CosmeticsDesign editor Ravyn Cullor (RC): Can you tell me a little about what attendees have to look forward to at this year’s show?
Susanna Fernandes (SF): Yes, a bunch of stuff. It’s 50 hours of educational content that they will be receiving, hundreds of exhibitors featuring dozens of innovative ingredients and solutions. Programs to help education and promote our younger chemists such as future chemists’ workshop, mentor-mentee, and we’re cosponsoring an event with National to talk about career fairs.
We also have a lot of fun things as well, like a scavenger hunt which will send attendees to all corners of the expo hall, and if they complete it they’re entered to register for IFCC Congress in London, which I think is cool, you get to go see Big Ben.
There’s so much more. We’re also including, after our live days, we’ll have a virtual component for the next 30 days. It will be very exciting, so if you miss a booth, don’t be afraid, you can go back for the next 30 days online to see what products are out there.
COVID Safety Requirements
Attendees must:
Be vaccinated
Have a digital or physical proof of vaccination
Have a form of identification with their vaccination card
Wear a mask
RC: Can you tell me a little about the theme for this year’s show?
SF: This year is about embracing beauty. After the last year, especially considering the pandemic, all of us coming back together and being accepting of who we are, it doesn’t matter where you come from, what part of the world, the cosmetic industry has a place for you. I think embracing beauty shows that, ‘come as you are, and we accept everyone’.
Also, having fun with it. This year, being remotely at home, I think a lot of people actually had fun buying cosmetic products and trying new things. As you can see, a lot of things have changed. Suppliers’ Day is where we start and where we finish the year, so I’m very, very excited for this theme.
RC: What are some of the innovations you’re excited to see?
SF: There's a couple. We have a brand called Formulating for Inclusion, which goes with my theme of embracing beauty. It's just conscientious of the inclusion. It's incredible to see the theme literally come to life, which I'm really excited for.
Then another little passion project of mine: indie. We actually have a program in the pavilion, INDIE 360°. It's the newest program we have. I'm excited because we have founders of Indies speaking about their products and launches. Most importantly, innovative ingredients that they source from their products. I think indie brands are here to stay and I think especially this past year with everyone being home, more consumers are willing to try new things.
I think the indie brands are talks about inclusion, puts everything out there and talks about natural, sustainable, blue beauty, green beauty and I love it. And I am so excited for INDIE 360°.
RC: What other new features can people look forward to at this show?
SF: We're having a lot of other pavilions where our mentor-mentee program is showing up. We're having brunch sessions and I think it helps us all coming back together. I'm just excited to see people face to face for the first time in over a year.
I’d also like to highlight that this year we're bringing back our education night. The first night, November 10, we do scholarships and grants awarded from NYSCC to celebrate students and academia. We're actually giving, for the first time, a scholarship for Romalia. She was our former secretary who, unfortunately, passed away from breast cancer. We have dubbed a scholarship under her name for young students. She was very passionate about our SCC, and she was the reason why I'm in this industry, I'm in the New York society cosmetics. She grabbed me and told me to volunteer and I'm very excited for it.
We're also giving out an innovator to the winner of The CEW Creators Awards. As being a CEW ambassador for this year for 2021, it's been a privilege to discuss innovation of indie brands and ingredients that are driving everyone from Indie up to the big multinational companies. Sustainability and all these other products are here to stay and I'm very excited just to talk about it.
RC: What kind of pandemic safety information do attendees need to know about the show?
SF: You have to be vaccinated and you have to bring any app or even a photo of your card. You can bring your card if you want. We are following the WHO vaccinations.
*You will need an ID with your vaccination card.
Masks are required as well.
We are taking every precaution by cleaning and doing social distance. We're taking precautions in every aspect, but again, you do have to vaccinated for this event at the Javits Center.
RC: And then is there anything else that attendees need to know about the upcoming show?
SF: Be there or be square.
I hope everyone can attend and it's going to be exciting. We're very excited to launch a couple new events happening at the pavilion. Come join and learn about more educational programs and ingredients that are in our pavilions and check out your favorite supplier. They're very excited to see you all and I hope to see you all there as well.
*This comment was added later in an email.
