BW Confidential highlights the innovations from the Cosmoprof Asia trade show, which took place in Hong Kong from November 12-15
This year’s Cosmoprof Asia was buzzing despite the slowdown in the market. In the packaging area, Cosmopack, the central theme was once again sustainability. Popular formats included sticks, seen as meeting the demand for travel-friendly products, as well as mono-material packs for increased recyclability and bottles that can be refilled from the bottom.
The show hosted over 2,500 exhibitors from 47 countries and territories and attracted 60,975 attendees from 119 countries and regions. Compared to last year, increases in attendance were recorded from regions including Africa (+16%), Australasia (+5%), Europe (+7%), the Middle East (+40%), North America (+8%), and South America (+3%).
Innovations seen in show
US-based brush manufacturer Anisa showcased its new launch, a powder make-up brush from its Arch collection. The brush has a specific ratio in terms of its shape, with 40% of its weight at the top of the brush and 60% at the bottom. The company says this creates a clear ledge for the powder to sit on and enables the brush to target placement of powder to specific areas of the face. The brush is based on a traditional animal fiber brush; Anisa claims it is the first brush to accomplish this shape with synthetic fiber. Anisa Chief Marketing Officer Sarah Heath says the company is gearing up for a major launch next year, which will be introduced at the Cosmoprof Bologna show.
Korean packaging company FSKorea presented its springless auto-dropper. When the user closes the bottle, it automatically fills, unlike traditional droppers which have a metal or plastic spring. The dropper has a soft-touch lid and comes in PP and TPE. The company is aiming to maximize mono-material items to enable recycling. FSKorea also showed an autofill dropper with a removable metal spring. This dropper enables the customer to remove the spring themselves to make the item recyclable. It is made entirely of PP, except for the metal spring. Finally, the company presented a mono-material dropper with an invisible button, also with the aim of facilitating recycling.
Korean packaging company Yonwoo showcased its adjustable stick series for suncare, which it claims is a new gesture. The series includes options such as half cap (where the lid is half of the product’s height), long cap (where the lid covers almost the entire height of the product), the EZ Up Stick which uses a slider to raise the product in place of a dial and an Eco Stick version. The series launched in September.
The company also presented an airtight tube with a rotating lid called Peekaboo targeting Gen Z. The company says its EZ Airless solution responds to increased demand for sustainability and can be refilled from the bottle with a metal spring or without. Other products with a sustainable focus include Eco Up & Down, which has a twist function to refill and lock; the Autoloading Eco Dropper in PP with a removable metal spring; and the Tetra Airless pump.
Italian manufacturer Inca Cosmetics presented a collection based on the concept of holistic beauty and including products, such as a primer, mascara and lipstick. Most of the collection’s formulas are vegan with a high percentage of natural-origin ingredients (more than 90%) from Europe. The company says there is still a strong trend for vegan, clean, natural and European ingredients, as well as for hybrid make-up/skincare products. This year was Inca’s first time exhibiting at Cosmoprof Asia.
Manufacturer Schwan Cosmetics highlighted a promotional box with two collections of eyeliners: The Feyenest Collection, which are mechanical eyeliners, and the Heyelight Collection, which are liquid eyeliners. The collections have three different eyeliner tips and four shades. The box aims to present the company’s hero products and innovations in a single, convenient format and is also suitable for gifting.
China is a key focus for Schwan Cosmetics, and the company has launched two new gel eyeliners for one of the country’s biggest mass brands, Judydoll.
Luxembourg-based manufacturer Il Cosmetics showcased a retail compliant semi-permanent nail gel polish. The HEMA- and Di-HEMA-free gel formula is compliant with regulations for brands, in Europe especially, to sell at retail. Il Cosmetics says currently, gel formulas containing HEMA and Di-HEMA are sold at retail with the label “for professional use only” to evade existing European regulations. The company adds that these regulations could soon extend to other markets such as the US.
The company also presented new textures in nail care that it describes as sensorial, as they transform from oil to gel or from gel to oil. Aurelie Ignaccolo, Marketing Director, says nail care is a growing category thanks to the popularity of gel manicures.
In the eye category, meanwhile, the company has developed a formula for tubing mascara (a major trend) that enables it to be removed in large pieces. Finally, Il Cosmetics showcased its night lip oil with a new, thick texture. It is said to be comfortable, non-sticky and transparent, making it suitable as a night treatment for the lips. Ignaccolo says such overnight treatments are trending and that night has become a time for self-care.
