Ingredients and raw materials are a pivotal aspect of the beauty supply chain. Investments in research and development of new supply processes and chemical solutions are pushing the cosmetic industry towards a radical change. The final goal is reducing carbon footprint and the impact on the planet. As a global trend, the segment is revitalized by innovative plant-derived components, organic farming processes and biotechnology innovation, which are developing along with new ingredients derived from ancient traditions, such as ayurveda or Chinese medicine. All the latest solutions translate the beneficial properties of nature into safe and sustainable proposals. 

R&D teams today have to deal not only with regulations and scientific tests, but with what consumers define as prominent values. It is not the brand anymore who defines the trends and the must-have products to be launched, but it’s consumer behaviour that leads the development of new solutions. Ancorotti Cosmetics, a leader in make-up, mascara and skincare formulation and products, is proposing new solutions to match what the market is looking for. “Makeup-only is over: nobody wants just makeup”, affirms Arwen Imperatori, Communication Manager at Ancorotti Cosmetics S.p.A.. “Now, we really think of makeup as a fusion of colour results and skin care properties. We have to develop hybrid products, taking inspiration from skincare and all the research about actives and their functionality”.

Packaging seems to be a very basic element. We tend to think that it deals simply with putting a product in and then closing the lid. On the contrary, designing packaging solutions that perform is a very intensive process, which involves structural design, sustainability, engineering, marketing and much more. “When you start a project, it's really a pen-to-paper phase. You have to ask yourself what you want the packaging to be, what you want to do, what market you want to go after, what are your claims”, says Tommy Hammond, Senior Director of Global Package Development and Engineering at Revlon. Today Revlon is recognized for some of the world’s most iconic brands and products across colour cosmetics, skincare, hair colour, hair care, personal care, and fragrance. Revlon products are sold around the world through prestige, professional, mass, and direct-to-consumer retail channels.

Revlon produces global products, so globally compliant packaging is more of a focus now. When you sell products around the world, you have to make sure that you meet any array of local regulations. “We have a very strong regulatory team that's constantly looking and listening for all of the different regulations that may be popping up”, highlights Hammond. “We have to ensure that we're using the right materials. I mean, generally, even before the regulations pop up, we are ahead of the game because we don't want to work with plastics or materials that are going to be harmful to consumers or to the planet. I think we're making some real progress in terms of sustainable packaging. Ensuring that you can separate materials and dispose of materials properly, and that you can put them into the correct waste streams, is super important to me and to the organization.”

The intersection between beauty and technology is an undeniably vital topic for the evolution of the cosmetics industry today. AI has a deep impact on the sector: it is going to create a new culture around beauty, new insights, and new brands, as well as new ways to market beauty. AI is changing how we work, the way we are doing research, and how we are discovering what’s new. 

 Artificial Intelligence can sensibly support cosmetic science, adding new potential tools for ingredient discovery, product benchmarking, formulation optimization, and much more. Potion AI, based in San Francisco, helps cosmetic formulators establish a product benchmark. 

For stakeholders who wish to discover the next trends and avant-garde innovations transforming the beauty industry, Cosmopack Bologna is the event within an event that truly boasts the best worldwide companies representing the entire cosmetics supply chain. Over 550 companies from almost 40 countries, the world's best representatives of their respective segments, participate in the exhibition: formulation, contract manufacturing, primary and secondary packaging, machinery and lines for bulk processing and product packaging are represented. At the same time, Cosmopack welcomes international SMEs which can easily adapt to lead times and the required volumes. For this reason, it is the most strategic event covering all the segments of the supply chain, and meeting any buyer’s needs.