CosmeticsDesign recently joined other beauty industry professionals who gathered virtually for the Future of Beauty E-Summit, hosted by scientific communications platform The Eco Well. The event featured a wide array of presentations on the latest trends, challenges, and technological advancements shaping the cosmetics and personal care sector.
Following the e-summit, we spoke to Jen Novakovich, Technical Consultant at The Eco Well and host of the summit, for an in-depth recap of the event’s key takeaways, highlighting emerging trends, regulatory challenges, and opportunities for innovation.
Evolving regulations and industry challenges
Regulatory changes, including packaging, advertising, and product formulation implications, were a significant topic at the summit. “Regulations are quickly evolving and will have fairly large impacts on the cosmetics industry in years to come,” Novakovich stated.
Among the most pressing concerns are environmental regulations such as extended producer responsibility (EPR) and post-consumer recycled (PCR) material requirements. “This is going to significantly impact packaging options for brands, particularly those who aren’t prepared,” she noted.
Novakovich also emphasized the growing risks associated with non-compliance: “If brands aren’t thinking about compliance now, they may be at a serious risk of missing compliance deadlines, which may translate into fines.”
The advertising landscape is also evolving, with increased scrutiny on claims made on packaging and through social media. “Advertisers need to pay close attention to how claims are made,” Novakovich warned.
“This includes being mindful of evolving rules that demand specificity and substantiable claims, as generalized terms like ‘sustainable’ or ‘green’ are increasingly risky without clear evidence to back them up.”
Novakovich recommended proactive measures to navigate these challenges, including securing regulatory and legal support. “Suppliers and manufacturers should consider joining trade associations that can advocate on their behalf and keep them apprised of new developments. For instance, the Independent Beauty Association and the Personal Care Products Council are great examples in the US market,” she added.
She also encouraged industry players to embrace lifelong learning: “Read and view broadly to learn from the many interdisciplinary expertise that make up our sector.”
Advancing through AI and digital innovation
The transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) was another key summit theme. According to Novakovich, “AI tools can help companies improve productivity, have a faster speed to market with product development, and enable new possibilities with increased innovation.”
The applications of AI span across various stages of the product lifecycle. “In marketing, AI can help identify trends and target audiences...in R&D, it can predict stability and safety testing outcomes...in regulatory compliance, AI can screen formulations for adherence to guidelines. The list goes on,” she explained.
Novakovich stressed the importance of experimentation with digital tools: “A key takeaway was the importance of exploring what’s out there and what’s most useful for specific use cases.” She explained that “companies should not shy away from trying different tools to see how they can drive their operations forward.”
Innovations in skin care and hair care
Cutting-edge research in skin care and hair care was also in the spotlight. Dr. Paul Lawrence, Executive Director of Research and Discovery at Biocogent, LLC, presented on skin epigenetics and the microbiome, opening new possibilities for product innovation.
“There is growing evidence in the role the skin microbiota plays in skin health,” Novakovich said. However, she noted, “We still don’t actually know what a ‘healthy skin microbiome’ looks like,” adding that “there’s a lot of work being done to expand methods with greater precision to understand how the skin microbiome modulates skin health.”
Haircare presentations, such as Dr. Crystal Porter,
Owner of Mane Insights, Inc.‘s session on ethnic hair care highlighted the need for more personalized solutions. “Dr. Porter emphasized that collaboration is needed to efficiently innovate and serve the needs of all consumers,” Novakovich remarked.
“This includes direct engagement with consumers in the research process and leveraging advancements in technology, such as AI, to better understand consumer needs,” she added.
Consumer trends, she said, also create opportunities for differentiation, which “could include innovation, services, and research collaborations, all of which can position brands to better meet the needs of a diverse audience,” Novakovich added.
Navigating advertising risks
Advertising practices, especially in the digital space, were scrutinized during the summit. Presenter Avril Love, Counsel at K&L Gates, shared actionable insights on ensuring compliance and authenticity in advertising.
In summary of Love’s session, Novakovich explained, “Companies should understand the risks of advertising practices,” and “need to use contracts to define legal obligations and assign rights clearly.” Further, she added, “transparency is critical, particularly when working with influencers and consumer reviews.”
Novakovich highlighted the importance of substantiating claims: “When companies make claims, they should be narrow and specific. Generalized claims like ‘sustainable’ or ‘green’ are risky since they aren’t easily substantiatable.”
Empowering small brands and independent professionals
A key message from the summit was the democratization of industry knowledge, particularly for small brands and independent professionals. “For small companies especially, this event could definitely be very beneficial as staff professional development to ensure everyone on the team is apprised of current challenges and opportunities in the cosmetics industry,” said Novakovich.
“Attending summits like this and taking detailed notes,” she concluded, “is a simple but powerful way for smaller players to level the playing field against larger companies,” encouraging beauty industry stakeholders to engage with educational events and resources actively.
