[slideshow] 15 Top Innovation Trends from CEW’s London and New York Product Demos

Awards will be announced in April; for more information on the US and UK awards: CEW UK Beauty Awards; CEW (US) Beauty Awards.

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Jane Evison is a UK-based beauty industry veteran and a special correspondent to Global Cosmetic Industry. Here, we present her view from the London CEW UK product demonstration event.

The View from London

I last reported on the CEW UK Beauty Awards ten years ago for my Global Cosmetic Industry column, London Glam. Since then, the awards have gone from strength to strength, expanding from 21 mass and prestige categories to 27 this year, with skin care, premium and well-being categories all recording a growth—for a grand total of 300 products competing for top spots.

The “Oscars of the Beauty Industry” was kick-started with the product demonstration evening at Olympia, London, where more than 700 industry professionals attended a showcase of outstanding innovation and creativity, which acts as a true trends indicator of trends for the cosmetics sector, according to CEW UK. 

Well-established brands such as Liz Earle, St Tropez, Elemis and Batiste rubbed shoulders at the tightly-packed exhibition tables with new, innovative and disruptive brands, such as Fenty Beauty and Oh-K!

Thanks to sponsors, guests also had the opportunity to visit the Relaxation Area, where they were able to enjoy a glass of prosecco courtesy of Dufry and treatments from a variety of brands, including manicures from Amazon, makeup looks from Marks & Spencer, Dyson hairstyling from QVC, trials with Benefit’s new mascara and appointments with NARS catwalk makeup artists.

At the end of the evening, attendees received their highly coveted CEW bag, produced and packed by Latest in Beauty, with a selection of products from the exhibitors to test at home. The Winners Announcement Lunch will be held in London on April 20.

Indies & Legacy Brands Compete

Well-established brands such as Liz Earle, St Tropez, Elemis and Batiste rubbed shoulders at the tightly-packed exhibition tables with new, innovative and disruptive brands, such as Fenty Beauty and Oh-K!

Thinking Green The Eco Beauty Award, sponsored by Givaudan, is also continuing to be successful with seven entries this year.

Below is a sampling of the top innovation trends I spotted at the event.

1. Well-being

This trend looks likely to continue to build, assisted by its connection with the lifestyle, home, luxury, travel and spa sectors and the demand for natural, ethical and responsible products. Brits seem very good at this, as shown by two of the Best British Brand entrants:

• Bamford: Created by Lady Carole Bamford in 2006, based on a holistic approach and natural ethical products originating with the Daylesford Farm estate business. The Bamford range, which includes skin care and body products, is used in their Haybarn spas in the United Kingdom, Japan and United States, and is retailed in its own shops plus Libertys, Fortnum & Mason and Fenwicks in London. In addition, Bamford is entered in the following categories: Best New Everyday Facial Skincare Product – Prestige - Bamford Triple Action Eye Cream, Best New Skincare Treatment Product – Prestige - Bamford Purifying Mask and Best New Wellbeing Product – Mass & Prestige - Bamford Botanic Pillow Mist.
• Aromatherapy Associates: The company tagline is “the art of living well.” The brand has entries for Best Classic Beauty Product – Revive Morning Bath & Shower Oil, which contains neroli, grapefruit, juniper berry and rosemary essential oils, and Best New Well-being Product – De-stress Frankincense Essential Oil.

The anti-pollution trend has been steadily gaining momentum over the last year.

2. Ayurvedic Facial Oils

Facial oils are fast becoming a part of every skin care range. In keeping with the continued desire for natural skin care, Urban Veda is based on Ayurveda, the Indian plant-based health and well-being knowledge system. Its Soothing Facial Oil – Sandalwood + Botanics is “a 100% natural blend of organic avocado, carrot seed, rosehip and omega-rich sea buckthorn oils locking in moisture to feed dry and irritated skin, while shatavari, aromatic rosemary, sandalwood and palmarosa uplift and fortify for content skin and senses,” according to the company.

OhK! Mix your own Gold Dust Peel Off Mask is a “mix your own” product from Korea that reflects several interesting trends including customization and gold dust/glitter.

3. Anti-pollution Skin Care

The anti-pollution trend has been steadily gaining momentum over the last year:

• Emma Hardie’s Plump & Glow Hydrating Facial Mist- Anti Pollution Formula is described as “an ultra-fine hyaluronic facial mist that helps boost hydration, plumpness and luminosity and helps protect against pollution and environmental damage.”

