On a journey to the ancient city of Luang Prabang, take a detour from the temples and palaces to discover benzoin, a locally harvested raw material. Used for centuries in pharmacology, beauty products and perfumery, the sweet smelling resin is a chameleon ingredient with many facets, hence its inclusion in fragrances from many olfactive families.

In China, there is a recognizable dichotomy in beauty. On the one hand, there are more and more inexpensive products on the market while at the same time, the consumer has become more sophisticated and better informed than ever before. How to make them loyal? Discover a few best practices in this article.

As pandemic restrictions ease in Asia, opportunities abound for niche fragrances in key markets. Several brands talk about their experiences in China and Korea while giving great insight on best practices to follow.

As the beauty sector embraces sustainable practices, more and more brands from mass to premium to luxury are growing their refillable SKU assortment. NPD France reports increases across all categories with phenomenal growth in refillable fragrances. Heritage brands have historically followed this practice which builds loyalty and encourages repeat purchases while doing something good for the planet.

Beauty is not immune to economic, environmental and political upheavals, yet it is nimble and able to change with the times. What trends and movements will effect the sector in 2023? Gazing into the crystal ball we see a continued focus on personalization, inclusivity, self-expression and self-care along with a consumer who is more demanding than ever before.

The “Lipstick Effect” is a term coined many years ago when the Estee Lauder Companies noticed a growth in lipstick sales over several recessions. What could be the cause of this? Are women trying to more attractive when the going gets tough? Are they making a small indulgence? Are they buying a product that can change their look with one swipe? Or is all of this overstated? Let’s find out.

Luxury goods are remarkably resilient in the face of economic downturns, even if today’s consumer is in the mindset of “buy better, buy less”. Along with quality, craftsmanship and originality, there’s more to the recipe for success: a brand needs to be desirable. A few top brands share their secrets on how to maintain that love affair with the consumer to ensure growth and staying power.

What exactly is clean beauty? Therein lies the dilemma as the claim is still unclear for consumers, brands and retailers. A recent class action suit in the US against Sephora just goes to show how much confusion is out there. It’s time for “clean” communication that’s transparent, understandable and honest.