Editorials

Get an overview by SpecialChem experts on the latest "Industry Discussions" with our Hot-Topics!

Apr 25, 2008 - Novel approaches to skin ageing by Imogen Matthews

Imogen MatthewsMost products that make an anti-ageing claim promise to minimise or even erase the signs of ageing. With use, wrinkles are meant to smooth out and disappear, but the truth is that no wrinkle can be completely erased. However, this does not prevent the cosmetics industry from researching new ingredients and formulations to enable consumers to continue in their search for the ultimate anti-ageing product...
Apr 24, 2008 - Sustainable Packaging Takes A Beautiful Turn by Nancy Jeffries

Nancy JeffriesAccording to Dennis Bacchetta, Director of Marketing, Diamond Packaging, the company is working toward a cleaner environment through a variety of innovative packaging solutions...
Apr 16, 2008 - Active Ingredients in the Skin Care Market – Part 3 by Nick Morante

Nick MoranteHyaluronic acid and its well-known salt sodium hyaluronate have been used in cosmetics and personal care products for a number of decades now. But it is also available as zinc and calcium salts depending on the solubility of the particular system it is being used in. And it looks like its popularity will not be diminishing any time soon...
Apr 3, 2008 - Aromatherapy Trends - Whats New and some issues by Vispi Kanga

Vispi KangaAromatherapy is the use of naturally extracted aromatic essences from plants to balance, harmonize and promote complete health...
Mar 28, 2008 - Active Ingredients in the Skin Care Market – Part 2 by Nick Morante

Nick MoranteIn the next article of this series we will discuss another anti-aging ingredient called Coenzyme Q10 and is available from a number of ingredient suppliers...
Mar 21, 2008 - The Latin American Cosmetics Market – Mexico by Nick Morante

Nick MoranteThe growth of the color cosmetics market in Mexico, being so close to home, is very easy to follow. There are many US suppliers and finished goods companies represented in the country...
Mar 12, 2008 - Active Ingredients in the Skin Care Market – Part 1 by Nick Morante

Nick MoranteYou would think that today the market for anti-aging products would be becoming over-saturated. But I don't think there will ever be too many anti-aging products available to consumers. However, many companies are starting to find new ways to attract the age and skin-conscious consumer...
Mar 12, 2008 - Skin Care Synergies – Balancing Health and Radiant Looking Skin by Nancy Jeffries

Nancy JeffriesAs the definitions of categories are being blurred, cosmetics are spreading their influence and including ingredients that have functional or active properties...
Feb 28, 2008 - The Other China by Nick Morante

Nick MoranteThere is all this talk about cosmetics originating in China but there is another Chinese market that should be mentioned. According to a survey conducted in Taiwan about 2 years ago, only 2% of all women on that tiny island think of themselves as physically attractive.
Feb 27, 2008 - The Ethnic Personal Care Market by Nick Morante

Nick MoranteAlthough ethnic personal care in the United States, United Kingdom, and South Africa has experienced steady growth in recent years, it has failed to live up to earlier expectations. A recent report by Datamonitor mentions that steady growth in this market will certainly continue, but that it will be regular cosmetic products that will be marketed towards ethnic consumers.
Feb 20, 2008 - SpecialChem: Interview with Lara Deutsch, co-founder, Stem Organics by Imogen Matthews

Imogen MatthewsLast year, niche organic brand Stem Organics entered the Australian market with a launch in Myer department stores. Following a SpecialChem interview with founder Lara Deutsch last year, Stem Organics was contacted by a number of stockists asking to sell the range. One year on, Stem Organics is gaining international recognition and was one of the lucky few to have its products featured in the sought-after celebrity gift bags at the 65th Annual Golden Globes...
Feb 19, 2008 - Fair Trade by Nick Morante

Nick MoranteThere are times that I am asked by the Editors of SpecialChem to write about topics that come directly from you, the readers. Things that you want to read and learn about that affect our industry...
Feb 15, 2008 - Cosmetic Procedures by Nick Morante

Nick MornateThis is a true editorial. After you all read it I’m sure you will all take my side and agree with me on the content. I recently read an article about the competition that exists in the cosmetic surgery branch of dermatology...
Jan 10, 2008 - Prescriptacosmetics by Nick Morante

Nick MornateBut these terms are not recognized by the FDA, CTFA, INCI or any other group in the cosmetics industry. They may exist and see use in today's cosmetics and personal care market but they nave no real meaning. These terms are devised to create a marketing advantage for products that are meant to sound like they are cosmetic drugs but are certainly no where near that. So I thought I would pen a name for them myself - Prescriptacosmetics...
Jan 4, 2008 - What’s One More Wrinkle Anyway? by Nick Morante

Nick MornateMark Twain once wrote, "Wrinkles should simply tell you where smiles used to be."This should remove some of the negative feelings one gets when they see their first wrinkle. But is it really a wrinkle? Or is it what Mark Twain suggested, leftovers from a positive happy experience? Sometimes you can hide wrinkles but you may not want other people to see what you are hiding them with. You would like it to be as natural a process as possible. Color cosmetics with some decent coverage can usually do the trick. But what if a person doesn't want to wear any makeup? This may be the hardest part of the formulator's job...
Jan 3, 2008 - 2007 SCC Annual Scientific Meeting and Technology Showcase Recap by Nick Morante

