Hot topics: Top 5 beauty and cosmetics stories trending on our socials right now

1 – A good alternate? Aussie firm eyeing opportunities for Indian sandalwood as a CBD alternative following China ban

Australian sandalwood supplier Quintis is eyeing new opportunities in China’s cosmetic space after a new scientific review revealed Indian sandalwood oil has more scientifically proven benefits​ than CBD oil.

Quintis Sandalwood is a supplier of Indian and Australian sandalwood raw materials, including oil, powder, logs and chips for multiple industries for use in fragrance, cosmetics, as well as incense and religious carvings.

Previously, the company told CosmeticsDesign-Asia​ that it has been placing more emphasis on the cosmetics side of the business, believing it could tap into the demand for natural products in the market.

Now, Quintis is looking to target the Chinese market on the back of a new review revealing that Indian sandalwood oil, or Santalum album,​ has more substantiated benefits than cannabidiol (CBD).

2 – Smart and green: How NFC-enabled packaging can help beauty brands aid the environment as well as drive engagement

NFC-enabled packaging can help to minimise the environmental impact of product packaging​, in addition to boosting engagement with consumers, claims a company that has recently worked with Paco Rabanne.

The brand recently unveiled a connected bottle for its Phantom fragrance for men.

The refillable robot-shaped bottle is embedded with an NFC chip. Users can simply tap it with their smartphone and gain access to the Phantom Universe, which houses exclusive content such as interactive filters, personalised playlists, and interactive games.

“Now, it's important for brands to exist somehow within the digital space even though their product is a physical product. They can reach out to spend time with the end-users. Of course, the point is to bring what is meaningful to the users because there is plenty of content available to them,”​ said Giuliana Curro from electronics firm STMicroelectronics, which is based in Geneva, Switzerland and has operations across the world including the US, France, Singapore, and China

3 – Eco Deo: HK’s Coconut Matter takes first steps to achieve circularity with new compostable paper deodorant tube

Hong Kong-based brand Coconut Matter is rolling out a new compostable paper tube​ for its natural deodorants on its quest to become a circular enterprise.

Coconut Matter was founded in 2015 by Diane van Zwanenberg, who left the world of finance to develop a personal care brand as a platform to share sustainable values.

“Our brand is a mission-driven brand… and I have a very simple mission – to convert your bathroom into a plastic-free bathroom,”​ said van Zwanenberg.

The company offers a range of natural personal care products from deodorant to lip and hand balms that come in plastic-free packaging.

4 – ‘A lot to look forward to’: NZ’s Ecostore highlights global eco-initiatives it will undertake in 2022

Kiwi brand Ecostore has underlined the global eco-initiatives​ it will be focusing on next year, including expanding the footprint of its refill stations and reducing its reliance on water in its formulations.

Ecostore is a leading brand in sustainability that offers a range of products from skin and body care, to baby and home care. The company was founded in 1993 by Malcolm and Melanie Rands and had humble beginnings as a mail-order business based in an eco-village in New Zealand’s North Island.

Fast forward to today, Ecostore now operates in more than a dozen markets, including Japan, Korea, China, and Singapore, in addition to its home markets of New Zealand and Australia.

Since its inception and overseas expansion, the company has seen an uptick in consumer adoption of eco-friendly alternatives.

5 – Colour theory: GoPlay moves to target US market with new and improved DIY lipstick system

Singapore-based beauty start-up GoPlay looking to zero in on the US market following the rebirth of its new and improved DIY lipstick system​ this coming November.

GoPlay's Lipskit is a make-up tool that lets you make any lip colour in various textures, from long-lasting opaque mattes to sheer tints.

Since unveiling the Lipskit in August 2019, the beauty market has experienced huge shifts triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, some of which impacted the beauty start-up greatly.

Like many online direct-to-consumer brands, it benefitted greatly from the great online shift of 2020.