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

1 – How to win over… the eco-conscious consumer while avoiding the pitfalls of greenwashing​

Sustainability is one of the hottest topics in beauty today, but how can the sector move beyond packaging to innovate with new concepts, product formats and materials to win over the eco-conscious consumer, while avoiding the trap of greenwashing​?

For years now, sustainability in the beauty industry has been taking growing increasingly important and it is no exception in Asia Pacific.

Then the COVID-19 pandemic happened. This awakening led people to question things like kerbside recycling processes, the integrity of carbon offsetting and greenwashing practices.

This has arguably been the catalyst that intensified the beauty consumers’ interest in the environment and how their lifestyle choices can affect the planet.

2 – How to win over… beauty consumers in a rapidly evolving e-commerce landscape​

The beauty sector might be one of the hottest arenas in e-commerce, but there looks set to be boundless new opportunities on the horizon​ for digital-savvy brands, from social commerce advances to the metaverse.

The events of the last two years have transformed nearly every aspect of our world. Seemingly overnight, the little adjustments became dramatic shifts that promise to have a long-lasting effect on society, including the way we shop.

The prolonged pandemic has made online shopping part of our daily lives.

According to a consumer study by e-commerce firm Lazada, 73% of consumers in South East Asia identify online shopping as ‘integral to everyday life’, with almost half (46%) going online to shop at least once weekly.

3 – Next big step: WiZ Care eyeing expansion beyond hygiene and into skin care, make-up​

Indian mass personal hygiene brand WiZ Care is set to introduce skin care into its product portfolio​ this year and is also mulling over plans to launch a range of colour cosmetics as well.

The company announced the launch WiZ Luxe, its first premium range of products which consists of new products. The entry into the premium personal care category is just the first of many changes for the WiZ Care brand this year.

The company is set to make its first foray into the skin care category to tap into the rising consumption of skin care in India.

4 – ‘Facelift’ the future of cosmetics? Study identifies pigmentation-related genes in Korean women​

A team of researchers has discovered genes involved with pigmentation in the skin of over 17,000 Korean women​, with insights opening up new opportunities for customised products.

The results showed that two of the discovered genes are believed to be the world’s first discovered skin pigmentation-related genes and highly likely active on Korean skin.

Based on the paper’s outcomes, LG H&H has now completed applications for four domestic patents and one international patent (PCT) to aid new product development.

“Human skin colour is largely determined by genetic factors,” ​the researchers said.

5 – More than perfume: Newly validated properties of Indian Sandalwood creates skin-care and make-up potential

Indian Sandalwood holds a lot of promise​ as an active ingredient for minimalist skin care formulations and as an inventive alternative for talcum powder in make-up, says Australia-based sandalwood supplier Quintis.

It believes that Indian Sandalwood oil can tap into the shift towards a minimalist approach and offer more benefits to the consumer with fewer ingredients.

CEO Richard Henfrey revealed that the firm is currently exploring the use of finely milled Indian Sandalwood as a powder that would potentially be able to replace talcum.