Our most-read stories in Europe: August

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6 colour cosmetics looks trending on TikTok right now​

TikTok has forever altered the beauty trends cycle, but things change so rapidly that it can be difficult to keep up with the latest in-demand looks. From latte makeup to honey lips, we showcased the main trends that beauty consumers are searching for now on the popular app.

Has the term ‘skin barrier’ confused consumers?​
Unilever skin care brand Simple undertook a survey about skin care knowledge and discovered that most UK consumers are out of their depth.    

The mass skin care brand quizzed 2,003 UK men and women, aged 18+ in February 2023 and discovered that 84% of respondents with sensitive skin were confused by the industry,

Furthermore, many were feeling cynical too – as 80% of women and 74% of men participants believed that the industry was flooded with misinformation.

What’s new in cosmetics regulations? Europe & the UK​

Just some of the new regulation changes and proposals that could affect cosmetics and personal care businesses in Europe included: plans to phase out animal testing, new rules on global deforestation, and more limitations to Annex V of the EU Cosmetics Regulation for the preservatives triclocarban and triclosan.

While over in the UK, the government has announced two data calls for suspected endocrine disruptors and cosmetics nanomaterials and Defra has deferred the extended producer responsibility (EPR) for packaging until October 2025.

5 exciting new developments in cosmetic science​

There’s been plenty of innovation this month including: manufacturer Mixer & Pack incorporating a RFID encoding tunnel into its fragrance production line, a study showed that snow fungus could provide a natural alternative to hyaluronic acid, and Danish bioscience company Kaffe Bueno, which upcycles coffee byproducts into functional ingredients, launched KAFFAGE™, an upcycled amphiphilic biopolymer with high antioxidative and anti-glycation activity that it says can act as a natural SPF booster.

“There is still a lot of work to be done”: Weleda’s CEO on greenwashing, bluewashing and what’s next for sustainability​

We spoke to Weleda CEO Jayn Sterland about the latest environmental trends and developments at the brand and across the whole beauty and personal care industry.

Inside the mind of beauty consumers: Kantar’s search trend findings​

Marketing data and analytics company Kantar worked with its DX Analytics proprietary toolkit and applied AI and analytics to big data (search and social) to identify emerging beauty and personal care trends.

The company reviewed almost 90+ billion searches over a period of five years across more than 100 countries and discovered an overarching consumer need for holistic beauty accelerated by technology.

Serene Wilson, Digital Analytics Global Insights Lead at Kantar said the research found opportunities for brands to cater to consumers’ emotional, physical, social and spiritual needs while delivering on their personal care promises.