• Thisworks’ evening detox clay mask is an “anti-pollution purifying mask with malachite and Kaolin clay for a 10 minute skin detox.”

4. K-beauty Inspiration

K-beauty has been the main driver for the masks segment, which is now also translating into many innovative areas:

• OhK! Mix your own Gold Dust Peel Off Mask is a “mix your own” product from Korea that reflects several interesting trends including customization and gold dust/glitter.
• Amie, which is named after the French word for a female friend, presented its Rose & Argan Super-renewing Moisture Mask. This is part of a growing natural range originally developed by beauty expert Fiona Parkhouse in her quest to find natural products for her teenage daughter’s skin, which are intended to “be gentle, effective, appealing and affordable,” according to the brand.

5. Color-shifting Snail Mask

A.T Beauty’s snail extract intelligent sleep mask, developed by the Chinese company, contains snail helix dispersa muller, “an ingredient used in ancient China and renowned for its remedial benefits,” according to the company, along with a “color-awakening lip balm which changes color according to body temperature.”

Tancream offers SPF 50 protection using a blend of organic sunscreens, gradual self-tanning and instant bronzing.

6. Serums & Concentrates

The emphasis in this group is on clinically proven results for identified key anti-aging or healthy skin benefits:

• Boots YourGoodSkin Balancing Skin Concentrate was co-created with “a community of 1000s of women,” according the company. Consumers are encouraged to join the brand’s community and share their skin story at www.yourgoodskin.com. The product is designed to improve five key signs of visibly healthy skin, including skin texture, moisture levels, oiliness, skin tone evenness and radiance. The packs contain a calendar ribbon “to guide and support during your 28-day skin journey.”
• Thalgo’s Silicium Marin Wrinkle Lifting Serum combines marine silicium with a plant extract for a smoothing effect on deep wrinkles, creating “a powerfully concentrated serum for remarkable anti-aging effects,” as evaluated by cutometry in a 42-day volunteer study, according to the company.

7. Self-tanning

Continuing in popularity perhaps helped by the dancers in BBC Strictly Come Dancing’s prolific use of fake tan, but also the connection with the feel-good factor and healthy skin:

• St Tropez’s Self-tan Express Bronzing Face Sheet Mask is a patent-pending, all-in-one mask to moisturize and tan, claiming to “blend seamlessly for the perfect even glow with no tell-tale tan lines.” Consumers leave on the mask for five to 15 minutes, depending on the desired tan level.
• Tancream offers SPF 50 protection using a blend of organic sunscreens, gradual self-tanning and instant bronzing. The premium luxury lotion has “anti-aging properties, no odor and it doesn’t streak,” according to the brand. After her own experience with skin cancer, co-founder Gillian Robson looked for a product that offered self-tanning with sun protection and could not find one; so, together with co-founder, Katy Foxcroft, she developed her own, with the assistance of sun protection expert Dr. Jack Ferguson and experienced formulator Jo Warren.

WOW hair care’s mission is to “identify and solve every problem related to color-treated hair.” Its Dream Coat Anti-Humidity Hair Treatment.

8. Charcoal Skin Care

• Hask’s purifying shampoo—charcoal with citrus oil—claims: “Charcoal, a hero ingredient derived from coconut shells in the Philippines, acts as a magnet and attracts and removes impurities like product build-up.” The inclusion of lemon and grapefruit oils reportedly “invigorates and clarifies hair without stripping away any moisture.”
• Yes To Tomatoes Detoxifying Charcoal Micellar Cleansing Water is claimed to detoxify the skin without leaving a black residue. It is activated on shaking and dispensed from an easy-to-use pump. The product is said to be a makeup remover and moisturizer in one, with no need to rinse.

9. Hair Coloring

• WOW hair care’s mission is to “identify and solve every problem related to color-treated hair.” Its Dream Coat Anti-Humidity Hair Treatment was demonstrated by Megan Walsh. The treatment, inspired by new textile technology, covers each hair strand with an “invisible waterproofing cloak.” Colored hair is porous and vulnerable to humidity, which leads to puffiness and frizz, according to WOW, but the hair is left sleek and smooth following treatment, which is light and does not build up.
• My. Hair Care’s Infuse My. Colour is the creation of hairdressers Rob Forgione and Denis Kovalyov who specialize in color and hairdressing education. This line includes Ruby, Copper, Gold, Cobalt and Platinum shades, which are said to infuse vegan biodegradable color as hair is washed, for immediate color refreshment and tone. This product is entered for the Eco Beauty Award.

