Brand innovation

Indie Beauty Profile Ming Zhao, PROVEN Skincare

Indie Beauty Profile

Ming Zhao, PROVEN Skincare

By Deanna Utroske

In her Indie Beauty Profile, Ming Zhao, co-founder and CEO of PROVEN Skincare, describes how she and Amy Yuan have leveraged AI to formulate skin care and build a beauty brand that’s delivering evermore carefully customized product.

Solid personal care future innovations could be flexible with active ingredients

Special Edition Newsletter: Water Reduction Formulation

A solid future: Could flexible pads mark a fresh sustainable cleansing movement?

By Kacey Culliney

Solids have gained plenty of traction as a sustainable alternative in personal care, requiring less water and packaging. And with innovation lathering up nicely, the future suggests innovative variants beyond the traditional soap bar may soon win shelf...

Indie Beauty Up Close: Amy Carra launches Delight Beauty for UBP

CD Buzz Video

Indie Beauty Up Close: Amy Carra launches Delight Beauty for UBP

By Deanna Utroske

Universal Beauty Products is a privately owned portfolio of brands mostly in hair and men’s categories. Amy Carra joined UBP a little over 2 years ago; and the company’s new Delight Beauty skin care brand is the result of her work.

Is indie fragrance being overlooked?

Editor's Spotlight

Is indie fragrance being overlooked?

By Deanna Utroske

The independent beauty movement is still going strong. And new skin care, hair care, color cosmetics, and wellness brands launch seemingly every day. But indie fragrance brands aren’t as evident. Here Cosmetics Design looks back at a selection of our...

Kids’ blend-it-yourself bath brand Dabble & Dollop debuts on QVC

Editor's Spotlight

Kids’ blend-it-yourself bath brand Dabble & Dollop debuts on QVC

By Deanna Utroske

The past Saturday evening, the video commerce channel introduced the first Big Find pitch winner to its viewership. Cosmetics Design checked in with founder Stephanie Leshney about her experience pitching and presenting alongside show host Shawn Killinger.

How To: a collection of advice for indie beauty brand leaders

How To: a collection of advice for indie beauty brand leaders

By Deanna Utroske

Over the years, Cosmetics Design has covered numerous events on the independent beauty movement. Here is a selection of guidance for startups from insiders and experts who have spoken at those events as well as a few notes from the Cosmetics Design editorial...

Indie Beauty Profile Lili Fan, Dr Lili Fan Probiotic Skin Care

Indie Beauty Profile

Lili Fan, Dr Lili Fan Probiotic Skin Care

By Deanna Utroske

In her Indie Beauty Profile biochemist, microbiologist, practicing ophthalmologist, and long-time beauty innovator Lili Fan, Founder and President of Dr Lili Fan Probiotic Skin Care, shares insight into the growing microbiome beauty movement and succinct...

Caswell-Massey opens NYC pop-up boutique

Caswell-Massey opens NYC pop-up boutique

By Deanna Utroske

The centuries-old American fragrance brand has been updating nearly every aspect of its business over the past 3 years and is now welcoming long-time consumers, new brand fans, and curious shoppers to experience the old and the new of Caswell-Massey at...

cosmetics & personal care ingredient makers are going indie

Editor's Spotlight

Ingredient makers are going indie

By Deanna Utroske

It’s no longer unusual for multinational raw material suppliers to work with indie beauty brands; but it’s still not the norm. Here Cosmetics Design looks at an array of legacy specialty chemical companies doing business directly with cosmetics, personal...

Indie Beauty Profile Amanda Matsui, Yuyo Botanics

Indie Beauty Profile

Amanda Matsui, Yuyo Botanics

By Deanna Utroske

If wellness is a beauty category and hemp-extract is a wellness ingredient, then this topical and ingestible CBD business is an indie beauty brand. Amanda Matsui, co-founded Yuyo Botanics early last year and already the brand is shipping tinctures and...

How sustainability is impacting the LATAM male grooming category

Special Edition: LATAM Male Grooming

Argentine men’s grooming brand focuses on sustainability

By Simon Pitman

Dandy is a cosmetics and personal care brand out of Buenos Aires, Argentina, that is focusing in on two of the biggest trends in the Latin America market – men’s grooming and sustainability.

