in-cosmetics NA day one: Experience and experiment with formulation

The second annual in-cosmetics North America kicked off this week in New York. It is the newest sourcing event for North America dedicated to personal care ingredients and the latest event from the in-cosmetics Group. The show had an intimate setting which gave attendees an opportunity to really get to know the exhibitors and learn more about their offerings.

Highlights from day one of the event include the Sensory Bar and the Formulation Challenge:

 Sensory Bar

The Sensory Bar was a unique section of the show where guests could try different textures and formulations. The purpose of the section was to show how important texture is when creating a product and to showcase some of the formulas available today. The skincare section consisted of lightweight serums and creams meant to be played with. The makeup section took a different approach with cream blushes and lipsticks that could be swatched or cut with cookie cutters and stencils.

Formulation Challenge

The Formulation Challenge was like Master Chef, except instead of food ingredients, it highlighted beauty and personal care formulations. Competing for the prize and recognition were Colgate-Palmolive, Unilever, Estée Lauder and Shiseido. The Challenge consisted of a mystery box full of ingredients that teams had to use when creating a new product. The teams had 90 minutes to create an innovative product and present a brand story with the consumer in mind. Mintel’s own Sarah Jindal, Senior Innovation and Insights Analyst, Beauty & Personal Care, served as a judge.

The winners were announced later in the day at a cocktail reception where the judges explained what they were looking for from the formulation, such as ingredient safety and a rich brand story. The competition was close with only a four point difference between first and second place, but Colgate-Palmolive took the crown, with Estée Lauder as runner-up.

Alison Gaither is a Beauty and Personal Care Analyst at Mintel. She has been with the company since 2015, initially working as a Beauty Client Service Manager on the Mintel Client Service team. Prior to joining Mintel, Alison worked as a global research analyst for a CPG company and an educator for a leading beauty retailer.