In other news, Il Cosmetics said it recently acquired Italian manufacturing company Cosmetion which will enable it to establish a new R&D center in the Crema region in Italy. The move will also enable the company to diversify its portfolio and develop new product categories and add a production site with the “made in Italy” label. Il Cosmetics plans to expand into the face category. The company now manufactures powders and in the second half of 2025 will introduce foundation.
Korean packaging supplier Nest Filler (Berlin Packaging) presented its latest novelties in refills and glass. The company showcased bottles with new shapes, including the Euphoria fragrance bottle and the Moon bottle which has a circular shape and special decoration, as well as a new bottle with matte lacquering, which comes in plastic (PP) or glass. It also presented refill concepts such as Double Glass, which is airless but with the inner part in lightweight glass for premium packaging.
When asked about shifts in consumer preferences in Asia, Vivien Charrey, Managing Director, says: “What I see when I visit our suppliers in Asia is that there are a lot of domestic brands. I would say that for big brands, it will be challenging in the future, because they will have strong domestic competition in Asia. We have some suppliers that work almost 80%-90% with domestic customers.” He continues: “The young generation are not loyal to one brand and flit from one product to another product. This is a challenge for brands […] as they need to come up with something new all the time.”
Charrey adds: “I still see good opportunities in skincare. New brands are coming with high-quality products like vegan skincare, for example, which is a trend, as is very natural products.”
Packaging company HCP showcased a new collection of aluminium mascaras called Fantasy Eyes. HCP says aluminium-clad mascara is both durable and provides a luxury look. A weight can be added so the mascara feels heavier in the hand. Options for decoration and customization include embossing, patterns or mirror finish. Each mascara in the collection is paired with either a fiber or molded brush, which HCP says responds to popular beauty trends around lashes and brows.
The company presented a new wiper innovation called Clipped Wiper, which it has patented. The wiper is used for any dip-in product, such as rods and applicators for lash, brow, lip or complexion products. The Clipped Wiper has a hard PE upper part to secure its place in the bottle and a soft flexible NBR lower part which is said to improve the wiping function. It fits various rod and bottle diameters and the top section can be color customized. HCP says it provides consistent product loading onto the applicator or rod.
The company also presented a collection of pocket-sized tottles called Color Capsule designed for facial sunscreen, glow drops or hydrating after-sun products. The 15ml lightweight tottle has an elongated, domed profile. Different material combinations are available to increase squeezability, barrier protection, transparency or sustainability. The tottle has an aluminium cap which can be customized with print or textures.
In addition, the company showed a collection of stackable, refillable jars called Ringo Stacker. The 10ml jar is designed for skincare or complexion products. The jars can be stacked into a single unit to simplify beauty routines and save space and are suitable for travel. HCP says the jars address the growing demand for convenience, sustainability and customization. The inner pods pop out from the bottom to enable refilling, while the click closure with a half-moon tab ensures products don’t leak and are protected from contamination. The inner pod and cap are made from PP, while the outer jar is PET and they are recyclable. The outer jar can be transparent or tinted.
HCT announced its acquisition of Laffon, an Italian company specializing in the injection molding of plastic packaging for the fragrance and cosmetics industry. HCT says the acquisition will see Laffon generate sales of €20m in 2025. The factory at Venegono Inferiore features 25 ton, 150 ton, 200 ton and 250 ton injection molding machines, some of which also have five automatic decoration and assembly lines. Laffon can also provide surface treatments, such as thermal and UV lacquering, metallization, galvanization and digital and screen printing.
Meiyume presented its latest collection for the UK market, which it says was fueled by its analysis of trends. The collection comprises three ranges. The first is Life Stage Beauty, which Meiyume claims provides products that cater to hormonal rhythms for each life stage. The second, the Regenerative range comes in response to the beauty industry’s unstable supply chains, which Meiyume says pose a threat to the environment. The Regenerative range is based on the concept of regenerative farming and aims to address environmental concerns.
The third, the Skintelligent range comes in response to the rising number of consumers suffering from skin sensitivity and a corresponding rise in gentle skincare products with active ingredients. The Skintelligent range claims to offer high-performance formulations that are gentle on the skin.
