? Read the full report at www.otcbeautymagazine.com.

Fast-tracking sanitiser production and holistic hygiene

Looking back at the unprecedented growth of hand sanitiser production, Mauro Bleve, R&D Division Lead, Laboratorios Maverick outlined the differences between biocidal and cosmetic

products, along with the relevant EU regulations and claims that can be made in each category. Mauro explained why efficacy, safety and quality were key differentiators as mandatory efficacy tests were required for biocidal products, unlike their cosmetic counterparts.

Offering first-hand insights into the production of hand sanitiser,

Paolo Camattari, Formulation and NPI Manager, Cosmetic

Ireland took to the stage to chart the unprecedented path to market taken in the development of its AirMedica alcohol-based hand sanitiser. Paolo highlighted how at the end of 2019 the company had celebrated exceeding 85,000 units per week, and within the first three months of 2021, the company had doubled output, adding a new production line to keep up with demand.

From production to the efficacy of personal care formulations, Sayandip Mukherjee, Senior research scientist and leader – Hygiene, Protection and Resilience Technology Platform, Beauty and Personal Care Division, Unilever shared research

undertaken to understand the efficacy of product formats and their effectiveness against both the Beta and Delta COVID strains. Highlighting that no single intervention was perfect at preventing the spread of the virus, Sayandip revealed how a ‘swiss cheese model’ or using multiple methods to achieve cleanliness – from handwashing to using alcohol-based sanitisers – were resulting in

success.

Elsewhere, Professor Marie Loden, CEO, Eviderm Institute discussed whether alcohol-based hand products could deliver hygiene as well as much-needed hydration. Considering the role of cosmetics vs. biocides, Marie reflected on the role of medical classified products and stressed it was important for brands to know exactly what they are claiming their formulation can deliver.

From sanitiser to skincare

Shifting the focus from sanitiser to skincare, Manuela Lanzafame, In Vitro Safety and Efficacy Technician was joined by colleague

Agnes Lavoix, Dermatech Operational Director (COO),

Complife – the Summit’s silver sponsor – to explore the impact of environmental conditions on the skin. Together, they revealed the results of a large-scale study where 254 skin samples were collected and analysed. Measuring actinobacteria, proteobacteria and firmicutes, the findings demonstrated a difference among genders, with statistical differences noted alongside seasonal changes.

Keeping skincare at the centre of the discussion, Alain Mavon, Senior Director of Science and Innovation, Oriflame, stepped up to discuss the role of blue light in skin damage. Using his own Instagram account to poll his followers, Alain revealed that 81% were concerned for their skin health. This is no surprise given the 3,400 products referencing blue light and 220 referencing HighEnergy Visible (HEV) light launched in the last five years, according to Mintel research.

Here, Alain stressed the importance of understanding the direct, and indirect impacts of blue light on our skin and why biological impacts of light emitted by the sun and light emitted by screens cannot be compared. For example, 150 hours of screen-emitted blue light was the equivalent to one minimal pigmentary dose, while a 10-hour (600-min) cell phone call equated to just one minute of sun.

While blue light may not be directly responsible for skin damage, there is cause to suggest that it creates an indirect skin health concern. Alain stressed that to maintain skin health, consumers should prioritise mitigating sun exposure; reducing screen time and increasing physical activity; focusing on minimising evening screen blue light exposure; establishing a consistent sleep cycle and beauty routine.

Keeping up with the regulations

Moving to help delegates understand the regulatory mayhem created during the pandemic, Mojgan Moddaresi, Cosmetics Safety Assessor, Personal Care Regulatory Ltd, explored how the pandemic has created an increased demand for transparency, and greater respect for authenticity in green and environmental claims. Furthermore, consumers want brands to be authentic in their sense of purpose, be that with the efforts they make to reduce or recycle packaging materials, or through their regulatory classifications.

Addressing the specific impact of Brexit on cosmetic regulations,

Dr Emma Meredith, Director General, Cosmetic Toiletry &

Perfumery Association (CTPA) shared an update on the UK’s regulatory framework for cosmetics and the different rules that apply by location. For example, products sold in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland are legislated under the EU Cosmetics Products Regulation and EU REACH. Whereas those sold in Northern Ireland AND Great Britain face double compliance; the EU Cosmetics Products Regulation, EU Reach UK Cosmetics Regulation and UK REACH are all applicable.

Helping delegates understand the new UK legal landscape, Emma explained that while many of the EU Cosmetics Products Regulations were absorbed and copied over to UK Cosmetics Regulations, those that came into play after the official Brexit deadline did not apply. For example, publication of regulations such as the CMR Omnibus III or DHA will require re-review by the Government’s Scientific Advisory Group on Chemical Safety (SAG-CS), as no changes can be made to the annexes of the UK Cosmetics Regulation without independent scrutiny.

DAY 2: Sustainability and Neurocosmetics

Returning to open day two of the 2021 in-cosmetics Formulation Summit, Dr. Barbara Olioso, Founder of The Green Chemistry Consultancy, set the tone for the day highlighting the role of green chemistry and the use of renewable materials to create a new era of sustainability and wellbeing.

The big packaging debate

As a big topic of debate across any FMCG sector, Paul Shipton,

Technical Director, PS Partnership

took to the stage to talk about sustainable plastics, attempting to answer the question, is there such a thing? Paul highlighted that the pending Plastics Packaging Tax created a big challenge for the cosmetic industry. To combat this, he suggested that the industry would need to embrace standardisation and employ a ‘monomaterial strategy’ in the design stage. He called for transparency about a product’s packaging and suggested an increased use of more sustainable materials such as compostable bags.