Indie Beauty Profile of Stephanie Leshney, Dabble & Dollop

Indie Beauty Profile

Stephanie Leshney, Dabble & Dollop

By Deanna Utroske

In her Indie Beauty Profile, Stephanie Leshney, founder of the blend-it-yourself kids personal care brand Dabble & Dollop, talks about how her experience in the cosmetics and personal care ingredient business informed the brand she is building now...

Nala wants to make personal care personal, starting with deodorant

Nala wants to make personal care personal, starting with deodorant

By Deanna Utroske

The Vancouver, British Columbia – based startup launched personalized deodorants this month. And Cosmetics Design checked in with Nala co-founder Mila Juristovski to learn more about the potential of custom, natural personal care products.

10 top tips: Building a Beauty Startup

Editor's Spotlight

10 top tips: Building a Beauty Startup

By Deanna Utroske

This past Thursday in New York City, the recommendation platform and entrepreneurship community Stacklist hosted a panel discussion among beauty business founders at the Amazon Web Services loft space. Cosmetics Design was there, along with some 250 aspiring...

Indie Beauty Profile Luca Burnett, YANTRA Beauty

Indie Beauty Profile

Luca Burnett, YANTRA Beauty

By Deanna Utroske

In his Indie Beauty Profile, Luca Burnett, founder of YANTRA Beauty, describes a hair care brand that puts the insights and experience of professional stylists into products for everyday consumers.

Indie Beauty Profile Stephanie Kim, Moonlit Skincare

Indie Beauty Profile

Stephanie Kim, Moonlit Skincare

By Deanna Utroske

In her Indie Beauty Profile, Stephanie Kim, Co-Founder of Moonlit Skincare, describes how she and Kriszta Matyi have created a cross-sector beauty brand dedicated to skin care, sleep, and wellness.

What was Belleza Y Salud all about in 2019?

What was Belleza Y Salud all about in 2019?

By Simon Pitman

We spoke to Marcela Sanchez, Belleza Y Salud project manager, to find out what was new and innovative about this year’s event, the 18th annual edition.

Belleza Y Salud 2019, in photos

Belleza Y Salud 2019, in photos

By Simon Pitman

This year's Belleza Y Salud saw a 10% increase in exhibitor numbers and the organizers were expecting a similar increase in visitors. Here we bring you some of the highlights in this photo gallery dedicated to the event.

Evio Beauty: community, color cosmetics, and cannabis

CD Buzz Video

Evio Beauty: community, color cosmetics, and cannabis

By Deanna Utroske

At the start of the current indie beauty movement, Brandi Leifso launched a makeup brand called Evelyn Iona. She has since relaunched the business as Evio Beauty, partnered with Aurora Cannabis, raised millions through seed funding and strategic partnerships,...

Indie Beauty Profile Melanie Cruickshank, da lish cosmetics

Indie Beauty Profile

Melanie Cruickshank, da lish cosmetics

By Deanna Utroske

In her Indie Beauty Profile, Melanie Cruickshank, founder of da lish cosmetics, describes the inspiration and effort behind one of the early color cosmetics brands to compete in the current clean beauty movement. And she makes the case for an entrepreneurial...

TBH Kids: fun, functional personal care for tweens

CD Buzz Video

TBH Kids: fun, functional personal care for tweens

By Deanna Utroske

Kids grow up. And today, they’re growing up with text messages and social media and free-from personal care products. These are the tweens and teens that Risa Barash is reaching with her latest venture TBH Kids. Cosmetics Design spoke with Barash at IBE...

Emilie Heathe: combing art, luxury, and beauty - video interview

CD Buzz Video

Emilie Heathe: combing art, luxury, and beauty

By Deanna Utroske

At this year’s IBE NY event, founder and CEO Emily Rudman spoke with Cosmetics Design about the luxury lifestyle brand she’s building, the custom sculptural packaging she created for Emilie Heathe’s debut nail color collection, the importance of company...