Meiyume also showcased its newest collection of sustainable packaging solutions called Iris, which targets masstige brands. The collection features a variety of packaging types, including aluminium jars, droppers and bottles. The first launch of the collection is a range of aluminium jars, including both refillable and non-refillable options for beauty products across various categories. The jars feature a double-wall aluminum cap while the inner cup is PP.
In addition, Meiyume presented its Gaia Skin Ecoskin stock packaging designed for skincare. The refillable bottle consists of a thick, durable aluminium sleeve and a 30ml inner container fitted with a cream pump, which has a lock system for travel. The sleeve comes in gold or silver and Meiyume says its weight and cold touch feel offers a premium look. It can be customized through silk screen printing or laser engraving. The inner container comes in PCR, PET or Ocean Bond resin and is said to be easily removable by pushing from the bottom.
German beauty tech company Geske showcased footcare devices and two new anti-aging devices. The footcare devices are electric and manual callous removers. The main technologies they use are the classic pumice stone and also nano crystalline glass which Geske says is a gentle way of exfoliating and buffing the feet. Meanwhile, the two new anti-aging devices are a skin tightener and skin renewer that use radio frequency, a new technology for the brand. It also works with full spectrum LED light and microcurrents.
The company’s next launches will be hair removal devices for both the face and body, such as facial hair trimmers, nose hair trimmers and tweezers such as spiral tweezers. Other upcoming launches include rose quartz and jade rollers to de-puff the face and body, and make-up devices or tools such as sponges and brushes, both electric and manual.
Swiss cosmetics manufacturer Naturalalps presented two new private-label lines: Opulent Caviar which contains caviar extract, and Doctor Soothe which contains centella asiatica exosomes. The company also created a new antioxidant skincare brand called evo which contains grape extract from the Lavaux region in Switzerland. Ludovic Simon, CEO and Co-founder, says the brand taps into the clean beauty trend, which he sees as still being important. He adds that the company sees strong demand from China, with 50% of its business from the country.
French skincare brand Holidermie showcased its new food supplements formulated with marine collagen including a collagen spread, collagen cocoa cubes and collagen powder. It also presented a massaging hairbrush, which is said to promote blood circulation, and gummies for hair and nails that are intended to complement the brush. The gummies contain horsetail, stinging nettle, biotin (Vitamin B8) and zinc and claim to nourish hair and nails. They contain no added sugar and are cherry flavored. Founder Melanie Huynh-Utzmann says she is looking to expand the brand in Asia. Holidermie recently opened its first flagship store in Paris.
French collective La French Beauty hosted 10 of its 60 member brands across all categories at the show. The collective is looking to increase distribution and visibility and expand in Asia and Spain. Sébastien Guerra, President, says it has seen interest from retailers and distributors in Korea, who are looking to market the brands together as an umbrella concept. The collective recently opened its first permanent shared flagship store in Paris.
Italian manufacturer MPlus Cosmetics presented two collections: Chakra Glow and Pop & Play. Chakra Glow is described as inspired by nature, reflected in its light textures and gold and blue colors. The collection includes a liquid foundation with a ‘shake well’ formula which contains active ingredients, and a brightening concealer which gives a highlighter effect on the skin, is lightweight and provides low coverage. It also includes an eyeshadow and highlighter duo with a lightweight, mousse texture for a natural effect; a pigmented brow wax which has a natural finish but is said to be long-lasting; a tubing mascara with a slim brush for lengthening and curling eyelashes; and finally a slim lipstick which is said to provide precise application.
The second collection, Pop & Play, features vibrant and playful colors including peachy orange and lavender. The products are multi-purpose and mainly in stick format, making them suitable for travel. The collection includes a foundation and concealer, which are said to be lightweight and easy to blend, an eyeshadow, which can also be used as an eyeliner and a waterproof mascara. It also includes a brow product which gives a wet effect, a lipstick with a satin finish and a matte lip crayon.
French packaging company Coverpla showcased its home fragrance range with Spanish glass manufacturer Estal. It also presented its PP and surlyn caps in different colors in a bid to reinvent plastic and present it in an alternative way through double injection of surlyn with hot stamping on the lid. In doing so, the company aims to show its capacity in customizing caps and bottles. Coverpla says that plastic that resembles glass can be attractive due to its price point and easy personalization.
Cosmoprof Asia 2024 at a glance
Took place: November 12-15 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre and AsiaWorld-Expo
Exhibitors: 2,500
Exhibitor countries: 47
Visitors: 60,975
Visitor countries: 119