Nick MornateWith the seminars over and the holidays quickly falling farther behind us, it is time to move forward and reflect on the SCC Meeting this past December and discuss some of the highlights of that conference. This was one of the better conferences I have ever attended. It was cold outside which is what you would expect in New York at this time of year...
Dec 18, 2007 - EU Regualtions Deadline On Animal Testing by Vispi Kanga

Vispi kangaThe EU cosmetics market is worth 35bn (euro), bigger than the US and twice the size of the Japanese market. Over the past 20 years, Europe has taken the lead in replacing animal experimentation in product development through dedicated research. In April 2007, During the World Lab Animal day in April 2007, the European Commission presented its activities in the area of research for reducing animal testing...
Dec 12, 2007 - What Happened in 2007? by Nick Morante

Nick Mornate2007 was a big year for cosmetics. Looking back at the last 12 months, there have been some amazing accomplishments in the cosmetics and personal care industry. REACH, the European regulatory program which everyone was making such a big thing about and so many people were worried about, finally came to fruition. From the finished goods side, it really doesn't look as bad as everyone made it out to be. From the supply and distribution side, it still remains to be seen if things will run smoothly or will everything just come crashing down...
Dec 5, 2007 - Exotic Plant Oils by Pr. Marie-Claude MARTINI

For the last few years it seems that there has been some new plant oil appearing for use in cosmetics every day. They can be European or exotic. This is because of both the trend towards all that is "natural" and "organic", which tends to prefer ingredients of natural origin at the expense of synthetic products; and scientific work on the cutaneous barrier which has confirmed the need for the presence of certain polyunsaturated fatty acids to maintain skin homeostasis...
Dec 5, 2007 - Rationale and Current Use of calcium in Skin care by Vispi Kanga

Calcium is just as critical to the health of skin as zinc. In the late 1990s the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) published the results of extensive research regarding calcium. Calcium regulates cell turnover via cell "differentiation" stimulated by protein kinase C (PKC enzyme).
Nov 21, 2007 - Trends - Treating Dry Skin by Nick Morante

Treatment of dry skin can involve numerous methods. One of the first things to do is to understand some of the causes of dry skin...
Nov 7, 2007 - IFSCC Conference Recap by Nick Morante

As you all know, I recently attended the IFSCC Scientific Conference in Amsterdam, The Netherlands this past September. Amsterdam is a beautiful City and we were made to feel right at home by all the inhabitants of that city...
Nov 5, 2007 - Nutrient & Nourishing Benefit Claims by Vispi Kanga

Vispi kangaConsumers universally have come to appreciate the importance of essential nutrients for good health and general welfare. The quest for sustained youth and beauty that sells cosmetics is age-old, though ingredients used to achieve that image may change. What sells products, along with packaging, are claims. Most cosmetics contain ingredients that are promoted with some exaggerated claims of beauty or long-lasting effects to create an image. Image is what the cosmetic industry sells through its products, and it's up to the consumer to believe it or not. Healthy skin and beautiful skin are inseparable. Dry skin is dehydrated...
Oct 29, 2007 - The Himalayan Inspiration of Forest Essentials by Ritu Jha

Mira Kulkarni founded Forest Essentials in 2000, following her passion to create natural Ayurvedic cosmetics. The brand started out making soaps made by hand with oil from a cold-press process that leaves nutrients intact. Later, it added steam-distilled essential oils used for fragrances, herbal infusions, organic whole fruits and vegetables, which have quickly sold. Next came an entire range of skincare and hair products developed in association with Ayurvedic physicians based in the Himalayas...
Oct 1, 2007 - Exfoliation by Vispi Kanga

Exfoliation is a cosmetic technique aimed at improving skin's appearance by removing dead skin cells from the surface of the skin. It is also designed to aid rejuvenation of the skin and prevent undesirable conditions such as acne scarring or ingrown hairs...
Aug 23, 2007 - Trends – Homemade Cosmetics by Nick Morante

Making your own cosmetics is not only fun and rewarding, it is also a great way to save money and contribute to an earth-friendly environment. It's also very easy. Homemade cosmetics can be placed in recycled containers, as they are non-hazardous and 100% recyclable...
Jul 31, 2007 - Trends - Anti-Aging Therapies by Nick Morante

Anti-aging has been a major source of concern in the lives of beautiful women throughout history. A youthful appearance at any age will reflect and reinforce our feelings of inner vitality...
Jul 19, 2007 - Bath and Body Navigates Turns in the Market by Nancy Jeffries

According to Euromonitor's report, overall bath and shower product sales grew slightly in 2006, while growth was constrained due to bar soap's decline. Bar soap sales fell by 1% to US $1.2 billion in 2006. Bar soap still accounts for 28% of total sector sales, which represents a decline from over 34% in 2000...
Jul 17, 2007 - Trends – Serums versus Treatment Products by Nick Morante

Serums for the face and body are used to treat specific skin conditions such as acne, wrinkles, skin redness or other skin problems. These serums are much more potent than conventional treatment creams or lotions. Creams and lotions for the most part contain less that 10 percent of the active ingredients which are usually used to treat each specific skin condition...
Jul 3, 2007 - June '07 Nails, Hand and Foot Care Newsletter Editorial by Nancy Jeffries

The nail and hand care category has expanded to encompass general skin and hand health, as well as color and aesthetics. Once the domain of enamel color, luster and longevity, nails, and correspondingly hands and feet, are gaining the attention of dermatologists and color cosmetics professionals alike...

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