The View from New York

Jeb Gleason-Allured is the editor in chief of Global Cosmetic Industry.

Slideshow: Highlights from the 2017 CEW Product Demo in New York.

The record-breaking 2018 CEW Product Demo in New York featured more than 820 products across 45 categories, including emerging segments such as Indie Hair, Nutri-Cosmetics and packaging innovation. CEW president Carlotta Jacobson recently spoke to me about the blockbuster event. Here are the key trends she identified:

10. Product Innovation Boom

“The 2018 Product Demonstration was a huge success; truly a celebration of innovation and creativity,” says Jacobson. “Not only did we have a record number of entries—more than 820 products from 433 brands—we had tremendous response to the five new categories we added this year. The CEW Beauty Awards program gets bigger and better each year!”

She adds, “In 1994, our first year, we had just 35 product entries for seven categories … And, the number of categories has grown from 37 to 45 just the past two years.” What’s driving this?

“First,” says Jacobson, “these awards honor innovation, and the growing number of entries reflects the tremendous focus on innovation that is occurring in the industry itself.” She adds, “CEW has worked hard to make these awards meaningful to the consumer as the only awards chosen by beauty insiders—the people who know beauty best. Today, a CEW award helps consumers navigate the multitude of new product offerings—and the increase in entries underscores how much brands value the CEW seal of approval. 

“Technology has become such an exciting part of new product innovation, that we have added a Formula Innovation award this year to recognize a new ingredient or formulation that brings innovation and new technology to the beauty products industry."

11. Nutricosmetics

“For the first time, we are presenting an award for a nutricosmetic product—an ingestible, nutritional supplement that supports the function and structure of the skin, hair and/or nails,” says Jacobson. “Consumers are increasingly linking their expectations about beauty to health and wellness—and the industry is responding.”

12. Niche Fragrance

“We’ve also responded to an evolving trend with the new Niche Fragrance award,” Jacobsen explains. “This new category will honor an olfactory offering in limited distribution that tells a story and has the highest quality of ingredients.”

13. Focus on Ingredients

“Technology has become such an exciting part of new product innovation, that we have added a Formula Innovation award this year to recognize a new ingredient or formulation that brings innovation and new technology to the beauty products industry,” says Jacobsen.

The category, which is only open to suppliers, includes DSM’s Peha-age blue light defense ingredient. The material, derived from water algae, Scenedesmus rubescens, comprises vitamin B3, rhamnose and zinc and can be applied to sun care and skin care to boost defense against UV rays and the natural and artificial sources of blue light, including electronic screens.

“It’s no secret that there are countless beauty award programs out there today. But the CEW Beauty Awards are the only ones selected by industry insiders and we’ve worked hard over the past two decades to leverage that fact and earn consumer trust.”

14. Indies Rising

“We introduced the Indie Beauty Award in 2016 to put a spotlight on companies that fill a void in the beauty space and might not otherwise have been given the opportunity to shine,” says Jacobson. “Our goal was to help provide the companies with the momentum to continue creating innovative products.”

She adds, “The response was amazing, and we now have multiple Indie categories. It’s an indication of how rapidly this category with growing. We are delighted with the increased participation from our Indie Brands and to see how far this category has come in just two years.”

15. Cutting Through the Clutter

“Thousands of beauty products are launched every year—leaving consumers overwhelmed by all the choices,” says Jacobson. “The CEW Beauty Award seal helps the consumer identify the best of the best and helps consumers navigate the beauty aisles.”

She adds, “It’s no secret that there are countless beauty award programs out there today. But the CEW Beauty Awards are the only ones selected by industry insiders and we’ve worked hard over the past two decades to leverage that fact and earn consumer trust.”

Jacobson explains that CEW has used social media outreach and the Consumers’ Choice award to bring consumers “inside” the awards.

She notes, “Award winners leverage this buzz in a variety of ways, including promotion on their social media channels and the addition of the seal to their marketing materials and packaging.”

Empowering Women

“The CEW Beauty Awards were established 24 years ago to help women in our industry advance through collaboration, idea exchange and growth,” says Jacobson. “We have become the preeminent beauty organization for women at every stage of their careers and across every facet of the industry.”

She adds, “Our primary purpose has always been to develop careers and knowledge with networking events, trend reports, interactive workshops, industry leader talks and more. Our annual Achiever Awards recognize the accomplishments of female leaders and inspire other women to succeed. By empowering our members, we have propelled the entire beauty industry forward.”