CosmoProf North America is one of the best trade shows for North American beauty brands to find packaging, ingredients, contract manufacturers and of course, distribution and recognition.
Vendors and brands come from all over the world to spend three very intense days here in Vegas moving their business forward.
For us as a contract manufacturer, it is fun to see some of our brands there and to explore new packaging, new vendors and new trends.
Some of the trends this year are what you likely already know: natural, organic, ‘green chemistry’ and of course, reduced packaging and environmental footprints. But more specifically, we are seeing three key areas of focus for indie beauty brands.
- Ingredients
- Packaging
- Funding
INGREDIENTS
As one enters the CosmoProf show floor, big banners pronounce some of the big trends for 2020.
- Blue-Green Algae like the Blue Green Algae we source from Klamath Lake in Southern Oregon
- Seaweed
- Vegan – as 25% of 25-35 year olds self-declare as vegan
In talking with suppliers we also found that new ingredients are coming from South and Central America – some of which we’ll be trying soon in our own labs.
As for synthetic ingredients, we are also finding lab-created actives for brightening and lightening the appearance of mature skin are always in high demand. But mostly, we continue to see the reliance on ‘clean lists’ from companies like Credo and organizations like EWG to inform ingredient wish lists for skin care.
PACKAGING
Wow. The floor is overwhelming when it comes to packaging. Colors, shapes, sizes, materials — all coming from China, Italy, Germany and of course, the US. Sustainable packaging and ‘zero waste’ is a strong thread through the entire green cosmetic space. We discovered a tube maker who not only offers plant-based plastics made from sugar cane, but avocado and banana husk tubes. We’ll be testing those as soon as we can. A note of caution for those who might get too excited — with a high percentage of essential oils in so many natural products, these bio-based-plastics can fail packaging testing.
What we also see is color. Beautiful bold colors and soft, soothing colors. Think the colors of nature in artistic shapes that look great on bathroom shelves. We are seeing more retail boxes – which goes against the ‘zero waste’ trend, but allows brands to more fully tell their story than just the jar on a label.
FUNDING
Brands are looking for funding and this year we’re seeing an increase in companies looking to invest in indie beauty brands. The indie beauty market is still growing fast and investors are looking to buy in, help boost company growth, and get a share of the earnings. A number of companies approached us looking for not just one brand to invest in, but to build a portfolio of brands they can leverage across the industry. So be on the lookout for funding — but do your diligence and make sure that you keep ownership of your brand and your company.
OTHER FUN TIDBITS
We are seeing facial masks at every turn. Sheet masks, rubber masks and of course, brush-applied masks we traditionally use in spas, salons, and at home. While the sheet masks are super convenient, they are once-and-done and go against a zero-waste brand’s value. But this doesn’t mean you can’t take advantage of masks for every part of the body — feet, legs, booty, neck, face, arms. Charcoal, matcha, clays – all make great masks.
Local programs, like ‘Georgia Grown’ help emerging brands get funding and a marketing boost when local ingredients are used in the product line. While not all things can come from one local area, you might be able to capitalize on the local-grown trend for a hero product or two.
CosmoProf is amazing. If you can invest the time and money, find your way here to open your mind and expand your brand. Many of our staff are also attending some of the numerous classes available, so it’s also a great opportunity to learn and network.
