Regular readers of Happi know that if it’s July, then it must be time for The Top 50, our annual look at the biggest U.S. companies in the global household and personal care market. Together with next month’s International Top 30, we’ve kept readers in the know about the largest companies in the industry for decades. Once again, we’re pleased to present The Top 50, which starts on p. 68 in this issue.

But what about those smaller companies that are on the verge of a growth spurt? This month, Ken Wasik, managing director of Stephens Investment Banking, takes a look at the dynamic direct market channel which, in recent years, has served as an incubator for many personal care companies. Wasik’s article begins on p. 50 in this issue.

Of course, there are entire market segments on the verge of greatness. One of them is nutricosmetics, that relatively new-to-the-U.S. beauty segment that includes supplements, drinks and foods that, once ingested, are all designed to improve one’s outer appearance. Associate editor Christine Esposito reports on this dynamic segment on p. 57 in this issue. Marketers as diverse as Nu Skin, Bliss and Borba have all found success in the inner beauty category. And for even more coverage of nutricosmetics, be on the look out for Beauty I&O, beauty from the inside and out, our annual supplement that will arrive with your September issue of Happi.

Of course, that issue is still a long two months away, and summer’s just getting started here in the U.S. So with that in mind, be sure to read The Sunscreen Filter, our bimonthly column by industry expert Nadim Shaath. This month, Shaath takes aim at the Environmental Working Group’s assessment of sunscreen product efficacy and the industry’s response to EWG’s charges.

This issue of Happi also includes a review of the FiFi Awards (p. 64) and the Society of Cosmetic Chemists’ annual scientific seminar (p. 52), as well as an update on Henkel’s household care activities in the U.S. (48).

We hope you enjoy this edition of Happi. As always, we welcome your comments and suggestions.

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