Our most-read stories in Europe: October

8 packaging innovations we saw at LuxePack​​
From refillable fragrance bottles and stick packaging made from PET and RPET to inclusive, multipurpose packaging solutions, we rounded up some of the latest innovations that were showcased at Luxepack – the annual trade show for the luxury packaging industry.

New changes to European cosmetics legislation​​
The EU has shared new guidelines on the sale of beauty products that contain glitter, while the French government has published a list of ingredients it considers to be endocrine disruptors. 

As a result of the former, the sale of cosmetics that contain glitter made from non-biodegradable, insoluble plastic has been banned from sale in the European Union (EU). 

Meanwhile, on 12th October, France’s Minister of Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion published a decree that outlines substances that have properties of endocrine alterations qualified as proven and presumed, may be made available to the public for commercial purposes, as well as substances with endocrine disrupting properties classified as suspicious. It also appointed an alternative method of informing the public, an app called Scan4Chem, to detail the presence of substances that qualify as proven, presumed, or suspected endocrine-disrupting properties in products.

The aim is to help consumers be aware of the presence of substances that have endocrine-disrupting properties in a product, as indicated by France’s AGEC law – an anti-waste law for a circular economy.

What’s new in cosmetics ingredients?​​
Perhaps unsurprisingly, much of the recent innovation in cosmetics and personal care ingredients has been in the natural and sustainable sphere. We’ve rounded up some of the most exciting new launches, from an upcycled microalgae collagen alternative to an active derived from Sphingomonas panaciterrae​ – a source of vitality Ginseng that’s known to cause numerous changes and deficiencies in its environment.

Testing sun care: what’s happening now and in the future​​
Testing expert Anne Charpentier talked us through the multitude of sunscreen testing procedures, quantification and stability analysis of UV filters, oxidative stress assays, as well as the latest tests for blue light protection and sand resistance, and the challenges and advancements of formulating ‘marine-safe’ sun care. Charpentier also gave a sneak peek forecast into what the future of sun care testing could potentially look like based on her expertise.

Menopause beauty education: the missing piece in an expanding market​​
Within the past three years, there’s been a surge in consumer interest in ‘menopause-beauty’ products.

Social listening data from Brandwatch revealed that skincare products specifically designed for menopausal women are in demand, while hyperpigmentation is another big concern among these consumers, and hair-related issues, including receding hairlines.

Charlotte Body, founder of the Pause Live 2023 exhibition – a dedicated consumer event to educate and support on the menopause – said that there have been a huge number of innovations in the menopause beauty/wellness space in recent years and these continue to evolve and improve year after year.  

Body also said that women are becoming more aware of the different products out there to help and they are also becoming aware that there is no 'one-size-fits-all' product because each woman’s hormones are different, and as such their menopause symptoms are also different.

Behind the opening of the world’s first coffee biorefinery​​
The cofounder of the world's first coffee biorefinery in Copenhagen gave CosmeticsDesign-Europe​ an in-depth interview about what’s happening at the new site and how this upcycled ingredient is being used in formulations by some of the world’s top beauty brands.  

Redesigning a household name: behind the Avon rebrand​​
Global cosmetics company Avon is a heritage brand, but last year it became aware that its identity had been diluted over time and had become inconsistent across various platforms.

The company made the big decision to overhaul its visual and verbal identity and worked with London-based creative agency Free The Birds on the project. We spoke to Nick Vaus, the creative director behind the new look, about what he did and why he did it.