by Manessa Lo

Cosmoprof North America was unlike any exhibition I’ve ever attended. Having worked in the beauty industry for the last 6 years, I’ve attended various trade shows for professionals and consumer facing audiences. By attending beauty events, I’m able to evaluate new products to gauge uniqueness and degree of innovation. Over the years, such shows have been my first-hand education on what is happening in beauty.

Through conversations with mentors, I heard Cosmoprof was THE SHOW to attend but nothing could have prepared me for this experience. Cosmoprof North America is a 3 day trade show that took place at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Upon arrival, I was immediately blown away by the scale of the event. There were hundreds of brands and service providers with massive interactive displays. The show is multi-dimensional including panel discussions and a wide array of educational courses for professionals.

On the show floor, the international presence of countries like Korea, Japan, and Brazil instantly struck me by surprise. As a US-based professional it is easy to be focused on the developments taking place here, that we don’t think to truly understand what is happening in other areas of the world. More specifically, seeing the number of Korean skincare brands reinforced the idea that K-Beauty is here to stay.

Above all the show was curated to highlight key themes that are driving current beauty conversations. This includes clean beauty, sustainability, BIPOC inclusion, wellness, and even beauty tech. Each booth offered an opportunity to learn something new. As a #girlynerd, my curiosity and interest peaked continuously.

Reflecting on the 2 days I spent walking the show floor, I categorized my finding as follows:

Brands to Watch | Ingredient Innovation | Black-Founded Brands | Beauty Tech

Brands to Watch

VOESH – Is a brand that offers at-home spa-like treatments for the full body. From body care, hand care, and foot care; you can treat your entire body to day of care with VOESH. The products are developed to be clean without the use of 1400+ ingredients that are banned in the EU. The Shower & Empower Vitamin C Shower Filter captured my attention the most. This filter is designed to add a chosen scent and Vitamin C to your shower water, providing an elevated shower experience. According to VOESH, the filter can last up to 110 showers with dual usage on hair & body. This was very innovative to me because beauty product developers often think of physical formulas as a means of creating a care experience. VOESH, however, tapped into an underutilized tool in one’s bathroom!

SKIN 1004 – Is a Korean skincare brand that had an amazing presence at the show. For brands entering new markets presentation is everything. I stopped by SKIN 1004 because their display had a luxurious minimalistic feel that separated it from other brands. Aside from offering a clean aesthetic, the brand’s formulas are centered on Madagascar Centella. I had seen a few other brands use Centella as a key ingredient but the emphasis on Madagascar being the source was intriguing. There was visible intention behind every element of this brand. If you look closely at the label on the clear bottles, each collection has a signature image behind it to represent the line. Though this is a small detail, it speaks to capturing the customer’s attention at different touch points. Above all, a key element of the brand is ensuring the affordability of all SKUs. The price point of all the products is affordable landing between $14-$30 for full sized SKUs.

JOYLUX – Is a luxury intimate wellness brand. They carry a range of clean products and devices with a consumer focus on women who are going through all stages of life from motherhood to menopause. As sexual wellness is no longer a taboo subject, the presence of brands geared towards intimate care will rise. This is a brand to watch because they offer a unique product pairing with their signature vFit Gold Device. This device is designed to increase the strength of one’s pelvic floor. Through elegant gold & pink branding, this brand is speaking to women looking to take control of their sexual wellness in a comforting way.

Ingredient Innovation

When it comes to innovative ingredient stories, Tara’s range of onion-inspired hair care deserves an honorable mention. As this was the first time I’ve seen onion extract used in a product formulation, I was immediately intrigued! In the “Onion Remedy” line, onion extract is used as a key ingredient to stimulate new hair growth by boosting microcirculation towards hair follicles prolonging the growth cycle leading to longer hair over time. One of the team members also commented on how her hair has increased in shine since she began using the full range. I was further surprised at how pleasant the formula smelled. Even with the use of onion extract, the formula smelled rather decadent. As a lot of cosmetic ingredients come from super food trends, it will be interesting to see if onion extract becomes the next big thing.

Black-Founded Brands

A special component of this year’s show was the inclusion of the Discover Black-Owned Beauty area. This was a dedicated area for Black-owned brands to showcase their products. There were brands across skin care, hair care, makeup, and accessories present. More specifically, Nude Sugar, a luxury skincare line created by Grammy Award-winning artist Toni Braxton was on full display.

Beauty Done Right showcased a set of ice dice. The dice are designed to calm inflammation and increase blood circulation in the skin. The brand’s founder Bianca Edwards, a celebrity esthetician, detailed the intricate production process and why she believes so firmly in cryotherapy for the skin. The use of ice dice at home provides consumers with a new type of #selfcare. Imagine an ice facial to ameliorate our skin care routine on a Sunday evening? By providing a cooling sensation, it entices consumers to rethink their skin care experience. This innovation came to life by understanding skin biology but also knowing that consumers continually need new experiences to keep their interest.

Beauty Tech

Beauty tech continues to be a way for companies to heighten a user’s beauty experience. Through apps and devices, digitally connecting with consumers will soon become the new normal.

GESKE made a big wave at Cosmoprof with a massive display of color-coordinated beauty devices. The German beauty tech company used the show to kickoff the brand that will be launching in Fall 2022. The company provided a wide range of beauty devices across 11 different colors. Devices include sonic facial brushes, a micro-current face-lifter, face steamers, facial rollers, a pigmentation remover, a hydration refresher & much more! The various devices allow users to tailor their skin needs as needed. Not only does this create a more customized user experience, but the devices will also be available alongside an app. Through the app, users can track the progress of their skin and monitor their improvement. By combing devices with an app that rewards users, GESKE is gamifying the user’s experience to consistently care for their skin.

About Manessa Lo

Manessa Lormejuste is an accomplished cosmetic chemist and product developer who has worked for companies such as L’OREAL USA and FORMA for the last 6 years. As a Rutgers University graduate, she has a Bachelor of Arts in Chemical Biology and a Master of Business & Science in Personal Care Science. A self-proclaimed #girlynerd, her career is rooted in a passion for beauty and an academic adeptness for science. A lover of all things #beautytech, Manessa prides herself on being both a beauty professional and product junkie.