Three takeaways from Cosmoprof North America 2023 in Las Vegas

Last week, CosmeticsDesign attended Cosmoprof 2023 Las Vegas. Cosmoprof, whose domestic and international shows attract a total of over 500,000 attendees and 10,000 exhibitors worldwide each year, is the leading B2B beauty event in the Americas and serves all segments of the beauty industry. This year’s show featured a variety of educational events, trend forecasting, and sections for Hair, Nails, Skin Care, Packaging, and more.

Having attended three days of educational seminars and show floor walks, we noted three key takeaways from this year’s exhibitors and attendees. Here are our noteworthy trend observations from this year’s Cosmoprof 2023 North America for cosmetics and personal care product manufacturers and suppliers.

The resurgence of marine ingredients

Ingredient trends tend to be cyclical, and like the rise and fall of the ocean’s tides, marine ingredients are hitting the apex of this year’s formulation trends. From sea salt to kelp and algae, marine-derived bioactives were everywhere at Cosmoprof this year in the finished goods space and were mentioned multiple times throughout the educational seminars.

Brands featuring marine-derived ingredients included indie-brand Laguna Herbals. Exhibiting in the Discover Green section of the show, the mother-daughter duo-founded brand has most recently launched its Ocean Collection which is inspired by its California roots. The product line focuses heavily on formulations like Ocean Milk with active algae, Ocean Glow Drops with sea kelp, and even sea water in its Ocean Pure Gel Cleanser.

In the spa-ceuticals space, Latvian brand Carelika, which mainly produces product options for estheticians and professional spa settings, has produced an entire line of algae-based peel off masks for lips and face. Featuring added marine-ingredients like marine collagen, sea salt, the collection focuses on hero ingredient alginate derived from brown seaweed extract for its powerful lifting and smoothing effects on skin.

Marine-ingredients have also made way to the beard care sector. At this year’s show, Copper John’s Beauty Company featured its Ocean Mineral Wash and Ocean Mineral Moisturizer products for men. The brand’s proprietary 92+ ocean mineral concentrate includes dead sea salt and is formulated to be restorative for rough or damaged skin types.

Compostable materials

While biodegradability has been a core point of the sustainability discussion in recent years, compostable materials have a competitive advantage. Biodegradable materials will break down just like compostables but take an indeterminate amount of time which can impact their sustainability. In contrast, compostables will compose into natural elements in a specific time frame and do not leave trace metals or other elements behind.

Featuring solid shampoos, conditioners, and soap bars, Lithuania-based indie brand Solidu’s product packaging is not only backyard compostable, but also paper-free and is comprised of upcycled bamboo, charcoal, and starch. All of Soludu’s packaging biodegrades in forty-five days and can even be mixed into animal feed as an additional starch source, as detailed on the company’s website.

US-based cosmetics brand Caliray has taken a different approach towards compostable packaging and in partnership with Element Packaging Group has developed and launched a compostable, refillable multi-purpose cheek and eye palette. Including eyeshadow, highlighter, contour, and blush options, the bamboo palette contains recyclable aluminum shadow pans that can be individually refilled, comes in a 100% post-consumer recycled paper box, and can be broken down and composted at the end of its life.

Based in Barcelona, Spain, skin care brand Ihora Nature has an alternative take on compostable materials, and instead of the product packaging, has made the product itself compost friendly. The brand’s recently launched After Sun Sheet Masks are produced from 100% biodegradable material and can be safely composted after use.

Passive skin care technology: enhanced skin hydration

AI and AR technology were at the forefront of many conversations during this year’s convention, but another technology-based trend emerged during the show: passive skin care devices designed to enhance and improve skin hydration and absorption of topically-applied skin care products like hyaluronic acid. Passive skin care devices work to modify the user’s surrounding environment, like air and water quality, to better benefit the skin.

For example, the Filterbaby, the first to market water-filtration device designed specifically for skin care, utilizes a three-stage filtration system to remove tap water micro-contaminants like chlorine or excess magnesium and calcium to soften water and make it more friendly to sensitive skin. In conjunction with regular skin care, the Filterbaby supports healthier, better hydrated skin over time because of reduced exposure to irritants found in regular tap water and does not otherwise alter, add steps, or add additional products to an already established routine.

Another example of a passive skin care device to promote heathier, better hydrated skin is the use of a humidifier like Canopy. Humidifiers work to keep ambient air moister, which in turn works to improve the skin’s barrier and reduce dullness from dehydration. Like the Filterbaby, the Canopy humidifier is a passive option for the ‘skin-thusiast’ consumer seeking to improve the efficacy of an existing skin care routine without adding products or altering steps in an established process.

As consumers continue to trend towards more cost-effective purchasing decisions, devices that enhance the effectiveness of already-trusted products and offer multifunctional benefits will be likely to continue in light of current economic conditions.