On 28, 29 and 30 March, Barcelona hosted the world's most important trade fair for the cosmetics sector. Suppliers and manufacturers gathered at the Fira Gran Via Barcelona exhibition centre over the three days to present the latest innovations in the field, many of whom saw the event as the ideal opportunity to launch their new products. In the absence of official figures issued by the organisers, it is estimated that more than 850 suppliers were present during the three days of the fair, during which more than 2,800 ingredients and active ingredients were on show to attendees and professionals from the cosmetics sector.
in-Cosmetics Awards With the presence of Provital and Bicosome
In the first day, after the six p.m celebrated the in-Cosmetics Awards 2023. In the category 'Innovation Zone Best Ingredient - Activate Category', two companies associated to the Beauty Cluster, came the second and third position. In the case of Provital, remained in the second position with his new active Altheostem™, a new active well-aging obtained from the stem cells of the petals of the flower Althaea rosea cultured in laboratory. Ricard Armengol, the company's CEO, stated that "it has been a moment of happiness for Provital to receive silver at the In-Cosmetics Global Innovation Awards". Armengol also took the opportunity to congratulate the excellent work of his R&D and Marketing team for "their exceptional work". Bronze was recognised and awarded by the In-Cosmetics jury for Bicosome, and its active ingredient BIOCOBIOME™, a multi-active ingredient complex that aims to provide an effective solution to restore scalp health. Lucyanna Barbosa, CEO and Co-Founder of Bicosome, stated after receiving this recognition that "it is an honour for us to be on the podium of the Best Ingredient Awards and to receive this great recognition from the global cosmetics industry. We have participated in the In Cosmetics fair since our beginnings and for us it is the most important event to understand where the market is evolving. This award has made us feel heard, supported and even more motivated to continue creating innovative technologies and products and to serve our society with the best of ourselves, while conquering our own space".
The best ingredient chosen by the jury was CALMandrin™ by Mibelle Biochemistry. ™, the sustainable solution to combat the inflammaging noticeably improves the signs of ageing and soothes reddened and inflamed skin. In addition to its soothing effect on irritated skin, it also noticeably increases skin firmness and density.
'Sustainability Zone' The main protagonist of this edition of in-Cosmetics global
As previously emphasised, sustainability took centre stage at this latest edition of in-Cosmetics global. It has become a priority and a task to be improved for the vast majority of companies and suppliers and was given greater visibility with the presence of a corner, 'Sustainability Zone'. In this area dedicated to sustainability, sustainable, ecological, biodegradable and natural alternatives and products were on display. It also served as a space to vindicate the vegan, the products derived from nature. Among these products were options with recycled ingredients, made from greener production processes and platforms, especially to produce purer molecules. These alternatives offered a broad vision of the meaning of circular beauty and collaborative efforts to achieve it, also the concept of ecological responsibility and more related to the latest technologies and digitisation, blockchain tracking related to local sourcing and traceability, as well as other aspects that were included in this space.
Skin immunity, immunology and anti-inflammation also took centre stage at in-Cosmetics global 2023 in Barcelona. The presence of active ingredients that help regulate the skin's defences and serve as a treatment for inflammation and even redness were also presented as innovations for the exhibitors at in-Cosmetics global. The link between Beauty and Wellness was also represented at the Fira Gran Via Barcelona exhibition centre, as one of the methods of reducing stress on the skin to improve mood. As indicated by 'Cosmetics & Toiletres', a particular and novel method was exhibited that measured the emotional response of the user based on abstract images in which artificial intelligence intervenes. Another of the concepts and points of view included in 'wellness and beauty' is positive beauty and taking care of oneself without feeling guilty and conceiving beauty as a therapy.
Another of the trends with the highest attendance during the three days and which formed part of the programme of talks, tech focus and scientific-technical presentations was also anti-ageing, 'Baby Botox' and protein folding. The irruption of booster treatments, which provide instant benefits, the appeal to a more 'natural' and not so 'corrective' beauty is what leads some of the active ingredients and main innovations by raw material suppliers to include peptides, protein folding to attenuate "skintropy" (flaccidity that occurs throughout the day and makes fine lines and wrinkles more pronounced later in the day). Increasing skin collagen, treating the "technological neck", finding alternatives to retinol, cellular and timeless beauty, treating age spots, combining repair and prevention.
The search for a 'hyper-personalisation of products' also had its particular relevance during the fair, as well as digitalisation, the metaverse and new forms of consumption and interaction between brands and consumers, are still a path to be blurred for the rest of the years and are expected to become clearer during the following years.
Sensory And Make Up Bar
In the 'Sensory Bar', located next to the exhibitor area, trade fair visitors could discover sensations for their next cosmetic creation. The products on display in this area offer exciting sensory experiences through innovative personal care formulas, fragrances and scents, flavours and textures.
The make-up bar served as inspiration for the development of colour cosmetics thanks to its wide range of pigments and innovative technologies that offer a wide range of shades and tones. SilSense™ Bio 5 emollient from Lubrizol Life Science. It is a naturally derived, biodegradable, high purity, high volatility emollient used as a silicone alternative to cyclopentasiloxane D5 in leave-on applications, with similar performance and feel. Suitable for use in Color Care, Skin Care, Sun Care, Hair Care and hair colouring. SilSense™ Bio 5 emollient was present in eye glitter, make-up base and tanning creams, as well as a lipstick and make-up remover products.
The next appointment: Paris
After the last and recent edition of in-Cosmetics in Barcelona, which returned to the Catalan city 8 years later, the world's most important trade fair in the cosmetics sector will be held in France. The Parisian city will host this global event and trade fair in April 2024, from 16 to 18 April, at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles.
We will have to wait until then to see first-hand the trends, assets and latest developments at the forefront of the industry and see what 2024 has in store for us.