Indie Beauty Profile Susan Im, ATEM / Fifteen Degrees

Indie Beauty Profile

Susan Im, ATEM / Fifteen Degrees

By Deanna Utroske

ATEM is where modern-day entrepreneurship and K Beauty converge. In her Indie Beauty Profile Susan Im, founder of ATEM and co-founder of the skin care brand’s parent company Fifteen Degrees, talks candidly about indie beauty as a consumer-led movement...

This Month in Fragrance: September 2019

This Month in Fragrance: September 2019

By Deanna Utroske

Fragrance makers big and small from Latin America, Asia, and the States were in the headlines on Cosmetics Design this month. Here are the highlights, including an Indie Beauty Profile of Georgia-based Othús Perfumery, 3 new fragrances from Shiseido,...

DMK Skincare launches probiotic product line

DMK Skincare launches probiotic product line

By Deanna Utroske

This month the paramedical skin care brand launched a collection of microbiome beauty products developed for people with acne, eczema, and other skin conditions as well as for people on long-term antibiotic regimen. The DSK Skincare Enbioment Microbiome...

biophile skincare: because fermentation is the future of beauty

CD Buzz Video

biophile skincare: because fermentation is the future of beauty

By Deanna Utroske

At this year’s IBE NY event, co-Founders Alison Cutlan and Grace Fooden were giving press, influencers, and industry insiders at the show a sneak preview of the probiome beauty brand they are launching this fall. In this video interview with Cosmetics...

Indie Beauty Profile Dr. Marc Ronert and Janna Ronert, Hush & Hush

Indie Beauty Profile

Dr. Marc Ronert and Janna Ronert, Hush & Hush

By Deanna Utroske

In their Indie Beauty Profile, Profile Dr. Marc Ronert and Janna Ronert, founders of the luxury beauty supplements brand Hush & Hush, describe how they identified an opportunity in the wellness supplements market and emphasize how valuable the right...

CEW now accepting 2020 Beauty Awards entries

CEW now accepting 2020 Beauty Awards entries

By Deanna Utroske

The professional organization’s annual Beauty Awards are among the most respected in the cosmetics and personal care industry. This year, CEW has added 6 new categories. And interested applicants have until late October to get submissions in (though any...

The Eco Well launches season 3 with a focus on Indie Beauty

The Eco Well launches season 3 with a focus on Indie Beauty

By Deanna Utroske

Season 3 of The Eco Well podcast kicked off last week with an episode featuring CosmeticsDesign.com Editor Deanna Utroske in conversation with cosmetic chemist and show host Jen Novakovich. The topic: how indie brands can find the path to success in today’s...

Indie Beauty Profile Katherine Tomasso, YON-KA Paris

Indie Beauty Profile

Katherine Tomasso, YON-KA Paris

By Deanna Utroske

In her Indie Beauty Profile, Katherine Tomasso, national director of education at YON-KA Paris, describes a business with decades of market experience, generations of passionate brand leaders, and all the attributes of an on-trend contemporary indie skin...

Indie Beauty Profile Colleen Keenan Nelms, Othús Perfumery

Indie Beauty Profile

Colleen Keenan Nelms, Othús Perfumery

By Deanna Utroske

In her Indie Beauty Profile, Colleen Keenan Nelms, founder of Othús Perfumery, describes a new brand grounded in nature, passionate about fragrance, and crafted with intention. And, she has wise advice to share about how beauty entrepreneurs can envision...

Trend Watch: the new face of acne care - how brands like Squish Beauty, Blume, and Starface are taking the shame out of pimples and breakouts

Editor's Spotlight

Trend Watch: the new face of acne care

By Deanna Utroske

Pimples, spots, blemishes. Regardless of what it’s called, acne happens. And it happens often; “95% of adults will experience acne at some point in their lives, according to recent data shared with Cosmetics Design. Now, a new generation of personal care...

Pattern Beauty: a new day is dawning for textured hair care - Tracee Ellis Ross launches Pattern Beauty brand online and at Ulta Beauty this month.

Pattern Beauty: a new day is dawning for textured hair care

By Deanna Utroske

Next week, the brand created and led by Tracee Ellis Ross will launch with a collection of hair care products developed and formulated for people with curly, coily, or tight textured hair (3B – 4C). Pattern Beauty promises to meet a real need in the marketplace,...